The first step in any investigation is gathering intelligence. Whether it’s identifying the perpetrators of a targeted cyberattack, investigating financial fraud or conducting a private investigation, intelligence is crucial to understanding the target of an investigation and searching for evidence.
While there are ways and means to do this covertly, intelligence gathering usually starts with scraping information from public sources – a process collectively known as open-source intelligence (OSINT).
Thanks to the rise of social media and digital footprints, there is now a wealth of legally collectable OSINT available that many investigators can use to profile an organisation or individual successfully and gather viable evidence.
What is Open-Source Intelligence?
Open-source intelligence, or OSINT, is intelligence produced by collecting, evaluating and analysing publicly available information to answer a specific investigative question.
The key is that the information is legal and accessible to anyone, which, In practice, tends to mean information found on the internet. However, any public information falls into the category of OSINT, including books in a public library, articles in a newspaper, or statements in a press release.
By sifting through this data, analysts can uncover valuable insights on a variety of topics, from potential security threats to market trends. These insights can be useful to a wide range of people, including law enforcement, law firms, and businesses.
Five Facts About open-source intelligence
OSINT is a complex field. Here are five facts about open-source intelligence you need to know before you enquire about OSINT services.
OSINT is more than just a Google search
While searching online is certainly a core component of Open-Source Intelligence, it is far from the whole story. In fact, the practices date back centuries, and detectives, journalists, and even spies have long relied on publicly available information to gather intelligence.
OSINT process involves a systematic, methodical approach to collecting, analyzing, and interpreting information that extends far beyond sifting through the internet. It’s not just about finding information but understanding its significance, correlating it with other data, and drawing meaningful conclusions.
OSINT professionals also employ specialized tools and techniques to uncover information that isn’t available through traditional search engines. These tools can search traditional media, public records, government documents, and even physical locations for data gathering, allowing analysts to uncover evidence that is difficult to find.
At SIP, our specialized OSINT teams take this a step further. We have an in-house dedicated open-source intelligence server that gathers information compliantly from both the worldwide surface and deep web to find information that others can’t.
This capability, combined with our access to over 420 established global subscriber and public databases and our team of human analysts who cross-reference the data to confirm the facts, allows us to compile an executive summary that has meaningful information for the client to make an informed decision.
2. OSINT isn’t just text-based
OSINT includes information that can be found in different media types. While it’s typically considered text-based, information in images, videos, webinars, public speeches, and conferences all fall under open-source intelligence.
A comprehensive OSINT investigation requires the ability to process and interpret diverse data formats to construct a complete and accurate profile of an individual or event.
A photo’s geolocation or EXIF data can pinpoint a location, a video’s background noise might reveal a specific environment, and a social media profile can reveal interests, locations and acquaintances through profile pictures and posts to check-ins and likes.
OSINT extends beyond the internet too, and physical evidence like license plates, building structures, or geographical terrain can be captured and analyzed for intelligence purposes.
Many open-source databases also often contain datasets like demographics, economic indicators, and geographic information systems (GIS) maps that analysts can use to gather evidence that falls under OSINT.
3. Social media is an OSINT goldmine
With almost everyone in the world having a digital footprint, social media can be incredibly useful for OSINT as it provides a treasure trove of publicly available and real-time data that can be used as evidence.
Social media users voluntarily share personal information, opinions, locations, and connections on the internet, creating a rich tapestry of public data that can be used for OSINT investigations. This information can be used to identify individuals, track their movements, understand their interests, and even predict their behaviour.
Social media platforms also often have easily traceable features like geolocation tagging, which can pinpoint the location of photos and videos. The real-time nature of social media allows for immediate monitoring of events and trends, making it an invaluable tool for crisis management, journalism, and intelligence gathering.
While privacy settings can limit access to some information, the sheer volume of publicly available data on social media makes it an indispensable resource for OSINT practitioners.
4. The dark web can be central to OSINT investigations
OSINT professionals need access to the dark web to uncover hidden information and insights that are inaccessible through traditional search engines. This includes forums, marketplaces, and communication channels used by criminal organizations, hackers, and other clandestine groups.
By monitoring dark web activities, OSINT analysts can identify emerging threats, such as new malware, cyber-attacks, or extremist ideologies. The dark web is a hub for illicit activities like drug trafficking, human trafficking, and the sale of stolen data. OSINT professionals can track these activities, gather evidence, and support law enforcement investigations.
Understanding the tactics, techniques, and procedures of threat actors on the dark web is essential for protecting critical infrastructure from cyberattacks. At SIP, we’re no strangers to the dark web. Our experienced researchers also engage and infiltrate dark web chat rooms when required to extract vital evidence for our client’s case.
5. OSINT requires cross-jurisdictional legal expertise
OSINT, by its nature, often involves gathering information from multiple sources spanning across the globe. This information can originate and be disseminated across multiple countries, each with its own data protection laws, privacy regulations, and digital rights. Understanding these laws is essential to avoid legal repercussions when collecting, storing, and processing information. From data privacy regulations like GDPR and CCPA to copyright laws and defamation, navigating the complex legal landscapes is crucial to ensure compliance, avoid legal pitfalls, and protect both the investigator and the organisation.
To do this, OSINT analysts need to understand the legal framework of different jurisdictions to determine what information can be legally collected, used and shared, so they can obtain the necessary authorisations and Court orders when required.
This is something SIP specializes in. Since 1983, SIP International has been a leading global provider of OSINT investigative and security services. Our expert-backed services are designed to address complex cross-jurisdictional frauds.
We offer asset trace and recovery by breaking down the techniques and mechanisms used to conceal beneficial ownership, white-collar crimes, counterfeit product manufacturing, ransomware demands, the recovery of stolen data, and more.
