Reconnaissance Attacks Overview

A reconnaissance attack is a type of cyberattack that involves gathering information about a target system or network to identify vulnerabilities based on which a sophisticated attack will be executed afterward. This is often the first step in a larger attack campaign, known as "footprinting." 

The goal of reconnaissance is to gain as much information about the target as possible without alerting the target that an attack is being planned. There are several techniques used in reconnaissance attacks to achieve that, including:

• Port Scanners: These tools scan a network for open ports and can provide information about the services running on each port, which can help attackers identify vulnerable services that can be targeted.
• Network Mappers: These tools are used to create a network map, which can be used to identify the devices connected to the network, their IP addresses, and the services they are running.
• Packet Sniffers: These tools intercept and analyze network traffic to extract information such as usernames, passwords, and other sensitive data. 

Once the reconnaissance is complete, the attacker can use the information gathered to launch a more sophisticated attack, such as a phishing attack or a malware attack, with a higher chance of success. Therefore, organizations need to be aware of the techniques used in reconnaissance attacks and take measures to prevent or detect them.