Hacking phases

During any penetration test training, you will encounter the five phases of hacking. These phases are as follows:

1. Reconnaissance
2. Scanning
3. Gaining access
4. Maintaining access
5. Covering tracks

In the following sections, we will describe each in detail.

Reconnaissance or information gathering

The reconnaissance or information-gathering phase is where the attacker focuses on acquiring meaningful information about their target. This is the most important phase in hacking: the more details known about the target, the easier it is to compromise a weakness and exploit it.

The following are techniques used in the reconnaissance phase:

• Using search engines to gather information
• Using social networking platforms
• Performing...