Web application discovery is a process aimed at identifying web applications on a given infrastructure. The latter is usually specified as a set of IP addresses (maybe a net block)
but may consist of a set of DNS symbolic names or a mix of the two. This information is handed out prior to the execution of an assessment, be it a classic-style penetration test or an application-focused assessment. In both cases
unless the rules of engagement specify otherwise (e.g., “test only the application located at the URL http://www.example.com/”)
the assessment should strive to be the most comprehensive in scope, i.e. it should identify all the applications accessible through the given target.
The following examples examine a few techniques that can be employed to achieve this goal.