What is a common tool for conducting vulnerability scans?

Nessus is widely recognized as a leading tool in the realm of vulnerability scanning. It is specifically designed to identify and assess vulnerabilities in systems, networks, and applications. Nessus provides comprehensive reports on the vulnerabilities it discovers, offering recommendations for remediation. This functionality is crucial for organizations to maintain security and compliance standards.

While tools like Wireshark, Snort, and Metasploit play important roles in the security landscape, they are geared towards different aspects of cybersecurity. Wireshark is primarily a network protocol analyzer used for monitoring and troubleshooting network traffic rather than conducting vulnerability scans. Snort is an intrusion detection and prevention system that analyzes network packets to detect potential threats but does not perform vulnerability scanning in the same way as Nessus. Metasploit is a penetration testing framework that allows security professionals to exploit vulnerabilities but isn't primarily used for scanning to identify those vulnerabilities.

Thus, Nessus stands out as the most appropriate tool for conducting vulnerability scans.