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Document scanner

A scanner is a device used to capture images from documents for the purpose of entering the information into an electronic format.

Malware scanner

A scanner can provide precise identification of known malicious code. Scanners search for “signature strings” or use algorithmic detection methods to identify known code. Scanners rely on a significant amount of a prior knowledge about the code. Therefore, it is critical that the signature information for scanners is current. Most scanners can be configured to automatically update their signatures from a designated source, typically on a weekly basis; scanners can also be forced to update their signatures on demand.[1]

Scanner software can also be used by an attacker to

send a series of messages to other computers to try to learn more about them. These tools can check hundreds or thousands of computers an hour to identify good targets for future attacks. A computer connected directly to the Internet is scanned constantly; if the computer is not protected, attackers could gain information from the scans that would help them in planning attacks against the computer.[2]

System scanner

A scanner is a common testing and audit tools used to identify vulnerabilities in networks and systems as a part of proactive security testing. A wide variety of scanners is available that can be used to probe modems, internet ports, databases, wireless access points, Web pages, and software applications. These tools often incorporate the capability to monitor the security posture of the networks and systems by testing and auditing the security configurations of hosts and networks.

References

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