Kripa Thapa

Open Source Intelligence Gathering (OSINT)

This article consists of basic introduction on OSINT, its types, uses, lifecycles and many more.

The internet has become a crucial part of our life and it has changed everything around us from education, healthcare, government interactions to social communication which receives the greatest impact. The opening up of the Internet network to billions of people all over the world to connect and share digital data has pushed the whole globe into what is now known as the information era.

Introduction to OSINT

OSINT is an intriguing topic that I’ve learned about. It is an umbrella term that refers to any information that can be legally gathered free of charge. It uses publicly available information — mostly via the internet — and does not require any type of unauthorized access.

A wide array of sources can be considered a part of OSINT. For example, publicly available information on social networking websites, messages on discussion boards, forums, and group chats, unprotected website directories, and any information that may be obtained by searching online.

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) defines OSINT as follows: