Information Gathering

Web application testing starts very much like the penetration testing discussed in Chapter 10, “Metasploit.” You must get authority to test a target, and validation of ownership is critical. With web application reconnaissance specifically, you have a few other resources to utilize, such as Whois and DNSdumpster.

In Lab 11.1, you'll be validating the owner of the web application you are testing.

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LAB 11.1: VALIDATING TARGETS

1. Whois is a protocol for searching Internet registration databases for domain names and IP addresses. Open your browser and navigate to https://www.whois.icann.org.

   Make sure you are going to the correct site. Some clones of Whois are trying to sell you something. As you see in Figure 11.3, ICANN's WHOIS Lookup gives you the ability to look up a domain owner.

   

   Figure 11.3: ICANN WHOIS for domain lookup

2. Where the form asks you to enter a domain, type in www.example.com.

   In Figure 11.4, you see that www.example.com...