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conducting-external-reconnaissance-with-osint

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Conduct external recon using OSINT techniques to map an organization's external attack surface without touching target systems, gathering DNS records, certificate transparency logs, search results, social media, code repositories, and breach databases into a target profile. Use for the passive info-gathering phase of a pentest, external footprinting, or collecting employee/email intel for a social engineering campaign.

When to use

• Performing the initial reconnaissance phase of a penetration test to gather intelligence before active scanning
• Mapping an organization's external attack surface to identify unknown or shadow IT assets
• Collecting employee information, email formats, and organizational structure for social engineering campaigns
• Identifying exposed credentials, leaked data, or sensitive documents published on the internet
• Scoping the breadth of an organization's digital footprint prior to a red team engagement

When not to use

• stalking
• harassment
• unauthorized surveillance of individuals

Skill page

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