What does external scanning involve?

External scanning involves scanning systems from outside the network, which helps organizations identify vulnerabilities that may be exposed to potential threats from the internet or other external entities. This process typically includes utilizing tools and techniques to probe the organization's external-facing systems, servers, and applications to detect security weaknesses that an attacker could exploit.

By performing external scans, organizations can gain valuable insights into the security posture of their publicly accessible assets and take appropriate actions to mitigate identified risks. This proactive approach is essential for maintaining compliance with security standards and protecting sensitive data from external threats.

The other options focus on different aspects of security management that are not part of external scanning: analyzing internal network traffic emphasizes internal security monitoring, reviewing user access privileges concerns access control, and monitoring ongoing operations relates to operational security rather than external vulnerability assessment.