The answer is Google and Bing search engines. This is correct because theHarvester is a passive reconnaissance tool that queries public sources like search engines and PGP key servers to collect email addresses, subdomains, and other OSINT data without ever touching the target’s own infrastructure. On the CompTIA PenTest+ PT0-002 exam, this question tests your understanding of passive versus active reconnaissance—a common trap is confusing theHarvester with active tools like Nmap or DNS brute-forcers. Remember that theHarvester relies on cached, publicly indexed data, so it never sends packets directly to the target. A useful memory tip: think of theHarvester as a “search engine scraper” for OSINT—its default sources, Google and Bing, are the two giants it harvests from, making them the go-to answer when the scenario mentions passive collection from public search engines.
PT0-002 Practice Question: Information Gathering and Vulnerability Scanning
This PT0-002 practice question tests your understanding of information gathering and vulnerability scanning. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 using theHarvester tool to gather information about a target domain. The tester wants to collect email addresses and subdomains from public search engines and PGP key servers. Which source is theHarvester commonly configured to use for this passive reconnaissance?
Why wrong: DNS zone transfer is an active technique that requires querying the target's DNS server directly; theHarvester does not perform zone transfers by default.
B
Shodan
Why wrong: Shodan is an IoT search engine that can be used for passive reconnaissance, but theHarvester primarily uses search engines and PGP servers, not Shodan (unless explicitly configured via an API).
C
Baidu
Why wrong: Baidu is a search engine, but theHarvester's default common sources are Google, Bing, and PGP key servers. Baidu is not commonly used by default.
D
Google and Bing search engines
theHarvester typically uses public search engines like Google and Bing, as well as PGP key servers, to find email addresses and subdomains in a passive manner.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Google and Bing search engines
Option D is correct because theHarvester is specifically designed to perform passive reconnaissance by querying public search engines (like Google and Bing) and PGP key servers to collect email addresses, subdomains, and other open-source intelligence (OSINT). It does not initiate direct connections to the target's infrastructure, making it a passive tool. The default configuration often includes Google and Bing as primary sources for this data.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Direct DNS zone transfer
Why it's wrong here
DNS zone transfer is an active technique that requires querying the target's DNS server directly; theHarvester does not perform zone transfers by default.
✗
Shodan
Why it's wrong here
Shodan is an IoT search engine that can be used for passive reconnaissance, but theHarvester primarily uses search engines and PGP servers, not Shodan (unless explicitly configured via an API).
✗
Baidu
Why it's wrong here
Baidu is a search engine, but theHarvester's default common sources are Google, Bing, and PGP key servers. Baidu is not commonly used by default.
✓
Google and Bing search engines
Why this is correct
theHarvester typically uses public search engines like Google and Bing, as well as PGP key servers, to find email addresses and subdomains in a passive manner.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse passive reconnaissance with active techniques like DNS zone transfers (Option A) or assume Shodan (Option B) is a default source for theHarvester, when in fact theHarvester's core functionality relies on traditional search engines and PGP key servers for email and subdomain discovery.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
TheHarvester leverages search engine APIs (e.g., Google Custom Search, Bing Web Search) and scrapes PGP key servers (like keyserver.ubuntu.com) to extract email addresses and subdomains from cached pages and public key signatures. A subtle behavior is that it uses the 'limit' parameter to control the number of results per source, and it can also query LinkedIn for user enumeration, though this is less common. In real-world engagements, theHarvester is often the first tool run to build a target list before active scanning, as it avoids generating logs on the target's systems.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A developer is choosing between AES-256 (symmetric) and RSA-2048 (asymmetric) for encrypting a large file that will be sent to a partner. Symmetric encryption is fast but requires key exchange; asymmetric is slower but solves the key distribution problem. A hybrid approach — encrypt the file with AES, encrypt the AES key with RSA — is standard. Questions like this test whether you understand when each approach applies.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this PT0-002 question in full detail.
Information Gathering and Vulnerability Scanning — This question tests Information Gathering and Vulnerability Scanning — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Google and Bing search engines — Option D is correct because theHarvester is specifically designed to perform passive reconnaissance by querying public search engines (like Google and Bing) and PGP key servers to collect email addresses, subdomains, and other open-source intelligence (OSINT). It does not initiate direct connections to the target's infrastructure, making it a passive tool. The default configuration often includes Google and Bing as primary sources for this data.
What should I do if I get this PT0-002 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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