Which of the following is a valid ASV Scan characteristic?

• A. Encrypt All Data in Transit
• B. Perform Deep Packet Inspection
• C. Require Admin Privileges
• D. Perform Service/OS Discovery

Answer: (D)

ASV scanning hinges on knowing exactly what is exposed on external networks so the right vulnerability checks can be applied. The best fit among these options is performing Service/OS Discovery, which means the scanner identifies which services are listening on which ports and what operating systems are in use. This discovery is fundamental because different services and OS versions have different vulnerabilities and patch requirements, so knowing them lets the scanner target the correct checks and verify remediation accurately.

Encrypt All Data in Transit describes a security measure for protecting communications, not a scanning capability. Deep Packet Inspection involves analyzing the contents of network traffic at a granular level, which is not the primary function of an ASV external vulnerability scan. Requiring Admin Privileges suggests privileged access to systems, which external ASV scans generally do not rely on; they focus on visible vulnerabilities from an outside view.