Phases of Hacking

Hacking is a five step process. If a hacking has to be successful, the steps referred here has to be done. The phases of hacking consists of Reconnaissance, Scanning, Gaining Access, Maintaining Access and Covering Access. Each phase of hacking is depended on its previous phase.

1. Reconnaissance

Reconnaissance is the act of gathering preliminary data or intelligence on your target. The data is gathered in order to better plan for your attack. It can be performed actively or passively (meaning that your recon is being performed through an intermediary).

2. Scanning

This phase requires the application of technical tools to gather further intelligence on your target, but in this case, the intel being sought is more commonly about the systems that they have in place. A good example would be the use of a vulnerability scanner on a target network.

3. Gaining Access

This phase requires taking control of one or more network devices to either extract data from the target, or to use that device to then launch attacks in other targets.

4. Maintaining Access

This phase requires taking the steps involved in being able to be persistently within the target environment in order to gather as much data as possible. The attacker must remain stealthy in this phase, so as to not get caught while using the host environment.

5. Covering Access

This phase can also be called Covering Tracks. In this phase the attacker takes the steps necessary to remove all semblance of detection. Any changes that were made, authorizations that were escalated etc. All must return to a state of non-recognition by the host network’s administration.