Information Gathering

[title]Information Gathering[/title]

[txt] Information gathering is the initial phase of hacking and reconnaissance.

It involves discovering the attack surface, identifying reachable hosts, and understanding the target environment — all without yet exploiting anything.

This phase includes both passive and active techniques, using tools to enumerate DNS, scan ports, and harvest open data.

Explore the key categories below: [/txt]

[list] [li]DNS Reconnaissance – Interrogate DNS to uncover subdomains, records, zones, and relationships.[/li] [li]Network Scanning Tools – Use scanners like Nmap or Masscan to map open ports and services.[/li] [li]OSINT Tools – Gather public data using platforms like theHarvester, SpiderFoot, and custom scripts.[/li] [/list]

[box] [box-title]Purpose[/box-title] [txt] Gain visibility into the target system's structure without triggering alerts.

Every successful attack starts with knowing where to look — information gathering makes exploitation possible. [/txt] [/box]

[box] [box-title]Common Goals[/box-title] [txt] • Discover live hosts • Map open ports • Identify subdomains • Learn about operating systems • Uncover public data on individuals and infrastructure [/txt] [/box]