Advanced Operating System Vulnerability Scanner – DefenX

Abstract

A vulnerability in an operating system refers to a weakness in software, drivers, or system configurations that can be exploited by attackers to compromise confidentiality, integrity, or availability. With the widespread adoption of Windows systems in personal and enterprise environments, operating system–level vulnerabilities have become a major attack vector for privilege escalation, malware execution, and ransomware. Traditional vulnerability scanners often focus on network-level detection and generate high false positives while neglecting driver-level risks and real-time host visibility. This paper presents DefenX, a lightweight host-based vulnerability scanner designed specifically for the Windows ecosystem. DefenX performs system profiling, asset extraction, CVE correlation, risk scoring, and actionable reporting. The proposed system emphasizes driver-aware scanning and low performance overhead. Experimental evaluation shows improved prioritization accuracy and reduced system impact compared to conventional scanners.