Technique
№ 030 · class: discovery
OSINT
Gathering information about targets from publicly available sources before an attack.
Term
description · examples · notesGathering information about targets from publicly available sources before an attack.
Description
Includes LinkedIn profiles, DNS records, Shodan, GitHub, social media.
Used to identify employees, technologies, and infrastructure.
Tools like Maltego, theHarvester, and Recon-ng automate collection.
Foundation for targeted attacks like spear-phishing and watering hole.
Examples
- theHarvester for collecting email addresses
- Shodan for discovering exposed services
Notes
- Legal activity; becomes a threat only when used to prepare an attack.
Mentioned in the news
Threats
used by 3Threats that use it. Select one to open its page.
Defenses
countered by 5How it is countered. Select one to open its page.