What scan type produces the BEST vulnerability scan report for periodic assessments of production systems?

A credentialed scan is designed to produce the most comprehensive vulnerability report for periodic assessments of production systems. This type of scan requires valid credentials to log into the systems being assessed, allowing the scanning tool to gain deeper access and perform a more thorough evaluation.

By utilizing credentialed scans, the scanning tool can examine system configurations, applications, and security settings that are not accessible during non-credentialed (or unauthenticated) scans. This capability enables the identification of vulnerabilities that could be exploited by an attacker with legitimate access, thereby providing a more accurate and detailed assessment of the security posture of the production systems.

In contrast, port scans primarily focus on identifying open ports and services running on a network, which may not provide insight into vulnerabilities at the application level or configuration issues. Intrusive scans, while thorough, can potentially disrupt production systems due to the aggressive nature of the testing, leading to service availability challenges. Host discovery scans are intended to identify systems on the network but do not assess the vulnerabilities of those systems in detail. Thus, for periodic assessments aimed at ensuring the security of production environments, credentialed scans stand out as the most effective choice.