Before a third-party assessment of the transit website, analysts gather public OSINT quietly, then propose port scans against production. What distinction matters most?
Select an answer to reveal the explanation.
Short Explanation
Reading the bus schedule online is passive; poking the doors with a scanner is active—and active needs a hall pass. Authorization is the difference between research and an incident.
Full Explanation
Passive reconnaissance gathers information without interacting in ways that exercise target systems (for example, public OSINT), whereas active techniques such as port scanning probe systems and can affect availability or trigger alerts. Active methods require explicit authorization within rules of engagement. Municipal assessors must keep this distinction clear to stay lawful and professional.