Which combination of tools best covers scanning, exploitation, and traffic analysis?

• A. Nessus, Metasploit, Wireshark
• B. Nmap, Burp Suite, tcpdump
• C. Zenmap, Hydra, Wireshark
• D. Nmap, Metasploit, Wireshark

Answer: (D)

This question tests selecting tools that map to scanning, exploitation, and traffic analysis in a penetration test. Scanning involves discovering hosts and services, and Nmap is the go-to tool for network scanning and service enumeration. Exploitation requires a framework with ready-made exploits and payloads, which Metasploit provides, enabling you to attempt breaches against discovered services. Traffic analysis relies on deep inspection of network packets, and Wireshark is the premier packet analyzer for capturing and analyzing that traffic in detail. Therefore, combining Nmap, Metasploit, and Wireshark best covers all three stages. Other options mix tools that focus on web app testing, password cracking, basic capture, or vulnerability scanning without providing the cohesive exploitation workflow.