What is open source intelligence?

What is open source intelligence?

Open source intelligence(OSINT), is intelligence generated from publicly available information that is collected, exploited and disseminated to appropriate audiences in a timely manner to meet specific intelligence needs. OSINT includes all publicly accessible sources of information that can be found online or offline, including but not limited to:

1.Internet, including online publications, blogs, social media websites.

2.Traditional mass media, including television, radio, newspapers, books, magazines, professional journals, academic publications, dissertations, company news, employee profiles, resumes and geospatial information in maps and commercial imagery.

3.Dark web resources.

The process of OSINT is planning, data mining, analysis, dissemination and to generate visual information sorting reports.

As early as in the 1990's, some scholars proposed that national intelligence work should change to attach importance to intelligence sharing and open source intelligence, replacing traditional secret intelligence work.



Advantages of open source intelligence

Open source intelligence has many advantages, including:

Inexpensive: For small or private companies, the tools and technology to collect data on a regular basis may prove to be too much of an investment. Open source intelligence comes from public information, including the Internet, media, social media, government departments, etc. This information is easy to obtain, so its acquisition cost is very low.

Legality: Since the collected information has not been defined as confidential and has been publicly disclosed with the consent of the original source, it is perfectly legal to collect any data you may find.

Time-sensitive: Due to the public nature of resources used in open source intelligence, users add and update their information on a regular basis, so it is highly time-sensitive and reflects the current situation in a timely manner.

Large amount of information: Open source intelligence contains a large amount of information, including time, place, people, events, etc., which can provide great help for subsequent analysis.



The unique value of open source intelligence

Open source intelligence is commonly used in a range of sectors, including the military, federal agencies, law enforcement, insurance, private investigation, and the legal sector. Each of these agencies relies on open source intelligence(OSINT) for different purposes and is influenced by publicly available information for their particular work.

For example, law enforcement agencies use OSINT to help apprehend criminals and disrupt crime, including but not limited to cybercrime, fraud, violent crime, and terrorism.

Criminal investigators use OSINT to find information about their subjects and to detect illegal activity online.

Financial intelligence teams use OSINT as a starting point in money laundering and embezzlement cases, track cryptocurrency addresses during digital currency forensics, and assist in identity theft cases.

Business intelligence teams rely on OSINT to identify target audiences, perform competitive analysis, and make brand protection cases.

Cybersecurity professionals use OSINT for threat analysis, penetration testing, and hacking.



Recommended open source intelligence monitoring system

As a leader in the web intelligence monitoring, Knowlesys International Ltd.(Knowlesys) has accumulated 10 years of experience in OSINT monitoring and the experience of analyzing and processing thousands of different types of websites and mobile applications.

Founded in May 2003, Knowlesys is a high-tech company that specializes in Internet information processing. It has established rich experience and competitive advantages in the fields of accurate monitoring and vertical mining of mass information on the Internet. The core products are Knowlesys Intelligence System and Knowlesys Web Data Miner Studio. Knowlesys Intelligence System is developed based the world's leading OSINT extraction technology, with the advantages of quick identification and full coverage. It enables users to monitor the entire web and identify important information and negative public opinions in a timely manner.