Scanner

Definition

A scanner is

“

[a] device that captures a print or hard-copy image, such as a text document or map, and records the information in digital format.

”

Overview

The term "scanner" is used in connection with a variety of hardware devices and software, including:

• Across-track scanner
• Along-track scanner
• Document scanner
• Flatbed scanner
• Handprint scanner
• Infrared scanner
• Malware scanner
• Network scanner
• Optical scanner
• Port scanner
• Signature scanning and algorithmic detection
• System scanner
• Virus scanner
• Vulnerability scanner

Cybercrime

"Some scanners are designed to scan only a single networked computer, gaining as much reconnaissance data about that system as possible. Others can scan any entire range of network addresses, seeking out those that appear to have a particular operating system or service running that may be vulnerable to an attack. Still others are designed to scan and map out entire Local Area Networks (LANs), identifying each host that resides on that network."