Network vulnerability scanners and analyzers, such as Nessus and Wireshark, are used in which step of the cyberattack lifecycle?

Installation occurs after exploitation, involving placing malware or backdoors on compromised systems to maintain access.

Exploitation involves leveraging identified vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access to a system, typically after reconnaissance has identified targets.

Reconnaissance is the initial phase where an attacker gathers information about a target network and systems to identify potential weaknesses. Tools like Nessus are used for vulnerability scanning, and Wireshark for network traffic analysis, both crucial for information gathering in the reconnaissance stage.

Weaponization is the stage where an attacker bundles an exploit with a backdoor into a deliverable payload, preceding the actual attack.