Which term best describes the process of evaluating potential vulnerabilities in a system?

The term that best describes the process of evaluating potential vulnerabilities in a system is vulnerability scanning. This process involves the use of automated tools to identify weaknesses in systems, applications, or network components. The main goal of vulnerability scanning is to proactively discover security holes that could potentially be exploited by attackers. It provides a detailed report of identified vulnerabilities, allowing organizations to prioritize remediation efforts.

While threat analysis focuses on identifying and evaluating threats that might exploit vulnerabilities, and risk assessment involves determining the potential impact of identified risks and the likelihood of them occurring, vulnerability scanning specifically targets the assessment of existing vulnerabilities. Control evaluation assesses the effectiveness of security controls in place but does not inherently focus on identifying vulnerabilities. Thus, the precise nature of vulnerability scanning makes it the most fitting term for the described process.