Amass
Amass is the OWASP project’s powerful tool for discovering the attack surface of your target organization through subdomain enumeration, passive reconnaissance, and active DNS queries. It integrates with dozens of OSINT data sources and can perform deep ASN enumeration and organization discovery.
Installation
APT (Debian/Ubuntu)
apt-get update
apt-get install -y amass
Snap
snap install amass
Homebrew (macOS)
brew install amass
Go Install
go install -v github.com/owasp-amass/amass/v4/cmd/amass@latest
Docker
docker pull ghcr.io/owasp-amass/amass:latest
docker run -v "$(pwd):/work" ghcr.io/owasp-amass/amass:latest enum -d example.com -o /work/results.txt
Download from GitHub
Download the latest release from https://github.com/owasp-amass/amass/releases and extract the binary.
Subcommands Overview
| Subcommand | Purpose |
|---|---|
enum | Main enumeration command for subdomain discovery |
intel | OSINT and organization intelligence gathering |
db | Database operations to query cached results |
dns | DNS resolution verification and lookups |
track | Track changes and track differences between enumeration runs |
Passive Enumeration
Passive enumeration queries OSINT data sources without sending traffic to the target’s DNS servers. No DNS brute-forcing is performed.
Basic Passive Enumeration
amass enum -passive -d example.com
Passive Enumeration with Output
amass enum -passive -d example.com -o results.txt
Multiple Domains
amass enum -passive -d example.com -d example.org -d example.net
Data Sources Used in Passive Mode
Amass queries dozens of passive data sources including:
- Certificate Transparency logs (Crt.sh, Google CT logs)
- DNS records and zone file repositories
- Search engines (Bing)
- OSINT databases (Shodan, Censys)
- DNS history services (SecurityTrails)
- Archive sites and historical records
Passive with Source Filtering
# List available data sources
amass enum -list
# Use specific sources
amass enum -passive -d example.com -src "Certspotter,Crtsh,Shodan"
Active Enumeration
Active enumeration performs DNS resolution and queries against the target’s infrastructure. This sends traffic to the target’s DNS servers.
Basic Active Enumeration
amass enum -active -d example.com
Active with Zone Transfer Attempts
# Zone transfers are attempted automatically during active enumeration
amass enum -active -d example.com
Certificate Grabbing
# Grab certificates during active reconnaissance
amass enum -active -d example.com
Increased Timeout for Slow Networks
amass enum -active -d example.com -timeout 30
Brute Force Subdomain Discovery
Brute force DNS enumeration tests potential subdomain names against the target’s nameservers.
Basic Brute Force
amass enum -brute -d example.com
Brute Force with Custom Wordlist
amass enum -brute -d example.com -w /path/to/wordlist.txt
Brute Force with Wordlist Mutations
# Apply mutations to wordlist entries
amass enum -brute -d example.com -w /path/to/wordlist.txt -wm
Limit DNS Name Length
# Minimum length of 3, maximum length of 25 characters
amass enum -brute -d example.com -min-for-recursive 3 -max-dns-names 25
Performance Tuning
# Maximum concurrent DNS queries (default: 10000)
amass enum -brute -d example.com -max-dns-queries 5000
# Set timeout for DNS responses
amass enum -brute -d example.com -timeout 15
Brute Force Specific Nameservers
amass enum -brute -d example.com -ns 8.8.8.8 -ns 1.1.1.1
Intel Subcommand
The intel subcommand gathers organizational intelligence through WHOIS, ASN discovery, and reverse lookups.
Domain Organization Search
amass intel -d example.com
Reverse WHOIS Lookup
# Find all domains registered to an organization
amass intel -d example.com -whois
Organization-Based Search
# Enumerate all domains for an organization
amass intel -org "Example Corporation"
ASN Enumeration
# Find ASNs associated with the domain
amass intel -d example.com -asn
# Enumerate all domains in an ASN
amass intel -asn 12345
Combined Intel Operations
amass intel -d example.com -whois -asn -o intel_results.txt
DNS Subcommand
The dns subcommand verifies DNS resolution and performs DNS-specific operations.
DNS Resolution Verification
amass dns -d example.com
Resolve a Specific Subdomain
amass dns -d sub.example.com
Custom Nameservers
amass dns -d example.com -ns 8.8.8.8 -ns 1.1.1.1
Output DNS Records
amass dns -d example.com -o dns_records.txt
Track Subcommand
Track changes between enumeration runs to identify newly discovered subdomains.
Track Enumeration Changes
amass track -d example.com
Track with Previous Database
# Compare against previous enumeration stored in database
amass track -d example.com
View Tracked Changes
amass track -d example.com -show
Database Subcommand
Query and manage results stored in Amass’s local database from previous enumerations.
Show All Results for Domain
amass db -show -d example.com
List All Discovered Names
amass db -show -d example.com -names
List All Discovered IPs
amass db -show -d example.com -ip
Summary Statistics
amass db -show -d example.com -summary
Export from Database
amass db -show -d example.com -o exported_results.txt
Database Location
By default, the database is stored in the user’s home directory at ~/.config/amass/.
Configuration File
Create a config.yaml file to persist settings and API credentials for data sources.
Basic Configuration Structure
# Data source API keys
datasources:
credentials:
- name: shodan
keys:
- "YOUR_SHODAN_API_KEY"
- name: censys
keys:
- "YOUR_CENSYS_API_KEY"
- name: securitytrails
keys:
- "YOUR_SECURITYTRAILS_API_KEY"
# Scope definition
scope:
domains:
- example.com
- example.org
# Brute forcing settings
brute_forcing:
enabled: true
wordlist: /path/to/wordlist.txt
minimum_for_recursive: 3
# DNS alterations and mutations
alterations:
enabled: true
flip_words: true
flip_numbers: true
add_words: true
add_numbers: true
# Performance settings
max_dns_queries: 10000
Using the Configuration File
amass enum -config /path/to/config.yaml
Data Source Configuration
Amass supports integration with multiple OSINT data sources via API keys. Configure these in your config file or environment.
Shodan API Key
datasources:
credentials:
- name: shodan
keys:
- "YOUR_SHODAN_API_KEY"
Censys API Key
datasources:
credentials:
- name: censys
keys:
- "YOUR_CENSYS_API_KEY"
SecurityTrails API Key
datasources:
credentials:
- name: securitytrails
keys:
- "YOUR_SECURITYTRAILS_API_KEY"
VirusTotal API Key
datasources:
credentials:
- name: virustotal
keys:
- "YOUR_VIRUSTOTAL_API_KEY"
PassiveTotal API Key
datasources:
credentials:
- name: passivetotal
keys:
- "YOUR_PASSIVETOTAL_API_KEY"
Adding Multiple API Keys
datasources:
credentials:
- name: shodan
keys:
- "API_KEY_1"
- "API_KEY_2"
- "API_KEY_3"
Output Options
Control how Amass outputs and saves discovered results.
Output to Text File
amass enum -passive -d example.com -o results.txt
JSON Output
amass enum -passive -d example.com -json -o results.json
Output Directory (Multiple Formats)
amass enum -passive -d example.com -dir ./output/
All Output Formats
# Saves results in all available formats
amass enum -passive -d example.com -oA results
Verbose Output
amass enum -passive -d example.com -v
Very Verbose (Debug)
amass enum -passive -d example.com -vv
Scripting Engine
Amass supports custom data source scripts written in Lua for extending functionality.
Script Location
Place custom scripts in ~/.config/amass/scripts/.
Basic Lua Script Template
name = "CustomSource"
type = "api"
function vertical(ctx, domain)
-- Your custom enumeration logic here
return {}
end
Using Custom Scripts
amass enum -passive -d example.com
Custom scripts are automatically loaded and executed alongside built-in data sources.
Scope Management
Define and control the scope of your enumeration to include or exclude specific targets.
Include Unresolvable Names
amass enum -passive -d example.com -include-unresolvable
Filter by IP Address Range
amass enum -passive -d example.com -ip 192.168.0.0/16
Specify CIDR Ranges
amass enum -passive -d example.com -cidr 10.0.0.0/8
Blacklist Domains
amass enum -passive -d example.com -bl example-test.com -bl test-env.com
Blacklist from File
# Create a file with one domain per line
amass enum -passive -d example.com -blf /path/to/blacklist.txt
Whitelist Domains
amass enum -passive -d example.com -include example.com -include app.example.com
Performance Optimization
Tune Amass performance based on network conditions and target infrastructure.
Maximum DNS Queries
# Limit concurrent DNS queries (default: 10000)
amass enum -brute -d example.com -max-dns-queries 5000
DNS Query Timeout
# Timeout in seconds for DNS responses
amass enum -brute -d example.com -timeout 30
Active Concurrency
# Control concurrent requests during active enumeration
amass enum -active -d example.com
Memory-Constrained Environments
# Use fewer concurrent operations
amass enum -passive -d example.com -max-dns-queries 500
Distributed Enumeration
# Run multiple instances with different wordlist portions
amass enum -brute -d example.com -w wordlist_part1.txt
amass enum -brute -d example.com -w wordlist_part2.txt
Troubleshooting
DNS Resolution Issues
# Test with custom nameservers
amass enum -passive -d example.com -ns 8.8.8.8
API Key Problems
Check that your API keys are correctly set in the config file and have appropriate permissions. Run Amass with verbose output to see which sources are failing.
Rate Limiting
If you encounter rate limiting, reduce the number of concurrent queries and increase timeouts:
amass enum -brute -d example.com -max-dns-queries 1000 -timeout 30
Memory Issues
For large-scale enumerations, reduce data source use or split the enumeration across multiple runs.
Database Corruption
Clear the database and start fresh:
rm -rf ~/.config/amass/
amass enum -passive -d example.com
Best Practices
-
Start with Passive Enumeration: Always begin with passive techniques to avoid detection. Add active DNS queries only when needed for validation.
-
Use Configuration Files: Store API credentials and scope definitions in a configuration file to maintain consistency across runs and avoid command-line credential exposure.
-
Combine Multiple Data Sources: Leverage multiple OSINT sources (Shodan, Censys, SecurityTrails) to maximize coverage. Each source often reveals different subdomains.
-
Track Changes Over Time: Use the
tracksubcommand to identify newly discovered subdomains and monitor your attack surface changes. -
Implement Scope Management: Use blacklists and whitelists to focus enumeration on relevant targets and avoid noise from unrelated domains.
-
Validate Actively: After passive enumeration, use active DNS resolution to confirm that discovered subdomains actually resolve to IP addresses.
-
Export for Further Analysis: Export results in JSON format for parsing and further processing with other tools or scripts.
-
Monitor Rate Limits: Be aware of API rate limits from data sources. Use API keys when available to increase quotas.
-
Schedule Regular Enumerations: Run periodic enumerations to detect newly registered subdomains and changes in your attack surface.
-
Combine with Other Tools: Use Amass output as input for vulnerability scanning, port scanning, or further reconnaissance with tools like Nmap.
Related Tools
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Subfinder | Fast passive subdomain enumeration using multiple sources |
| SecurityTrails | Online OSINT database for domain and subdomain history |
| DNSRecon | DNS reconnaissance and enumeration tool |
| Fierce | DNS scanning tool for discovering non-contiguous IP space |
| Sublist3r | Subdomain enumeration using multiple search engines |
| Nmap | Network mapping and port scanning |
| Shodan | Search engine for internet-connected devices |
| Censys | Search engine for internet scanning and certificate data |