Open source intelligence (OSINT) is the collection and analysis of data gathered from open sources (overt sources and publicly available information) to produce actionable intelligence. OSINT is primarily used in national security, law enforcement, and business intelligence functions and is of value to analysts who use non-sensitive intelligence in answering classified, unclassified, or proprietary intelligencerequirements across the previous intelligence disciplines.[1]
Public government data: public government reports, budgets, hearings, telephone directories, press conferences, websites, and speeches. Although this source comes from an official source they are publicly accessible and may be used openly and freely.
Professional and academic publications: information acquired from journals, conferences, symposia, academic papers, dissertations, and theses.
Commercial data: commercial imagery, financial and industrial assessments, and databases.
OSINT is distinguished from research in that it applies the process of intelligence to create tailored knowledge supportive of a specific decision by a specific individual or group.[3]
OSINT collection methodologies
Collecting open-source intelligence is achieved in a variety of different ways,[4] such as:
Social Media Intelligence, which is acquired from viewing or observing a subject's online social profile activity.
Information matching and verification from data broker services.
Definition
OSINT, broadly defined, involves gathering and analyzing publicly accessible information to produce actionable insights.[5]
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security defines OSINT as intelligence derived from publicly available information, collected and disseminated promptly to address specific intelligence needs.[6]
NATO describes OSINT as intelligence obtained from publicly available information and other unclassified data with limited public distribution or access.[7]
The European Union defines OSINT as the collecting and analyzing information from open sources to generate actionable intelligence, supporting areas like national security, law enforcement, and business intelligence.[8]
The United Nations has also recognized OSINT’s potential, noting its value in monitoring member states’ compliance with international regulations across various sectors, including public health and human rights.[9]
In the private sector, companies like IBM define OSINT as the process of gathering and analyzing publicly available information to assess threats, inform decisions, or answer specific questions. Similarly, cybersecurity firms such as CrowdStrike describe OSINT as the act of collecting and analyzing publicly available data for intelligence purposes.[10]
OSINT practices have been documented as early as the mid-19th century in the United States and early 20th century in the United Kingdom.[11]
OSINT in the United States traces its origins to the 1941 creation of the Foreign Broadcast Monitoring Service (FBMS), an agency responsible for the monitoring of foreign broadcasts. An example of their work was the correlation of changes in the price of oranges in Paris with successful bombings of railway bridges during World War II.[12]
The Aspin-Brown Commission stated in 1996 that US access to open sources was "severely deficient" and that this should be a "top priority" for both funding and DCI attention.[13]
Furthermore, the private sector has invested in tools which aid in OSINT collection and analysis. Specifically, In-Q-Tel, a Central Intelligence Agency supported venture capital firm in Arlington, VA assisted companies develop web-monitoring and predictive analysis tools.
In December 2005, the Director of National Intelligence appointed Eliot A. Jardines as the Assistant Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Open Source to serve as the Intelligence Community's senior intelligence officer for open source and to provide strategy, guidance and oversight for the National Open Source Enterprise.[18] Mr. Jardines has established the National Open Source Enterprise[19] and authored intelligence community directive 301. In 2008, Mr. Jardines returned to the private sector and was succeeded by Dan Butler who is ADDNI/OS[20] and previously Mr. Jardines' Senior Advisor for Policy.[21]
Tools
A guide by Ryan Fedasiuk, an analyst at the Center for Security and Emerging Technology, lists six tools open-source analysts can use to stay safe and utilize operational security (OPSEC) when conducting online investigations. These include VPNs, cached webpages, digital archive services, URL and file scanners, browser sandbox applications, and antivirus software.[22]
Numerous lists of aggregated OSINT content are available on the web. The OSINT Framework contains over 30 primary categories of tools and is maintained as an open source project on GitHub.[23]
Risks for practitioners
A main hindrance to practical OSINT is the volume of information it has to deal with information explosion. The amount of data being distributed increases at a rate that it becomes difficult to evaluate sources in intelligence analysis. To a small degree the work has sometimes been done by amateur crowd-sourcing.[24]
Private individuals illegally collecting data for a foreign military or intelligence agency is considered espionage in most countries. Espionage that is not treason (e.g. betraying one's country of citizenship) has been a tool of statecraft since ancient times.[25]
Professional associations and certifications
McAfee Institute offers several government-recognized certification programs in open-source intelligence (OSINT) and related investigative disciplines. The Certified in Open Source Intelligence (C|OSINT) program provides structured training in the collection, verification, and analysis of publicly available information, aligning with recognized standards for intelligence and law enforcement professionals.
McAfee Institute’s certification programs are approved by the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development (MDHEWD),[26] listed in the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies (NICCS) training catalog maintained by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and recognized by the U.S. Department of Defense Credentialing Opportunities On-Line (COOL) [27]program for all military branches.
According to the McAfee Institute, the C|OSINT certification validates professional competency in conducting lawful and ethical online investigations, emphasizing intelligence tradecraft, digital profiling, and open-source data analysis. Graduates receive lifetime access to updated course materials and instructor support.
The OSINT Foundation is a professional association for OSINT practitioners in the United States Intelligence Community.[28] It is open to U.S. Citizens and seeks to raise the prominence of the open-source intelligence discipline.[29]
↑Sun Tzu (Warring States period), The Art of War, Chapter 13: "Hostile armies may face each other for years, striving for the victory which is decided in a single day. This being so, to remain in ignorance of the enemy's condition simply because one grudges the outlay of 2 hundred ounces of silver in honors and emoluments, is the height of inhumanity."
The Free Library, FMSO-JRIC and Open Source Intelligence: speaking prose in a world of verse, Military Intelligence Professional Bulletin, Oct–Dec, 2005 by Jacob W. Kipp
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