This PT0-002 practice question tests your understanding of information gathering and vulnerability scanning. Compare every option against the stated constraints before choosing — the best answer satisfies all requirements, not just the most obvious one. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A penetration tester is tasked with performing passive reconnaissance against a client without triggering any alerts. Which of the following techniques would be MOST appropriate?
Nmap SYN scan
Why wrong: Nmap SYN scan is an active technique that sends packets to the target.
Shodan search
Shodan performs passive reconnaissance by querying its database of internet-facing devices.
Brute-force login
Why wrong: Brute-force is an active, intrusive technique.
Netcat banner grab
Why wrong: Banner grabbing requires connecting to the target service, which is active.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Shodan search
Shodan is a search engine that indexes banners from internet-facing devices, allowing a penetration tester to gather information about a client's exposed services (e.g., open ports, software versions) without sending any packets to the target. This makes it a purely passive technique that will not trigger any alerts on the client's network or intrusion detection systems.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Nmap SYN scan
Why it's wrong here
Nmap SYN scan is an active technique that sends packets to the target.
Shodan search
Why this is correct
Shodan performs passive reconnaissance by querying its database of internet-facing devices.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Brute-force login
Why it's wrong here
Brute-force is an active, intrusive technique.
Netcat banner grab
Why it's wrong here
Banner grabbing requires connecting to the target service, which is active.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates may confuse passive reconnaissance with low-and-slow active techniques, assuming that a single SYN scan or banner grab is 'quiet enough' to avoid detection, but any packet sent to the target is active and can be logged.
Detailed technical explanation
Shodan works by continuously scanning the entire IPv4 address space and storing the banners returned by services like HTTP, SSH, and FTP. A penetration tester can query Shodan's database using filters (e.g., 'org:ClientName port:22') to find exposed services without ever touching the client's infrastructure. This is particularly useful for initial reconnaissance in red team engagements where stealth is critical, as it avoids any network-level detection.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A security team runs a vulnerability scan on a web application and discovers an unpatched SQL injection flaw. The team prioritises remediation by CVSS score — critical flaws are patched within 24 hours, high within 7 days. Questions like this test whether you understand vulnerability management processes, scanning tools, and remediation prioritisation.
What to study next
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FAQ
Information Gathering and Vulnerability Scanning — This question tests Information Gathering and Vulnerability Scanning — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Shodan search — Shodan is a search engine that indexes banners from internet-facing devices, allowing a penetration tester to gather information about a client's exposed services (e.g., open ports, software versions) without sending any packets to the target. This makes it a purely passive technique that will not trigger any alerts on the client's network or intrusion detection systems.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
This PT0-002 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the PT0-002 exam.
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