What is Security Content Automation Protocol (SCAP)?

Security Content Automation Protocol (SCAP) is a suite of specifications that standardizes the format and nomenclature of security software vulnerability and configuration data. SCAP is used to automate vulnerability management, measurement, and policy compliance evaluation. It allows for consistent assessment of system configurations against security baselines, ensuring systems are properly hardened and compliant with security policies. It's commonly used for automated vulnerability scanning, configuration compliance checking, and security reporting.