What is the process of identifying the systems, open ports, and services running in a network called?

• A. Social Engineering
• B. Dumpster Diving
• C. Shoulder Surfing
• D. Scanning

Answer: (D)

Scanning is the process of probing a network to map its landscape: you identify which systems are reachable, which ports are open, and what services and versions are running. This involves discovering live hosts, performing port scans to see open ports, and detecting the services behind those ports along with their versions and sometimes the operating system. That combination of information reveals the network’s attack surface and helps security teams assess defenses or plan mitigations. Tools like Nmap automate these tasks, gathering an inventory of exposed hosts, services, and service versions.

The other activities are different kinds of information gathering that don’t focus on the technical map of systems and services: they rely on manipulating people or physical access rather than probing networks. Remember, scanning should only be done with proper authorization because it can be detectable and disruptive.