Networking Assignment: Scanning, Enumeration, Tools, and Protocols

This assignment explores the concepts of network scanning and enumeration in the context of network security. It differentiates between scanning, which identifies active devices, and enumeration, which retrieves information about networked systems. The assignment discusses tools such as Acunetix and Spyse for scanning, and Nmap and Zmap for enumeration. It highlights the use of protocols like SNMP and ICMP in enumeration and TCP/UDP ports in scanning. The document emphasizes the importance of these techniques in penetration testing and vulnerability analysis, explaining how scanning looks for active devices and enumeration extracts information from the system. References to relevant literature support the discussion. The assignment provides a comprehensive overview of the techniques used in identifying and analyzing network vulnerabilities.

Running head: NETWORKING
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Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
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Penetration Testing
Scanning is procedure to identify the active devices within network through employing
features within network protocol for signaling devices as well as wait for a response. Scanning is
used for management and monitoring. However, scanning could be used also for identifying
users of network elements for the attacks. Certain protocol features used within scanning
depends upon network. However, in IP networks, simple message is sent through scanning to
every IP addresses possible within certain range and uses other protocol for obtaining data on
devices if there is response to ping (Coffey, et al., 2018). Acunetix and spyse are two scanning
tools which could be used within the organization.
Enumeration is activity of system where usernames and information on services, shares
or groups of networked systems are retrieved. This is not same as network mapping, where
information is retrieved about the connected servers to specific network. Enumeration is
discovery of devices or hosts on network. Enumeration uses protocols of overt discovery like
SNMP and ICMP for gathering information. This might scan also several ports over remote hosts
to look for services for further identifying remote host’s function. Enumeration’s next stage is
fingerprint remote host’s operating system. Enumerator is program that is used for retrieving
information of networked systems (Conte, et al., 2016). Nmap and Zmap are enumeration tools
which could be used by the organization.
Scanning is technique that is used by penetration tester for finding out open doors within
a network, whereas enumeration is technique that is used for collecting information of target
system by connecting actively to it. Enumeration is target network’s first attack. UDP and TCP
ports are used in scanning on system. SNMP and ICMP protocols are used in enumeration

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Scanning looks out active devices within the system, however enumeration retrieves information
within the system.

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References
Coffey, K., Smith, R., Maglaras, L., & Janicke, H. (2018). Vulnerability analysis of network
scanning on SCADA systems. Security and Communication Networks, 2018.
Conte, A., Grossi, R., Marino, A., & Versari, L. (2016). Sublinear-space bounded-delay
enumeration for massive network analytics: Maximal cliques. In 43rd International
Colloquium on Automata, Languages, and Programming (ICALP 2016). Schloss
Dagstuhl-Leibniz-Zentrum fuer Informatik.