Open-source intelligence is an important resource for many companies and businesses across
different sectors. OSINT may be used for various reasons — from preventing cyberattacks to
informing business decisions.


The information collected using OSINT tools is considered raw data until intelligence teams
analyze it to uncover meaningful information. That’s when raw public data becomes intelligence
that can inform decisions.


Open-source data is any information that is free and legal to access, such as social media
accounts, news articles, public records, government reports, DNS records, and even data from
the deep web. While the information OSINT tools gather is typically text based, companies may
also collect data from videos, conferences, or webinars.


Working with OSINT tools typically involves using advanced analytical techniques (like natural
language processing or machine learning) to extract valuable insights.

OSINT tools are commonly used for various ethical and legal purposes. Here’s a quick overview
before we look at them in more detail.
Security and threat intelligence. Cybersecurity experts use OSINT to identify potential
security gaps and threats. Legal investigations. OSINT techniques are crucial in legal investigations. Academic research. Researchers may use OSINT to gather data, analyze trends, and study
social media behaviors. Journalistic research. Similarly to academics, journalists or investigative reporters may
use OSINT tools to gather information for news articles or investigative pieces. Reputation management. Companies may use OSINT techniques to manage and monitor their online
reputation. For example, businesses may hire experts to track company mentions and online
reviews.
While OSINT is a valuable tool organizations use for legitimate purposes, cybercriminals also
gather open-source intelligence. A{‘ ‘} hacker planning an attack on an
individual or a business may collect public information about their target beforehand. They
may spend weeks collecting data from search engines and social media networks to build a
victim profile and plan their attack.

Open-source intelligence is an important topic for several reasons. On an individual level,
learning about OSINT helps users understand how information about them may be accessed and
used by various organizations (and, potentially, cybercriminals).


We often don’t realize how much information is available about us online and how easy it is
for anyone to access it. Our{‘ ‘} digital footprint —
traceable information about our online activity — includes browsing data stored in cookies,
posts on social media, and account details. Knowing about open-source intelligence can help us
become more mindful of what information we share and store online.


From a cybersecurity perspective, OSINT can provide companies with real-time information about
potential security risks and help create threat prevention plans. It’s an essential tool for
keeping corporate networks and systems secure.

Open-source intelligence can be used in many different ways by various public and private
sector organizations. Let’s look at some of the key ones.



Government agencies may use OSINT intelligence to understand public views and predict
political trends. By collecting and analyzing large volumes of publicly available data (e.g.,
sports or political event reports), governments can better understand how the public feels
about a particular topic and use that information to inform their policies.


Governments often use open-source intelligence to monitor foreign intelligence activities,
respond to crises (e.g., during natural disasters), and control immigration (e.g., tracking
the movement of individuals).



Law enforcement agencies may use open-source intelligence to gather information when
conducting an investigation. By collecting relevant information about individuals,
organizations, or events, agents can identify leads and get closer to solving a crime.


Law enforcement officials may also gather intelligence for national security to protect
citizens and businesses from physical and virtual attacks. For example, they may use social
media networks to monitor users’ online behavior and even stop people from committing a crime.


Tools like advanced search operators allow law enforcement officials to scan social networking
sites for specific words (like “attack” or “shoot). Using these tools, agents can identify and
stop potential criminals before they can harm anyone.



Digital security professionals (e.g., security engineers, consultants, or ethical hackers)
often use open-source data to measure security threats and respond to incidents. Collecting
open-source data helps cybersecurity experts uncover how a cyberattack may have occurred and
prevent it from happening again. We’ll cover this in more detail below.



Businesses hire intelligence teams (typically analysts, researchers, and field experts) to
help them make informed, data-based decisions.


These teams may use OSINT tools to collect actionable intelligence from various open sources,
particularly news articles, forums, and public records. Depending on what the business wants
to uncover and understand, it may focus on collecting data about individuals, groups, or other
organizations (e.g., competitors).



Journalists and reporters may use OSINT to support their research, fact-checking, and
investigations. Open-source data from official statements, public records, government
databases, and legal documents help them detect inconsistencies and ensure reporting accuracy.


Reporters may also use open-source intelligence to trace leads and uncover hidden information.
While in the past, investigative journalists primarily relied on human intelligence —
contacting sources on the phone or in person — they can now access vast amounts of public
information without leaving their desks.


Human intelligence is still an integral part of investigative reporting, but public data helps
journalists connect the dots in previously impossible ways.



Unfortunately, OSINT isn’t only used for legitimate purposes. Hackers may apply various OSINT
techniques to gather personal information about their victims and use it to execute
cyberattacks.


For example, a hacker may plan to launch an attack on a specific organization. Before they
carry out the attack, they may use publicly available information to identify vulnerabilities
in the system (e.g., open ports). By looking up the company’s network or web application
information, they may be able to detect this vulnerability and use it to gain access to the
system.


A cybercriminal may also use OSINT to uncover individual IP addresses that websites or online
accounts have logged. Knowing a user’s{‘ ‘} IP address
{‘ ‘}
can give hackers a starting point to get more sensitive information about the victim (e.g.,
geographic location).


Hackers could also use IP addresses to trick service providers into revealing sensitive data
about their users (known as social engineering attacks).

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Open-source intelligence plays a crucial role in cybersecurity. By collecting data from
various public sources, cybersecurity teams can help businesses protect their employees, data,
and customers in many ways. Let’s take a closer look at how OSINT is used in cybersecurity.



By leveraging open-source data, security teams can keep track of the ever-changing threat
landscape. They can identify emerging threats, vulnerabilities, and attack methods to help
organizations prepare and protect their systems.


One example of how OSINT helps digital security teams identify threats is penetration testing
or ethical hacking. In an
ethical hacking attack, penetration testers (also known as white-hat hackers) simulate a
real-world cyberattack to identify weaknesses in the system. The “attacker” tries to find ways
into the system, then produces a report on all the weaknesses they found (known as an{‘ ‘} attack surface).


How does OSINT support ethical hacking? Before launching the attack, white-hat hackers collect
extensive open-source information about the target organization. The collected data informs
them about the ways they could attack and helps them create a comprehensive plan.



Open-source intelligence is also an essential resource for incident response. If a malicious
party attacks a business or organization, OSINT techniques can help the relevant teams respond
quickly to the incident.


For example, security engineers may search public sources for relevant information about the
threat actor. Research papers, news articles, and vendor reports are some of the sources
companies may review to understand the nature and scope of the attack.



OSINT also helps cybersecurity professionals understand the motivations behind the attack
(known as threat intelligence).


Threat intelligence is the act of collecting and analyzing data to understand a malicious
actor’s motives, behaviors, and targets. Security teams that focus on threat intelligence
combine open-source data with closed data sources (e.g., data from the{‘ ‘} dark web) to understand why
the attack happened.

Companies using OSINT tools and technologies for cybersecurity should follow certain best
practices. Doing so will ensure the data is collected ethically and help organizations achieve
their OSINT research goals. Let’s look at some of the best practices to follow.



Collecting open-source data comes with several legal and ethical considerations. Cybersecurity
teams need to respect{‘ ‘} data privacy
regulations (such as the GDPR), terms of service, and applicable laws when accessing and using
open-source information.



Those using OSINT tools should collect, handle, and store data securely to protect sensitive
information. Anonymization is particularly important — companies should anonymize personal
data to protect people’s identities.


Companies should also consider the potential impact of data leaks and unintended disclosure of
information when sharing OSINT findings across the business.



It’s important for anyone using OSINT to verify their sources before using the gathered data
to inform decisions. One way to do so is by cross-referencing information from multiple
sources to check for inconsistencies.


Additionally, sources should be fact-checked against primary and authoritative outlets. A lot
of information we see online is recycled, so it’s important to go to the original source to
ensure it has been cited correctly.


Finally, teams using OSINT should consider the biases and objectivity of various sources. Some
may have a specific agenda that could influence the information these sources provide.


By balancing information from diverse sources, cybersecurity teams can gain more objective
insights.