What technique does network discovery scanning use to identify systems?

Network discovery scanning primarily focuses on identifying active systems on a network by determining which devices are online and available for communication. The most effective technique for this purpose is scanning a range of IP addresses for open ports.

By scanning various IP addresses, the network discovery process checks for open ports on those addresses. Open ports indicate that a service is running on the device, and this information is crucial for understanding which systems are part of the network and what services they are offering. This process allows security professionals to map out the network topology, identify potential vulnerabilities associated with accessible services, and gather important information for further security assessments.

The other options do not directly pertain to the standard methods used for network discovery. Searching for closed ports does not help in identifying active systems; it simply identifies what is not responsive. Tracking user login patterns is related to user behavior analysis rather than device discovery. Analyzing data packets for encryption pertains to security assessments of the traffic itself rather than identifying devices on a network. Therefore, scanning a range of IP addresses for open ports is the most accurate description of the technique used for network discovery scanning.