What is OSINT and why does it matter?
- Glyn MacLean
- Nov 27
- 2 min read
What is OSINT?
OSINT, or Open Source Intelligence, refers to the process of collecting and analyzing publicly available information from various sources to produce actionable intelligence. This information can come from a wide range of mediums, including:
Social media platforms
Public records and databases
News articles and blogs
Academic publications
Government reports
Websites and forums
Why Does OSINT Matter?
OSINT is significant for several reasons:
Cost-Effectiveness: OSINT utilizes freely available information, making it a cost-effective method for gathering intelligence compared to other forms of intelligence collection.
Timeliness: Information can often be gathered quickly, allowing for rapid analysis and decision-making.
Accessibility: With the internet and digital tools, a vast amount of information is accessible to anyone, enabling organizations and individuals to leverage it for various purposes.
Diverse Applications: OSINT is used across numerous fields, including cybersecurity, law enforcement, business intelligence, and national security.
Enhanced Situational Awareness: By analyzing open-source information, organizations can gain insights into trends, threats, and opportunities, helping them to stay informed and proactive.
How is OSINT SOFTWARE improving justice for victims?
OSINT tools call on publicly available data records through an API link to data tables in public databases. Importantly, OSINT tools achieve a forensic standard for integrating public records and linking sources to each other by aggregating data from multiple sources using powerful data collection engines.
NB: Privacy laws are not breached due to the records being publicly available.
A visualiser demonstrates how the profiles are connected to each other, revealing publicly available data that is not usually or normally easily or readily seen. An experienced practitioner is often able to connect the dots on real identies from false identity information.
MOBILE PHONE,
USER NAMES,
PSUEDONYMS,
REAL NAMES,
EMAIL ADDRESS and
CRYPTO ADDRESSES
OSINT software is used by law enforcement by design but is also accessible to THE DARK NIGHT ONLINE and other evidence practitioners. The platform we use produces forensic records with exportable JSON files (Source Case Files) that can be opened in OSINT identity mapping software by Law Enforcement and other agencies.
OSINT software also provides a clear chain of custody and chain of evidence with forensic linkage maps that connect the dots from source data and ultimately, which attribute known identities to an unknown criminals and their fraudulent and cyber criminal behaviours.
THE DARK NIGHT ONLINE
