Mastering Reconnaissance Part 2: Advanced Scanning, Content Discovery, and Automation for Bug Hunters

In Part 2 of the “Mastering Reconnaissance” series, we’re stepping up our recon game. This guide will cover port scanning, service identification, content discovery, OSINT techniques, and advanced automation, giving you deeper insights and helping you uncover high-impact vulnerabilities faster.

🔍 Port Scanning: Mapping the Attack Surface

Port scanning helps identify open doors (ports) and running services on a target, revealing potential attack vectors.

💼 Essential Tools:

1. Nmap: The ultimate network scanner.
2. Masscan: For ultra-fast, large-scale scans.

📌 Key Techniques:

Stealth Scan with Nmap:

nmap -sS -Pn -T4 -p- target.com

• -sS: Stealth scan (avoids detection).
• -Pn: Skips host discovery (faster).
• -T4: Aggressive timing for quicker scans.

Service Detection and Script Scanning:

nmap -sV -sC --script vuln target.com

• -sV: Service version detection.
• --script vuln: Runs…