What OSINT Is
definition
Core idea
Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) is the collection and analysis of information from publicly available sources, any data legally obtainable from open, public sources such as websites, social media, public records, academic publications, news, and public blockchain ledgers. It forms the bedrock of digital investigations, from due diligence to criminal attribution. The discipline originated in military intelligence during WWII and has since proliferated across journalism, law enforcement, corporate security, and financial crime investigation.
When to use
When you need to build a picture of a subject or answer an investigative question using only legally accessible public data, e.g. due diligence, criminal attribution, or financial crime investigation.
Example
Querying a public blockchain explorer, reading a cached web page, or reviewing court filings to gather facts about a subject without accessing any private system.
Related
The OSINT Lifecycle, Passive vs Active OSINT, Common OSINT Source Categories