Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) is a tool that allows individuals and businesses to gather and analyse information from the public domain. The wealth of information available on the internet is vast, and OSINT can be used to piece together a surprisingly detailed picture of a person. There are many places to conduct OSINT, allowing you to potentially glean information on a person/place without anyone being aware of it at all.
Where to get this information?
Common places to start naturally point towards social media, where people often needlessly announce their lives to the world.
Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn can reveal a lot of information about a person,
including where they live, work, grew up, family members, friends, and hobbies.
Dating apps can also provide a treasure trove of information too (that bio you wrote might give too much away,
or maybe the geolocation data you have shared).
Current generation challenges
The internet has become such a vast source of information that people's entire lives may exist online. Children born after the year 2000 are particularly susceptible to having their entire lives documented online, with pictures from school, parties, and celebrations readily available on Facebook and other social media platforms. Meaning there is a vast amount of data on these children that they have had little say in being published online, for many to see. This information can be used to paint a detailed picture of a person and can also be used nefariously by scammers to create spear phishing attacks.
Check your digital footprint!
Footballers and politicians have seen the consequences of having their actions on social media exposed, with some losing their jobs as a result. It is always worth having a cheeky google of yourself and finding out how much information you can find about yourself, as this will give you an idea of what information is available about you online. If you don’t find information about yourself first on the internet, somebody else will (many employers will search for your profile ahead of a job interview!)!
Additional Tools and Websites
There are numerous tools available to help you with OSINT research.
Websites like Shodan and Companies House (a personal favourite of mine), as well as tools like Sherlock, can provide a wealth of information.
Another tool worth mentioning is Maltego, which scours the web for information and keeps the results within its own ecosystem.
OSINT can also be used for positive purposes.
For example, it can be used to gain more information about a job you're applying for or to research a holiday destination.
Interpol also uses OSINT to gather information and support its work.
OSINT enthusiasts all over the globe have combined their brainpower and time to help identify missing persons all over the world.
To summarise
OSINT is a powerful tool that can be used to gather information from publicly available sources. While the amount of information available about us online can be concerning, there are also positive uses of OSINT, such as gathering information about a job or holiday destination. With the wealth of information available on the internet, it is essential to be aware of what is available about you and to use tools like Maltego to keep your information organized. For people new to the world of cybersecurity, OSINT is a great way to dip your toes in the water. It’s not technical and hugely intriguing.
Links to website used in this article
Maltego
Companies House
Shodan
Sherlock