Footprinting

Footprinting, also known as fingerprinting, is part of active reconnaissance. It involves searching for details concerning a network or system to pinpoint its exploitable points.

Digital footprint includes data trails you leave behind after surfing the web, for instance, your IP address. This information can be used to search for even more details that will expose your network’s weak points.

Encryption, disabling location services, and directory listings on web servers are ways of protecting yourself from an undue footprinting attack.