Applied Network Security

The hacking process

There are five main phases to the hacking process:

• Reconnaissance: The reconnaissance phase is often the most time-consuming. This phase can last days, weeks, or even months sometimes depending on the target. The objective during the reconnaissance phase is to learn as much as possible about the potential target.
• Scanning: In this phase the hacker will scan for exploitable vulnerabilities in the network. These scans will look for weaknesses such as open ports, open services, outdated applications (including operating systems), and the type of equipment being used on the network.
• Access: In this phase the hacker will use the knowledge gained in the previous phases to gain access to sensitive data or use the network to ...