Performing a security scan using default settings

Out of the box, GFI LANguard N.S.S. includes default configuration settings which allow you to run an immediate (basic) scan soon after the installation is complete.

For a default scan you must only specify which target computer(s) you wish to audit. By default, GFI LANguard N.S.S. will:

Authenticate to the targets using the currently logged on user account credentials (i.e. the credentials under which GFI LANguard N.S.S. is running).
Use a generic list of default vulnerability checks which are preconfigured in the `Default' scanning profile. This is one of the default scanning profiles which ships with GFI LANguard N.S.S.

To perform you first scan, please do as follows:

1. Click on File } New.

Screenshot 8 - Selecting the type of security scan

2. Select the type of scan that you wish to perform by selecting one of the following options:

Scan single computer... - Select this option to scan a single computer.
Scan range of Computers... - Select this option to scan a specific range of computers.
Scan list of Computers... - Select this option to scan a custom list of computers.
Scan a Domain... - Select this option to scan an entire Windows domain.

NOTE: At this point in time, you may ignore the Scheduled Scan option. This option is used to configure vulnerability scans which will be automatically executed on a specific day/time. Scheduled scans are described in more detail in the `Configuring GFI LANguard N.S.S.' chapter in this manual.

Screenshot 9 - New Scan options dialogs.

3. Specify the requested target details (i.e. host name, IP, range of IPs or domain name).

4. Click on the OK button to start your default scan.

About the scanning process

GFI LANguard Network Security Scanner will start the scanning process by first identifying the targets which are available for scanning (i.e. target computers which are switched on and reachable over the network). This is done by automatically sending requests to the specified target computers using NETBIOS queries, ICMP ping and SNMP queries.

If a target computer does not respond to these queries, GFI LANguard N.S.S. will assume that the device is currently turned off or that it does not exist on the specified IP address. By default, GFI LANguard N.S.S. will NOT scan target computers which fail to reply to scanning requests.

After that the connection to a target computer is established, the scanning engine will execute the specified or default set of vulnerability checks. During a default scan the scanning engine will automatically execute a preconfigured and generic list of vulnerability checks which will test multiple areas of your network for specific weaknesses. Further on you will learn how to run checks that are more specific by selecting, customizing or creating different scanning profiles.