Which phase of Discovery involves scanning for open TCP ports?

The phase of Discovery that involves scanning for open TCP ports is the Port Scan Phase. During this phase, the system actively scans the target devices to identify which ports are open and what services they're running. This is crucial for building an accurate map of the network and understanding what devices are available for interaction. The information gathered during the port scan is pivotal for subsequent phases, as it lays the groundwork for identifying the services and applications that are operating on those devices. By knowing the open ports, the Discovery process can establish connections to those services and gather deeper insights about the devices and their configurations.

The other phases do have their respective functions, but none specifically focus on the task of scanning for open TCP ports. The Classification Phase involves categorizing discovered items into their respective classes, while the Identification Phase is about recognizing the device types and gathering specific data related to them. The Exploration Phase typically involves gathering more detailed information from the devices once they are identified, but scanning for open ports is distinctly handled in the Port Scan Phase.