(pas´iv ri-kon´&-zents)
(n.) The process of collecting information about an intended target of a malicious
hack without the target knowing what is occurring. Typical passive reconnaissance can include physical observation of an enterprise’s building, sorting through discarded computer equipment in an attempt to find equipment that contains data or discarded paper with
usernames and
passwords, eavesdropping on employee conversations, researching the target through common Internet tools such as
Whois, impersonating an employee in an attempt to collect information, and
packet sniffing.
Compare with active reconnaissance.
