What is the purpose of vulnerability scanners?

• A. They identify weak passwords
• B. They monitor network latency
• C. They block all external traffic
• D. They assess computers, systems, networks, or applications for weaknesses and produce a prioritized list to address weaknesses

Answer: (D)

Vulnerability scanners identify weaknesses in computers, systems, networks, or applications and produce a prioritized list of what to fix. They examine configurations, patch levels, known software vulnerabilities, weak credentials, open ports, and other security gaps to create a report that ranks findings by risk so you can address the most serious issues first. This prioritization helps allocate remediation efforts efficiently and reduces the chance an attacker could exploit the highest-risk flaws.

The other options describe activities outside the scanner’s main purpose. Detecting weak passwords can be part of a scan, but it isn’t the primary goal. Monitoring network latency is about performance, not security. Blocking external traffic is a firewall action, not a vulnerability assessment function.