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What is Automatic Scan?

Published in Automated Scans 2 mins read

Automatic scan refers to the process of running scans based on pre-set schedules, without requiring manual initiation each time.

How Automatic Scans Work

  • Scheduled Scanning: The primary feature of automatic scanning is its ability to perform scans at specific times or intervals. This is achieved through scan profiles that are set up with defined schedule parameters.
  • Enterprise Mode Requirement: Automatic scanning often requires an Enterprise mode, indicating it's a feature designed for larger, more complex environments.
  • Heartbeat Process: A heartbeat process is often used to trigger these scheduled scans. It acts as a signal to start scans at the times outlined in the profile.

Benefits of Automatic Scans

  • Efficiency: It reduces the manual effort required to initiate scans repeatedly.
  • Consistency: Ensures scans are performed regularly, helping to monitor for vulnerabilities or changes in configurations consistently.
  • Proactive Security: Helps to identify potential issues quickly, contributing to a stronger security posture.

Example

Imagine a business wanting to perform a vulnerability scan of its network every Sunday at midnight. Through automatic scanning, they could set up a scan profile with a schedule to perform this task without manual intervention every week.

Feature Description
Automation Scans run on a schedule instead of manually.
Scheduling Parameters are set in scan profiles to define when scans should occur.
Enterprise Often requires an Enterprise mode.
Trigger The heartbeat process can trigger scheduled scans.