How does the --script-timeout option influence NSE script execution, and what happens if a script times out?

• A. Sets a per-script timeout for the entire scan.
• B. Sets a per-script timeout; Timed-out scripts are terminated and the scan continues with other scripts.
• C. Disables NSE scripting entirely.
• D. Applies a global timeout to all scripts.

Answer: (B)

The option to limit script running time sets a maximum duration for each NSE script execution. This limit applies to every script invocation individually, not to the entire scan or to all scripts at once. If a script runs longer than the specified time, that script is forcibly terminated and the scan continues with the remaining scripts (or other targets). The result for that script is effectively a timeout, and you’ll typically see a note indicating that the script didn’t complete within the allotted time. This behavior helps prevent a single slow script from delaying the entire scan, while still allowing other scripts to run and report their findings.