What is the primary goal of a vulnerability assessment?

The primary goal of a vulnerability assessment is to systematically evaluate security weaknesses. This process involves identifying, quantifying, and prioritizing vulnerabilities in an organization's systems and networks. By examining the security posture, organizations can uncover potential threats that could be exploited by cyber attackers, thus enabling them to take corrective action and strengthen their defenses. The result is a more secure environment where critical assets are better protected against potential breaches.

Focusing on security weaknesses allows organizations to prioritize remediation efforts effectively, ensuring that the most critical vulnerabilities are addressed first. This proactive approach helps to minimize the risk of incidents and enhances the overall security framework.

The other choices involve different focuses that are not directly related to assessing security vulnerabilities: evaluating financial risks pertains to financial analysis, designing new IT infrastructures focuses on technology implementation, and creating marketing plans relates to business strategy and promotion. Therefore, only conducting a vulnerability assessment serves the specific aim of improving security through the identification and assessment of weaknesses.