In IT security, vulnerabilities are the weaknesses in a system that renders it susceptible to attacks, causing security threats to an organisation. The system can be any application, any server running a particular server OS version, any desktop running a desktop OS version, or any network appliance. Identifying these vulnerabilities at an early stage enables system administrators to apply patches or fixes to protect the systems from any possible intrusions targeted at these weaknesses. A vulnerability scanner helps to discover all systems connected to the enterprise network, including all devices like servers, desktops, laptops, printers, firewalls and virtual machines.  It then conducts a thorough scanning to identify the vulnerabilities and weaknesses in these assets.  It is common to have weaknesses identified in a system due to obsolete software, misconfigurations and unsecure protocols.  The scanner assists to look for the holes and provides detailed reports on the corresponding severity and remediation.