The correct answer is Credentialed Scanning. CEH vulnerability assessment guidance explains that credentialed scans use authorized login access on the target system so the scanner can inspect the machine from the inside with a much higher level of accuracy and detail. That is why credentialed scanning can identify installed updates, local policy settings, configuration inconsistencies, file permissions, registry issues, and patch gaps that are not always visible from an external network perspective. The question specifically mentions granular host-level findings that required direct system-level inspection, which is a strong indicator that valid credentials were used to query the target systems. Non-credentialed scanning, by contrast, relies on remote observation and network-visible characteristics, so it generally cannot provide the same depth of internal host information. Automated scanning is too broad a label, and application scanning is limited to application-layer targets rather than host operating-system posture. CEH materials consistently note that credentialed scans produce more accurate vulnerability results and reduce false positives because the scanner can verify software versions, patch states, and security settings directly on the target machine rather than merely inferring them from banners or exposed services.