During an internal penetration test, you must evaluate a segmented network that requires users to authenticate before they can access any file shares or internal web applications. Which type of vulnerability scan will BEST identify weaknesses that are only exposed after a user successfully logs in and receives the associated privileges?
Run an unauthenticated external vulnerability scan from the network perimeter
Perform an authenticated vulnerability scan using a standard (least-privilege) user account
Gather passive DNS and WHOIS information about the organization's domain
Conduct a stealth TCP SYN port scan against all hosts in the segment
An authenticated (credentialed) vulnerability scan logs in with valid credentials and therefore executes its checks in the context of that account's privileges. This allows the scanner to detect missing patches, insecure configuration settings, or authorization faults that are invisible to an unauthenticated or purely network-level scan. Unauthenticated external scans, port sweeps, and passive reconnaissance each reveal only what is visible without legitimate access and will miss flaws tied specifically to logged-in user permissions.
Sources:
Indusface Blog, "What is an Authenticated Security Scan?" (explains that authenticated scans give a deeper view by simulating a logged-in user)
TechTarget, "Authenticated vs. unauthenticated vulnerability scans" (notes that credentialed scans reveal many additional weaknesses compared with unauthenticated scans)
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