During a penetration test, you aim to collect information on a target organization's security posture without directly interacting with their systems. Which of the following sources would most effectively offer insights into the organization's past security incidents and data breaches for passive reconnaissance?
Checking the response headers from the organization's web server for server types and technologies
Analysis of news articles and breach report databases
Verification of the organization's SSL certificate details
Manual inspection of the organization's website links
The correct answer, 'Analysis of news articles and breach report databases,' is most relevant because these sources often record and discuss an organization's previous security incidents and breaches. They provide context to past events, allowing a pentester to understand the vulnerabilities that have been exploited in the past and potentially highlighting patterns useful in assessing the current security posture.
The alternative options, such as looking at current SSL certification or manual inspection of web links, might provide current technical information but are not primarily focused on presenting a detailed history of security incidents and breaches.
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How does passive reconnaissance differ from active reconnaissance?
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What are common sources of information in news articles regarding security incidents?