Counter Hack Reloaded: A Step-by-Step Guide to Computer Attacks and Effective Defenses, Second Edition

5 Phase 1: Reconnaissance

When launching an attack, the most effective attackers do their homework to discover as much about their target as possible. Whereas an inexperienced script kiddie might jump in unprepared, indiscriminately trolling the Internet for weak systems without regard to who owns them, more experienced attackers take their time and conduct detailed reconnaissance missions before launching a single attack packet against a target network.

To understand why reconnaissance (also known as “recon” for short) is so important to the attacker’s trade, think about attacks in the plain old real world for a minute. Before bandits rob a bank, they typically visit the particular branch they are targeting, record the times that security guards ...