Hacker Techniques, Tools, and Incident Handling

Chapter 5. Footprinting Tools and Techniques

WHEN THINKING ABOUT HACKING into systems, you might think that hackers simply use a few software tools to gain access to the target. Although it is true that there are a multitude of tools available to facilitate this very action, effective hacking is a process that takes place in phases. Each phase in the hacking process should be undertaken with the goal of uncovering increasingly useful information about a target that can be used in the eventual break-in.

The first phase of hacking is the footprinting phase, which is specifically designed to passively gain information about a target. If done correctly and patiently, it is possible for skilled attackers to gain valuable information about their intended ...