What is the primary purpose of using Nmap and OpenVAS during a penetration test?

• A. Identify running services and vulnerabilities
• B. Patch vulnerabilities automatically
• C. Encrypt traffic
• D. Modify system configurations

Answer: (A)

The essential idea is to uncover what is exposed on the network and what weaknesses exist so you can plan your testing. Nmap maps the network to find hosts, open ports, and the services running on those ports, sometimes identifying the software versions. OpenVAS then scans those identified hosts and services against a vulnerability database to report known flaws, misconfigurations, and exposure risks. Together, they provide a view of the attack surface and help prioritize what to test or exploit, rather than patching, encrypting, or changing configurations.