Why would a scanner like Nessus not be recommended for stealthy wireless network testing?

Why would a scanner like Nessus not be recommended for stealthy wireless network testing?

• A. Nessus cannot perform wireless testing
• B. Nessus is too loud
• C. There are no ways of performing a "stealthy" wireless scan
• D. Nessus is not a network scanner

Answer: (B)

Stealthy wireless testing aims to minimize visibility by using low-noise, often passive methods to avoid triggering alarms. Nessus is a vulnerability scanner that conducts active network scans—probing ports, banner grabbing, credentialed checks, and other tests that generate noticeable traffic on the wireless medium. This activity creates detectable radio chatter and can draw attention from IDS/IPS, WIDS, or network admins, potentially disrupting services. Because of this louder, more intrusive behavior, Nessus is not suited for stealthy wireless assessments. For stealthier work, practitioners rely on passive sniffing and targeted, low-impact tools that listen and observe with minimal transmission. The other statements are not accurate: Nessus can perform network vulnerability checks but isn’t specialized for stealthy wireless reconnaissance, and there are indeed ways to perform stealthy wireless scans using passive methods.

Stealthy wireless testing aims to minimize visibility by using low-noise, often passive methods to avoid triggering alarms. Nessus is a vulnerability scanner that conducts active network scans—probing ports, banner grabbing, credentialed checks, and other tests that generate noticeable traffic on the wireless medium. This activity creates detectable radio chatter and can draw attention from IDS/IPS, WIDS, or network admins, potentially disrupting services. Because of this louder, more intrusive behavior, Nessus is not suited for stealthy wireless assessments. For stealthier work, practitioners rely on passive sniffing and targeted, low-impact tools that listen and observe with minimal transmission. The other statements are not accurate: Nessus can perform network vulnerability checks but isn’t specialized for stealthy wireless reconnaissance, and there are indeed ways to perform stealthy wireless scans using passive methods.