Which scanner resides on a single machine but can scan several machines on the same network?

Which scanner resides on a single machine but can scan several machines on the same network?

• A. Nessus Professional
• B. Network-Based Scanner
• C. OpenVAS
• D. Nikto

Answer: (B)

The key idea is how the scanner is deployed across targets. A network-based scanner runs on a single machine and reaches out to many hosts on the same network to assess their services, configurations, and vulnerabilities. It doesn’t need agents installed on every target; instead, it probes the network from that central machine and collects results for multiple devices. This centralized approach is what lets one host perform scans across an entire network segment. In contrast, host-based scanners are designed to run on or require agents on the individual machines being scanned, which is not the scenario described. So, the scanner described fits the network-based model: it resides on one machine and can scan several machines on the network.

The key idea is how the scanner is deployed across targets. A network-based scanner runs on a single machine and reaches out to many hosts on the same network to assess their services, configurations, and vulnerabilities. It doesn’t need agents installed on every target; instead, it probes the network from that central machine and collects results for multiple devices. This centralized approach is what lets one host perform scans across an entire network segment. In contrast, host-based scanners are designed to run on or require agents on the individual machines being scanned, which is not the scenario described. So, the scanner described fits the network-based model: it resides on one machine and can scan several machines on the network.