LIVETHREAT INTELLIGENCE
NVD/NISTCVE-2025-29927 — Next.js Middleware Auth Bypass · All versions <15.2.3 affectedCRITICAL 9.1◆AlienVault OTXAPT29 (Cozy Bear) — Active Spear-Phishing Campaign Targeting NATO DiplomatsCRITICAL 9.3◆Recorded FutureCl0p Ransomware — MOVEit-style Campaign Targeting MFT Solutions GloballyCRITICAL 9.5◆Shodan22,000+ Redis Instances Exposed on Port 6379 — No Auth — Cryptominer RiskHIGH 8.9◆VirusTotalCVE-2025-21298 — Windows OLE Remote Code Execution · CISA KEV Catalog AddedCRITICAL 9.8◆Censys14,500+ Exposed Kubernetes API Servers Detected — Anonymous Access EnabledHIGH 8.7◆AlienVault OTXFIN7 Carbanak Group — New JavaScript Backdoor Targeting Retail POS SystemsHIGH 8.4◆NVD/NISTCVE-2025-24813 — Apache Tomcat RCE via Partial PUT · Exploit Code PublicCRITICAL 9.8◆Recorded FutureDark Web Auction: 2.1M U.S. Healthcare Records Listed · PII + Insurance DataHIGH 8.1◆VirusTotalLumma Stealer v4.1 — New Evasion Bypass for Windows Defender SmartScreenHIGH 8.6◆NVD/NISTCVE-2025-30065 — Apache Parquet RCE via Schema Parsing · CVSS Maximum ScoreCRITICAL 10.0◆Recorded FutureSalt Typhoon (China) — Telco Backdoors Persist in 3 U.S. Carriers Post-DisclosureCRITICAL 9.2◆VirusTotalDragonForce Ransomware — New Affiliate Program Attracting LockBit DefectorsHIGH 8.5◆ShodanCitrix NetScaler Bleed (CVE-2023-4966) — 4,800 Unpatched Hosts Still ExploitableCRITICAL 9.4◆CensysIvanti Connect Secure 0-Day Chain — Nation-State Actor Exploitation ConfirmedCRITICAL 9.0◆AlienVault OTXBEC Surge Q1 2026 — $3.1B in Wire Fraud · AI Voice Cloning in UseHIGH 7.9◆NVD/NISTCVE-2025-29927 — Next.js Middleware Auth Bypass · All versions <15.2.3 affectedCRITICAL 9.1◆AlienVault OTXAPT29 (Cozy Bear) — Active Spear-Phishing Campaign Targeting NATO DiplomatsCRITICAL 9.3◆Recorded FutureCl0p Ransomware — MOVEit-style Campaign Targeting MFT Solutions GloballyCRITICAL 9.5◆Shodan22,000+ Redis Instances Exposed on Port 6379 — No Auth — Cryptominer RiskHIGH 8.9◆VirusTotalCVE-2025-21298 — Windows OLE Remote Code Execution · CISA KEV Catalog AddedCRITICAL 9.8◆Censys14,500+ Exposed Kubernetes API Servers Detected — Anonymous Access EnabledHIGH 8.7◆AlienVault OTXFIN7 Carbanak Group — New JavaScript Backdoor Targeting Retail POS SystemsHIGH 8.4◆NVD/NISTCVE-2025-24813 — Apache Tomcat RCE via Partial PUT · Exploit Code PublicCRITICAL 9.8◆Recorded FutureDark Web Auction: 2.1M U.S. Healthcare Records Listed · PII + Insurance DataHIGH 8.1◆VirusTotalLumma Stealer v4.1 — New Evasion Bypass for Windows Defender SmartScreenHIGH 8.6◆NVD/NISTCVE-2025-30065 — Apache Parquet RCE via Schema Parsing · CVSS Maximum ScoreCRITICAL 10.0◆Recorded FutureSalt Typhoon (China) — Telco Backdoors Persist in 3 U.S. Carriers Post-DisclosureCRITICAL 9.2◆VirusTotalDragonForce Ransomware — New Affiliate Program Attracting LockBit DefectorsHIGH 8.5◆ShodanCitrix NetScaler Bleed (CVE-2023-4966) — 4,800 Unpatched Hosts Still ExploitableCRITICAL 9.4◆CensysIvanti Connect Secure 0-Day Chain — Nation-State Actor Exploitation ConfirmedCRITICAL 9.0◆AlienVault OTXBEC Surge Q1 2026 — $3.1B in Wire Fraud · AI Voice Cloning in UseHIGH 7.9◆
Lesson 3 30 minutesFree Lesson

Passive Reconnaissance Techniques

Reconnaissance is the foundation of any penetration test. Passive reconnaissance gathers information without directly interacting with the target, leaving no trace. Techniques include OSINT (Open Source Intelligence), DNS analysis, WHOIS lookups, Google hacking (dorks), and social media analysis.

OSINT tools: Maltego (relationship mapping), Shodan (internet-connected device search), theHarvester (emails and subdomains), Recon-ng (web reconnaissance framework), and SpiderFoot (automated OSINT collection).

Google dorks for information gathering: site:target.com filetype:pdf, intitle:"index of" site:target.com, "password" filetype:xls site:target.com. These techniques reveal information the target may not realize is publicly accessible.

🎯 Key Takeaways

→ Review the core concepts from this lesson before moving on
→ Apply these concepts in the Training Labs CTF challenges
→ Complete the quiz below to test your understanding
← Lesson 2
Lesson 3 of 17
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