What is the purpose of a vulnerability scan?

A vulnerability scan is a crucial process in cybersecurity that specifically aims to identify security vulnerabilities in systems and applications. By conducting a scan, organizations can discover weaknesses that could be exploited by attackers, such as unpatched software, misconfigurations, or insecure settings. This proactive approach enables teams to mitigate risks by addressing identified vulnerabilities before they can be exploited, thereby enhancing the overall security posture of the organization.

The other choices, while related to different aspects of software and system management, do not align with the primary objective of a vulnerability scan. Evaluating performance, improving user experience, and ensuring software compatibility are important tasks, but they do not focus on identifying and managing security vulnerabilities, which is the essence of a vulnerability scan.