🔍 Reconnaissance (Recon) in Cybersecurity

 

🔍 Reconnaissance (Recon) in Cybersecurity

Reconnaissance (also called recon) is the first phase of ethical hacking or cyber attacks, where an attacker or security professional gathers information about a target before launching an attack.

🔹 Types of Reconnaissance

1️⃣ Passive Reconnaissance (No direct interaction with the target)

• Uses publicly available data (OSINT) without alerting the target.

• Examples:
  ✅ Google Dorking – Searching sensitive data using Google
  ✅ WHOIS Lookup – Finding domain registration details
  ✅ Shodan & Censys – Finding exposed devices & open ports
  ✅ Have I Been Pwned – Checking if credentials have been leaked

2️⃣ Active Reconnaissance (Direct interaction with the target)

• The attacker interacts with the target system, which can be detected.

• Examples:
  ✅ Nmap – Scanning open ports & services
  ✅ Nikto – Scanning web servers for vulnerabilities
  ✅ Metasploit – Probing for known exploits
  ✅ OSINT Tools (theHarvester, Maltego) – Collecting emails, domains, subdomains

---

🔹 Why is Reconnaissance Important?

✔ For Hackers – Helps in planning attacks (phishing, exploit development).
✔ For Ethical Hackers – Identifies security risks before an attacker does.
✔ For Organizations – Protects against data leaks, exposed services, and phishing risks.

Would you like a list of best recon tools for ethical hacking? 🚀