What tool might Bea use to assess the existing infrastructure's security posture in her new role?

A vulnerability scanner is an effective tool for assessing the existing infrastructure's security posture because it systematically scans systems, networks, and applications to identify potential vulnerabilities. These can include unpatched software, misconfigurations, and other security gaps that could be exploited by attackers. By using a vulnerability scanner, Bea can generate detailed reports on the organization's security weaknesses, prioritize remediation efforts, and ensure compliance with security policies and standards.

This tool plays a crucial role in proactive security management, enabling organizations to identify and address vulnerabilities before they can be exploited. It provides a clear view of the security posture, highlighting areas that need improvement and helping to reduce the overall risk to the organization’s assets.

In contrast, while a network scanner identifies devices and services on a network, it does not assess their vulnerabilities. A threat analyzer focuses on understanding and evaluating potential threats to the infrastructure rather than assessing existing vulnerabilities directly. A firewall simulator provides insights into how a firewall would respond to certain configurations, but it does not evaluate the security posture of the infrastructure as a whole.