Vulnerability scan
An automated check of systems against a database of known vulnerabilities and misconfigurations.
Scanning is broad, fast, and repeatable, which makes it the right tool for continuous coverage. It tells you which known issues exist across a large estate quickly and cheaply.
It cannot chain findings, understand business context, or tell you which of four hundred medium findings actually matters. Presenting scan output as a penetration test is the most common misrepresentation in the industry.
Where this comes up
Vulnerability scan sits inside our penetration testing work. If you are trying to work out what this means for your own environment rather than in the abstract, that is the page worth reading next, and a short call will get you a straight answer faster than either.