CompTIA Network+ (N10-008) — Question 295

To comply with industry requirements, a security assessment on the cloud server should identify which protocols and weaknesses are being exposed to attackers on the Internet. Which of the following tools is the MOST appropriate to complete the assessment?

Answer options

• A. Use tcpdump and parse the output file in a protocol analyzer.
• B. Use an IP scanner and target the cloud WAN network addressing.
• C. Run netstat in each cloud server and retrieve the running processes.
• D. Use nmap and set the servers' public IPs as the targets.

Correct answer: D

Explanation

The correct answer is D because nmap is specifically designed for network discovery and security auditing, making it ideal for identifying open ports and services on the servers. Option A, while useful for capturing traffic, does not directly assess vulnerabilities. Option B focuses too broadly on IP addresses without assessing vulnerabilities, and option C provides information on running processes but lacks the capability to evaluate exposure to external threats.