How can host scans be automated on a Linux system?

Question

Options

• AUsing OpenSCAP
• BUsing chkrootkit
• CUsing Linux Audit system
• DUsing cron

• A
  2% (1)
• B
  5% (2)
• C
  2% (1)
• D
  90% (38)

Explanation

Cron is Linux's built-in task scheduler, making it the correct answer for automating any recurring task - including host scans. You write a cron job that calls your scanning script or tool at defined intervals (hourly, nightly, etc.), and the system runs it without human intervention.

The distractors are tools that perform specific scans but don't provide automation on their own: OpenSCAP (A) is a security compliance and vulnerability scanner; chkrootkit (B) detects rootkits; and the Linux Audit system (C) logs and monitors system calls for security events. All three can be useful in a security workflow, but none of them schedules or automates execution by themselves.

Memory tip: Think of cron as the trigger, not the tool. The question asks how scans are automated (scheduled to repeat), not which tool does the scanning - cron is always the answer when the keyword is "automated" or "scheduled" on Linux.

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