What type of tool is used to gather information about system services and determine their versions based on banner information?

The correct answer involves identifying a tool that not only gathers information about system services but also specifically assesses their versions through banner grabbing. A vulnerability scanner is designed to actively probe systems for known vulnerabilities, and part of this process includes collecting banner information. Banners are often presented by services running on networked devices and provide details such as the software type and version. By analyzing these banners, a vulnerability scanner can determine if the service version is outdated or vulnerable to specific exploits.

In contrast, a port scanner primarily focuses on identifying open ports and services running on a system without necessarily assessing the versions or vulnerabilities of those services. A service validator typically checks if specific services are running correctly but does not specialize in gathering version information based on banners. A patch management tool is fundamentally used to manage and apply updates to software and systems; it does not engage in gathering initial banner information for assessment purposes.

Thus, the ability of a vulnerability scanner to exploit banner information to evaluate system services and assess vulnerabilities directly correlates with the essence of the question.