The correct answer is C, Severity scoring. CVSS stands for Common Vulnerability Scoring System. In CEH vulnerability analysis and vulnerability management topics, CVSS is used to measure and communicate how severe a vulnerability is. The CEH material explains that CVSS captures the principal characteristics of a vulnerability and produces a numerical score that reflects its severity. That score can then be translated into qualitative ratings such as low, medium, high, and critical, helping organizations assess and prioritize remediation activities. CVSS is not an encryption mechanism, because it does not protect data or perform cryptographic operations. It is also not exploitation, because it does not attack or take advantage of vulnerabilities. Auditing may use CVSS results as supporting evidence, but CVSS itself is specifically a scoring framework. Therefore, in this question, the best and most precise CEH-aligned answer is Severity scoring.