Every network has a specific footprint that can help attackers get in.
Consider this: before a burglar breaks into a house, they often “case the joint.” They learn the homeowner’s schedule, identify weak entry points like unlocked windows, and check for security cameras.
In the digital world, attackers do something similar with network footprinting, a set of tactics that makes your organization vulnerable to threats. Read below to learn what network footprinting is and how attackers use it so that your organization can better protect its digital assets.
Understanding Network Footprinting
Network footprinting, also known as reconnaissance, is the process of getting as much information as possible about a specific organization or network, mainly to gain access to vulnerable information. From a cybersecurity standpoint, the main defense against this process is to make sure a network is protected and not vulnerable to attackers. Companies like Fognigma can help build this defense through multiple different forms of proactive security.
How Are Network Footprinting and Network Fingerprinting Related?
Network footprinting is closely related to another tactic used by attackers: network fingerprinting.
Both of these processes have to do with getting into a network’s infrastructure. However, with footprinting, attackers take a broader approach, while fingerprinting drills down to specific software or versions running on devices.
Fognigma’s suite of network security tools was designed to help organizations protect themselves from both network footprinting and fingerprinting within their internal infrastructure.
Passive vs. Active Footprinting
Cyberattackers use both passive and active tactics to gain information about your network. Here are the key differences between these two approaches:
- Passive Footprinting involves collecting information without directly engaging with the target’s network. This method is quiet and difficult to detect because it relies on public sources. It is similar to gathering intelligence from public records and open-source news.
- Active Footprinting, on the other hand, involves direct interaction. In this case, an attacker sends probes and queries to the target’s network to elicit a response. This method yields more detailed and real-time information but also carries a higher risk of detection. It’s the equivalent of rattling doorknobs and peering through windows. We recommend monitoring for active footprinting attempts as part of a comprehensive security program.
How Attackers Map Your Infrastructure
Cyberattackers will stop at nothing to get into a network’s infrastructure. There are many tools and techniques that help them do this quicker than ever before. Sometimes, bad actors can infiltrate a network undetected by gathering the right information. Understanding how network footprinting works will help you recognize the strategies attackers use.
WHOIS and DNS Lookups
One of the first steps in network footprinting is to gather basic domain information.
- WHOIS Lookups: Every domain name registered on the Internet has a public record of ownership. A WHOIS lookup can reveal the registrant’s name, administrative and technical contacts, email addresses, phone numbers, and physical addresses. For organizations using Fognigma, it’s recommended to keep registration details private to minimize exposure. This information can also reveal the domain registration and expiration dates, which might indicate how established an organization is.
- DNS Queries: The Domain Name System (DNS) is the Internet’s phonebook, translating human-readable domain names (like example.com) into machine-readable IP addresses. By querying DNS records, an attacker can discover subdomains (mail.example.com, dev.example.com), mail server addresses (MX records), and other critical infrastructure details. Tools like nslookup and dig are commonly used for this, and incorporating DNS protections is a cornerstone of Fognigma’s networking solutions.
IP Address and Port Scanning
Once an attacker identifies your network’s IP address range, they move on to more active techniques, which are essential steps in how to footprint a network.
- Ping Sweeps: A basic method to determine which IP addresses in a range belong to active, live hosts. An attacker sends ICMP “echo request” packets (pings) to a series of IP addresses and waits for responses.
- Port Scanning: After identifying live hosts, the next step is to find open “ports.” Ports are virtual communication endpoints that allow services to run on a computer. For example, web traffic typically uses port 80 (HTTP) or 443 (HTTPS). A port scan checks which ports are open, closed, or filtered by a firewall. This tells the attacker what services (e.g., web servers, email servers, databases) are running on a machine, which can reveal potential vulnerabilities. Popular tools for this include Nmap. Fognigma recommends regular network scanning on your own infrastructure so you know your exposure before attackers do.
Social Engineering and Public Information
The human element is often the weakest link in security. Attackers gather information from sources that have nothing to do with technical probes.
- Company Website: The “About Us,” “Careers,” and “Contact” pages can provide names, job titles, and email formats.
- Social Media: Employee profiles on LinkedIn can reveal technologies used, team structures, and even frustrations with internal systems.
Additionally, it’s important to understand what the Global Footprint Network is, particularly as modern businesses operate globally. Outside users may leverage international assets or reputational ties during their reconnaissance.
How To Protect Your Organization From Network Footprinting
While you can’t become completely invisible online, you can take concrete steps to reduce your attack surface and make footprinting more difficult for attackers. Knowing what footprinting is in network security empowers your team to take the right action.
- Limit Publicly Available Information: Review and minimize the information your organization exposes to the world.
- Implement Strong Network Security Controls:Technical defenses are your first line of defense against active footprinting.
- Conduct Your Own Footprinting: The best way to know what an attacker can see is to look for yourself.
Partner With Fognigma To Protect Your Infrastructure
Network footprinting, unfortunately, happens all the time. Attackers use this practice as a standard operating procedure to methodically gather intelligence to find the path of least resistance into your network. By understanding what network footprinting is and how attackers operate, you can change the game and protect your organization as well as possible.
Team up with Fogngima today and see how you can protect or shield all your organization’s data before an unwelcome visitor gets access.