Reconnaissance refers to the process of gathering information about a target system, network, or organization with the intention of identifying vulnerabilities and potential attack vectors. It involves actively or passively collecting data through various methods, such as network scanning, port scanning, open-source intelligence (OSINT) gathering, social engineering, or publicly available information. The objective of reconnaissance is to gain insight into the target's infrastructure, systems, and potential weaknesses, which can then be exploited in subsequent stages of a cyber attack.