Which of the following is not a part of the discovery phase in penetration testing?

The discovery phase in penetration testing is primarily focused on gathering as much information as possible about the target in order to identify potential vulnerabilities that could be exploited later in the testing process. This involves activities such as scanning for open ports, conducting information gathering, and performing network mapping—all of which provide insight into the structure and workings of the network being tested.

Privilege escalation, on the other hand, comes into play later in the penetration testing process. It typically occurs after an attacker has gained initial access to a system and seeks to elevate their permissions to gain further control or access to sensitive data. This does not fit within the discovery phase, as it assumes that some level of access has already been obtained, rather than gathering information to facilitate that access.

As such, privilege escalation is distinctly separate from the initial tasks performed during the discovery phase, making it the option that does not belong in that context.