What does "active scanning" involve in cybersecurity?

Active scanning in cybersecurity specifically refers to the practice of actively probing systems and services to identify vulnerabilities. This process involves sending various types of requests or packets to target devices, eliciting responses that can reveal information about their configurations, services, and potential security weaknesses.

By engaging in active scanning, security professionals can detect open ports, running services, and software versions, which allows them to identify known vulnerabilities associated with those services. This proactive approach is critical for organizations looking to strengthen their security posture, as it helps them uncover flaws before they can be exploited by malicious actors.

In contrast, the other options focus on different aspects of cybersecurity. Monitoring networks for unusual activities pertains to passive detection, where anomalies in network traffic are analyzed for signs of compromise. Conducting user awareness training is aimed at improving the security culture among users, helping them recognize potential threats. Implementing endpoint protection measures is related to securing devices to prevent malware and other security breaches. Each of these activities contributes to a comprehensive security strategy but does not encapsulate the specific action associated with active scanning.