Before a hacker even throws a single exploit, they spend hours HERE: Footprinting & Reconnaissance. Welcome to the first & most crucial phase of any ethical hack or penetration test. In this video, we dive deep into Footprinting and Reconnaissance—the art of gathering intelligence about your target without touching their systems. This is where every successful cyber attack or security assessment truly begins. Learn how ethical hackers (and malicious actors) become digital detectives, collecting public information to build a blueprint of their target’s security posture. We’ll cover the tools, techniques, and mindset you need to master this foundational skill. 💡 Key Intelligence You’ll Learn to Gather: ✅ Network Information: IP ranges, DNS records, subnet details. ✅ Organization Details: Employee names, emails, org charts (from LinkedIn). ✅ System & Tech Stack: Server OS, web technologies, cloud providers. ✅ Security Posture Clues: Public firewall info, exposed databases, third-party services. ⚠️ CRITICAL LEGAL & ETHICAL DISCLAIMER: Footprinting must ONLY be performed on targets you explicitly own or have written authorization to test (e.g., a bug bounty program, contracted pen test). Reconnaissance against systems you do not own or have permission to assess is illegal and unethical. This video is for educational purposes to promote defensive cybersecurity knowledge. Always have permission. 🔗 Practice Resources & Tools (Use Legally!): Your Own Website/Network: The best practice target! OSINT Framework: https://osintframework.com/ Search Engines for Hackers: Shodan (https://www.shodan.io/), Censys (https://censys.io/) Practice Labs: TryHackMe (Passive Recon & Active Recon rooms) | Hack The Box (Starting Point machines) Vulnerable by Design: https://tryhackme.com/room/google (Google Dorking Room) 💬 Discussion Time! What’s the most surprising piece of information you think can be found publicly about a company? Have you ever tried a Google Dork? Share your thoughts or questions about OSINT below! 📚 Subscribe for the Full Series: This is Part 2 of our Zero to Ethical Hacker series. To follow the entire hacking methodology (from Recon to Reporting), make sure you’re SUBSCRIBED with notifications on (🔔)!