Introduction to OSINT

Open Source Intelligence, or OSINT as it’s often called, can be understood as a process where we gather, evaluate, and make sense of information available in the public domain, all with the aim of answering a specific question related to intelligence.

Let’s talk about information and intelligence

While they might appear similar at a glance, understanding the distinction between them is like learning the difference between raw ingredients and a finely cooked meal:

1. Information: The starting point

   Let’s start with information. Think of it as the raw material. It’s all around us, in various forms. Information is the tweets we read, the news articles we skim, and the countless posts that fill our social media feeds. It’s abundant, varied, and its quality can range from top-notch to barely edible. In the OSINT world, this is where everything begins.

2. Intelligence: The finished dish

   Now, let’s talk about intelligence. If information is the raw ingredient, intelligence is the full meal that’s been carefully prepared and cooked. Intelligence comes from taking that raw information, analyzing it, understanding its context, and transforming it into something meaningful and useful. It’s about making sense of the data, identifying patterns, drawing connections, and deriving insights that are relevant, specific, and, most importantly, actionable.

3. The transformation process

   The journey from raw information to refined intelligence is what OSINT is all about. It’s a process that requires skill. It starts with collecting the right ingredients – in this case, gathering information from various open sources. Then comes the critical part: verifying the information, just as a chef would ensure the freshness of their ingredients.

4. The analysis

   Once we have verified information, the analysis begins. This is where the magic happens. We examine the information for patterns, look for anomalies, and try to understand the deeper story it tells. After analysis, we synthesize the information, combining the different pieces to form a comprehensive understanding, much like blending ingredients to create a perfect dish.

5. Interpretation stage

   Finally, there’s the interpretation stage. We draw conclusions, understand the broader implications, and decide how this newly formed intelligence can guide decisions and strategies.