A penetration tester performs an nmap scan and uses -sV --script=ba…

Question

A penetration tester performs an nmap scan and uses -sV --script=banner flags. What information do these flags collect?

Accepted Answer

-sV probes services to determine version information; --script=banner runs an NSE script to capture service banners, together revealing software names, versions, and configuration details useful for identifying exploitable vulnerabilities — Here's the deal — b is correct because -sV performs service version detection by sending probes to open ports, and --script=banner invokes the NSE banner script to capture raw service banners; together they collect detailed service version information critical for identifying known CVEs. A is wrong because UDP scanning uses -sU, and OS fingerprinting uses -O; the described flags perform service detection, not UDP or OS scanning.

Answer

They perform a UDP port scan with OS fingerprinting

Answer

They perform a stealth SYN scan while completely hiding the scanner's identity

Answer

They scan for open web application vulnerabilities using the OWASP test methodology

A penetration tester performs an nmap scan and uses `-sV --script=banner` flags. What information do these flags collect?

Short Explanation and Infographic

Full Explanation