Active reconnaissance

Unlike passive reconnaissance, which leverages OSINT to help ethical hackers create a profile of a target, active reconnaissance uses a more direct approach by sending probes to the targeted systems and networks to collect sensitive and specific details. For instance, during passive reconnaissance, the threat actor depends on the accuracy of the collected data from multiple online sources. If the data is outdated or inaccurate, it can affect both the weaponization and exploitation phases and prevent ethical hacking from gaining access to the target. With active reconnaissance, the collection of data is performed in real time, enabling ethical hacking to collect and analyze current data to help improve future operations.

Important note

Scanning is intrusive and illegal in many countries, so ensure that you obtain legal permission from the authorities before scanning any system or network you do not own.

Active reconnaissance plays an important role during...