In the constantly changing landscape of cybersecurity, vulnerability scanning is one of the easiest yet most effective methods of keeping ahead of the game. Whether you’re running a website, an IT professional, or simply learning the basics of ethical hacking, knowing how to conduct a basic vulnerability scan is a skill that can take you far.
In this blog, we’ll break down what vulnerability scanning is, why it’s important, and how to perform one using simple tools—even if you’re just starting out.
Prefer watching instead of reading? Here’s a quick video guide
What is a Vulnerability Scan?
A vulnerability scan is an automated process that searches your systems, networks, or applications for known security weaknesses.
These weaknesses can be things like:
- Outdated software versions
- Misconfigurations
- Open ports
- Unpatched vulnerabilities
- Weak passwords
Think of it as a digital security check-up for your system.
Why Do You Need to Conduct a Vulnerability Scan?
A vulnerability scan allows you to:
- Identify risks early before an attacker can target them.
- Patch vulnerabilities to bolster your defenses.
- Become compliant for standards such as PCI-DSS, HIPAA, etc.
- Achieve good cybersecurity hygiene within your process.
Whether you operate a personal site or host servers for a business, vulnerability scans are necessary.
Equipment You Can Use
There are numerous tools, both free and paid. For starters, some free and easy-to-use tools are:
- Nmap – Excellent for network scanning and detecting open ports and services.
- Nikto – Good for scanning web servers for known vulnerabilities.
- OpenVAS – A robust open-source vulnerability scanner for full scans.
- OWASP ZAP – Excellent for scanning web applications and detecting security vulnerabilities.
- Vulners Nmap Scripts – Nmap + Vulners script identifies known CVEs within services.
Let’s go through an example with Nmap and Nikto, which are simple to use and don’t need a powerful machine.
Step 1: Set Up Your Environment
Before you begin scanning, ensure that you have:
- A target to scan – either your own local machine, a test server, or a virtual machine (e.g., Metasploitable or DVWA).
- A Linux VM or system (such as Kali Linux or Ubuntu).
- Installed packages:
- Nmap: sudo apt install nmap
- Nikto: sudo apt install nikto
Important Note: Always have permission before scanning any target. Unauthorized scanning is illegal and unethical.
Step 2: Discover the Target with Nmap
Suppose you wish to scan a website or a local server to know what services are running.
Do a basic scan:
nmap example.com
This will return open ports and services running on the target.
Want more details?
nmap -sV example.com
This adds service version detection. You’ll see versions of services like Apache, SSH, FTP, etc.
Scan for known vulnerabilities (with Vulners script):
nmap -sV --script vulners example.com
This scan uses the Vulners database to identify known CVEs (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) based on service versions.
Step 3: Scan Web Server with Nikto
If your target is a web application, Nikto is a good place to begin.
Run a scan:
nikto -h http://example.com
Nikto will look for:
- Outdated server software
- Insecure HTTP headers
- Known file paths (such as /admin, /phpinfo.php)
- Potential vulnerabilities
It’s not stealthy, but it provides you with a fast snapshot of web server security.
Step 4: Analyze the Results
After the scans, you’ll have outputs such as:
- Open ports (e.g., 22, 80, 443)
- Services running (e.g., SSH, Apache)
- Known CVEs related to those services
- Insecure configurations or exposed files
Now ask yourself:
- Are there any outdated versions? (e.g., Apache 2.2 is outdated)
- Are there any unnecessary open ports?
- Are there known vulnerabilities with published exploits?
Use this information to prioritize patches and fixes. If you’re learning, try searching for CVEs on https://cve.mitre.org/ or https://vulners.com/ to understand their impact.
Step 5: Take Action
Based on your scan results:
- Update outdated software
- Close unused ports
- Harden configurations (e.g., turn off directory listing, secure headers)
- Patch vulnerabilities with vendor advisories
- Re-scan to verify issues are resolved
Regular scanning ensures you’re not leaving out-of-date vulnerabilities open to attackers.
How Often Should You Scan?
- For personal projects: Monthly or after significant changes
- For organizations: Weekly or as part of continuous monitoring
- After updates: Always scan after system updates or patching
The secret is consistency.
Bonus: Practice on Safe Targets
Here are some safe and legal places to practice vulnerability scanning:
- Metasploitable 2 – A vulnerable VM to test tools.
- DVWA (Damn Vulnerable Web Application) – Practice web app testing.
- TryHackMe and Hack The Box – Provide labs with real-world scenarios.
Practicing in these places teaches you about vulnerabilities and how they’re exploited without violating the law.
Final Tips
- Start small – Learn the basics before jumping into advanced tools.
- Stay ethical – Scanners are meant to scan only systems that belong to you or for which you have a test permission.
- Keep learning – Vulnerabilities change, hence keep learning.
- Document your scans – Record what you scan and what you do.
Wrapping Up
Performing a basic vulnerability scan doesn’t require deep technical knowledge—it just takes the right tools and a cautious approach. Over time, you’ll learn how to dig deeper, identify risks faster, and strengthen your systems against potential attacks.
So fire up your terminal, pick a target you’re allowed to scan, and start exploring the world of ethical hacking—one vulnerability at a time.
Happy Scanning!
