5 Phases of Ethical Hacking | Recon | Scanning | Gaining and Maintaining Access | Clearing Tracks

Summary

In this video, the presenter walks viewers through the five essential phases of penetration testing: reconnaissance, scanning, gaining access, maintaining access, and clearing tracks. He emphasizes the importance of each phase, including methods like active and passive reconnaissance, port scanning, vulnerability assessments, and social engineering techniques. The video also explains how hackers maintain persistence within systems and the significance of clearing tracks to avoid detection. Perfect for beginners or those looking to sharpen their understanding of ethical hacking, the video offers practical insights and tips for anyone involved in penetration testing or cybersecurity.

Takeaways

• 😀 Reconnaissance is the first phase of hacking, focusing on gathering information about the target through active and passive methods.
• 😀 Active reconnaissance involves directly interacting with the target to gather data, such as using tools like Nmap.
• 😀 Passive reconnaissance is done by collecting publicly available information about the target, like social media and websites, without direct interaction.
• 😀 Scanning is the second phase, which involves port scanning, vulnerability scanning, and network mapping to identify open ports, live systems, and potential vulnerabilities.
• 😀 Tools like Nmap, Rapid7, Qualys, and OpenVAS are commonly used for scanning targets to gather essential data.
• 😀 Gaining access is the third phase, where attackers break into systems through methods such as phishing or social engineering.
• 😀 After gaining access, attackers may escalate privileges to gain higher-level access, like administrator or root rights, to perform malicious activities.
• 😀 Maintaining access is the fourth phase, where hackers install malware or use rootkits to ensure they can return to the system at a later time.
• 😀 Clearing tracks is the final phase, where hackers or pen-testers remove any traces of their presence, such as deleting logs, uninstalling tools, and modifying system files.
• 😀 Ethical hackers and pen-testers must follow the phases in order to increase the chances of success, but some phases can be done in a non-linear fashion depending on the situation.

Q & A

What is the first phase of hacking or penetration testing?

The first phase is **Reconnaissance**. This involves gathering information about the target, which can be done either actively (direct interaction) or passively (researching publicly available data).

What is the difference between active and passive reconnaissance?

Active reconnaissance involves directly interacting with the target, such as using scanning tools. Passive reconnaissance, on the other hand, is about gathering information without directly contacting the target, such as through social media or public websites.

What tools are commonly used during the reconnaissance phase?

Tools like Google, LinkedIn, Facebook, and other social media platforms are typically used for passive reconnaissance. For active reconnaissance, tools like **Nmap** are often used to scan the target.

What does scanning in the context of penetration testing involve?

Scanning involves identifying open ports, live systems, and services running on a target. Tools like **Nmap** can perform port scanning, and vulnerability scanners like Qualys or Rapid7 can help detect weaknesses in the target system.

What is a vulnerability scan and how does it differ from port scanning?

A vulnerability scan checks if a system is susceptible to known exploits or security weaknesses, while port scanning focuses on identifying which network ports are open on the target system, revealing services that may be vulnerable.

What are some common methods used to gain access to a target system?

Common methods include **phishing**, **social engineering**, and exploiting vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access to a system. Once access is obtained, attackers may escalate privileges to gain higher-level access.

What is privilege escalation and why is it important in penetration testing?

Privilege escalation is the process of gaining higher-level access within a system, such as moving from a regular user account to an administrator or root account. This is crucial because it allows the attacker to perform more damaging actions on the system.

How can an attacker maintain access once they have gained it?

An attacker can maintain access by using malware such as **Trojans**, **rootkits**, or other backdoor methods that allow them to reconnect to the compromised system later, even if the initial access point is closed.

What is the final phase of penetration testing and what does it involve?

The final phase is **Clearing Tracks**. In this phase, the attacker removes any evidence of their presence, including modifying or deleting logs, uninstalling tools, and erasing any files that could lead to detection.

Why is clearing tracks an essential step for a hacker or penetration tester?

Clearing tracks is important because it ensures that there is no trace left of the attacker's activities, helping avoid detection by system administrators or security monitoring tools. This step is similar to cleaning up after committing a crime to avoid getting caught.