Analysis steps of open source intelligence

Open source intelligence (OSINT) is a term that refers to all publicly available information used to satisfy a specific intelligence need. Open source intelligence resources can take two forms, offline or online. However, with the continuous development of informatization, most of the open source intelligence intelligence now comes from Internet resources.

Not only must open source intelligence resources be publicly available, but they must also be legally accessible without violating copyright or laws protecting personal data.

Open source intelligence analysis usually includes the following steps:

1. Identify information needs:

First, it is necessary to determine the type and content of information required, as well as the time period and geographic scope for analysis. This identifies the goals of the analysis and helps determine the scope of the information collection.

2. Collect information:

Next, relevant open-source intelligence needs to be collected, which can come from a variety of sources, including government documents, media reports, organization websites, and social media. When collecting information, you need to ensure that the source of the information is reliable, and classify, label and organize the information.

3. Organize information:

After enough information has been collected, it needs to be collated and organized for better analysis. This can be done by creating information bases, information tables or infographics etc.

4. Analysis information:

Next, the collected and collated information needs to be analyzed to better understand the meaning and significance of the information. This can be achieved by employing various analysis methods and tools, such as statistical analysis, trend analysis, correlation analysis, etc.

5. Generate a report:

Finally, the results of the analysis need to be consolidated into a report and provide reliable and objective intelligence support to relevant decision makers. This report should contain an overview of the information, analysis methods and results, key findings and recommendations, etc. Through this report, decision-makers can better understand the current situation and provide reliable intelligence support for decision-making.