Open Source Intelligence (OSINT)
Unlock the Benefits of Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) and Its Influence on Modern Investigatory Techniques. Learn how Open Source Intelligence software works, the OSINT framework, Techniques & Tools.
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Smarter decision-making by automating data filtering and analysis from internal and external sources to highlight vital information.
Analysis & Visualisation
Discover links and network mapping using interactive charts, detailed data view and reporting efficiency. Deep-dive into the data to derive valuable insights.
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What is OSINT and Why is it important?
Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) is the application of intelligence gathering techniques and technology to investigations that make use of open source data (OSD).
To ensure that the evidence is secure, investigators need to keep track of all of their OSINT sources, including screenshots and timestamps of important findings, and log all of their activities so that it’s possible to check that an investigation was carried out thoroughly. It is also important to check facts, avoid pretexting, and check for bias when conducting OSINT investigations. And this is where Neotas Enhanced Due Diligence Platform can help!
Enhanced decision-making
OSINT provides insights into security threats, market trends, competitor analysis, and consumer behavior. By leveraging OSINT, organisations can make informed decisions based on up-to-date and relevant information.
Improved security and risk management
OSINT allows companies to gather data on potential threats and implement appropriate security measures to mitigate business risks effectively.
Cost-effective data gathering
OSINT leverages publicly available information that is often free, eliminating the need for financial investment in data acquisition.
Eliminate Process Inefficiencies
The Neotas Due Diligence platform offers a user-friendly and efficient solution for due diligence research by centralising source links, providing QA visibility, automating report template selection and content population, streamlining multi-source querying, and simplifying source access with automated means. These features collectively contribute to a more effective and productive due diligence process.
- Centralise and organise all source links from different jurisdictions, making it easier for researchers to access and explore relevant information.
- Quality Assurance (QA) teams can track and review the complete history of queries run by researchers during the due diligence process.
- Simplifies the reporting process by automatically presenting the most up-to-date report templates tailored to specific clients and use cases.
- Automatically pre-populates relevant findings and identifiers into a predefined report template.
- Simplifies the data retrieval process by allowing researchers to send queries to multiple sources simultaneously using a single input.
- Automated source querying to eliminate username/password hassles, simplifying the research workflow and enhancing security.
Quality Improvements and Save Cost
Revolutionise due diligence with our cutting-edge platform! Automated internet searches, multilingual capabilities, and dynamic research checklists streamline the process. Discover connections across sources with network analysis, and upskill analysts with automatic OSINT techniques. Stay ahead with efficiency, accuracy, and unrivaled insights!
- Automated internet searches for consistent and quality results with pre-defined parameters, such as Boolean queries using identifier variations, to ensure consistency and gather high-quality results.
- Multilingual capabilities for comprehensive search allowing researchers to access information as a native speaker would, ensuring comprehensive and accurate results from sources in different linguistic contexts.
- Dynamic research methodology checklist for structured analysis and comments. Analysts and QAs can enter comments and notes at each step, promoting collaboration and ensuring a well-documented research process.
- Network analysis to connect data from various sources for a holistic view, revealing potential associations and risks that might otherwise be missed in disjointed databases.
- Automatic OSINT techniques to upskill analysts’ digital footprint discovery. This includes uncovering online information, social media presence, digital records, and other relevant data that contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the subjects under investigation.
Unleash the Power of OSINT for Actionable Business Intelligence
We leverage Open source intelligence (OSINT) to use publicly available data to provide organisations with hyper-accurate and fully auditable insights with no false positives.
Improve Efficiencies
Improve analyst efficiencies, including cost and time reduction of minimum 25% with zero false positives.
Reduce Blindspots
The FCA recommends open source Internet checks as best practice (FG 18/5). Manage and reduce risk by incorporating 100% of online sources into your processes.
Ongoing Monitoring
Manage risk with hyper accurate ongoing monitoring. We will monitor 100% of publicly available online data to help identify relevant risks.
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Case Studies
Our clients can choose to use our advanced technology to interrogate vast data sources using their own methodologies. Our team of in-house expert analysts can also produce reports for you.
Trusted By Global Organisations
Neotas Open Source Intelligence Software can take your open source intelligence investigations to the next level
Frequently Asked Questions on OSINT
OSINT stands for Open-Source Intelligence and refers to the collection and analysis of publicly available information from various sources such as social media, news articles, websites, and public records.
OSINT provides organizations with access to publicly available information, allowing them to gather intelligence, identify potential threats, and make informed decisions. It is also crucial for cybersecurity, as it helps in detecting and mitigating risks.
The OSINT process involves several steps. It begins with defining the objectives and the information needed. Then, data is collected from open sources using various tools and techniques. The collected information is then processed, analyzed, and validated to extract meaningful insights. Finally, the findings are disseminated to the relevant stakeholders.
There are numerous tools and techniques available for OSINT. These include search engines, social media monitoring tools, data mining and analysis software, web scraping tools, and specialized platforms designed for OSINT purposes. Techniques such as keyword searching, data visualization, and link analysis are commonly used to extract valuable information from large datasets.
While OSINT is a valuable tool for intelligence gathering, it has some limitations. These include limited access to classified information, potential for misinformation, an overwhelming amount of data, lack of context, and the inability to verify information. It’s essential to use OSINT alongside other sources to ensure accurate and informed decision-making.
OSINT and open-source data (OSD) may be used interchangeably, but they are distinct concepts. OSD refers to publicly available information sourced from the internet, including social media, online news, and sanctions lists. On the other hand, OSINT is the outcome of studying, analyzing, and using OSD to make informed decisions. While anyone can access and gather OSD, it takes trained investigators to turn that information into valuable OSINT insights.
OSINT investigations refer to the process of gathering and analysing publicly available information to gather insights, uncover connections, and support investigative efforts.
Financial services utilize OSINT for AFC and AML efforts to combat financial crime and money laundering effectively.
Corporations rely on OSINT to protect their brand from financial and reputational risks, resolve identities of fraudsters, and perform enhanced due diligence on stakeholders.
Government and law enforcement agencies leverage OSINT to understand networks involved in serious crime, disrupt international border crime, and counter terrorism.
Risk consultancies benefit from OSINT, enabling analysts and investigators to conduct swift and thorough investigations for multiple clients.
OSINT technology empowers various sectors, including law enforcement, finance, cybersecurity, and business intelligence, by providing valuable insights, enabling proactive decision-making, and mitigating potential risks.
Comprehensive Intelligence Gathering: OSINT allows you to collect vast amounts of publicly available information from diverse online sources, providing a comprehensive view of your subject of interest.
Enhanced Due Diligence: By leveraging OSINT, you can conduct in-depth background checks on individuals, companies, or entities, enabling better risk assessment and informed decision-making.
Investigative Insights: OSINT technology helps investigators uncover crucial insights and connections, aiding in solving cases, identifying potential risks, and uncovering hidden patterns.
Reputation Management: OSINT assists in monitoring online reputation, brand mentions, and social media sentiment, helping businesses proactively manage their image and respond to potential crises.
Threat Detection and Prevention: OSINT enables the identification of potential security threats, cyberattacks, or emerging risks, allowing organizations to take proactive measures to prevent incidents.
Competitive Intelligence: Through OSINT, businesses can gather intelligence on competitors, market trends, and industry developments, enabling strategic decision-making and market positioning.
Fraud Prevention: OSINT aids in detecting fraudulent activities by analyzing online behavior, uncovering fake identities, and identifying suspicious patterns.
Situational Awareness: OSINT provides real-time and up-to-date information on events, disasters, or incidents, enhancing situational awareness for businesses and organizations.
Humanitarian Efforts: OSINT can support humanitarian organizations in crisis response by providing valuable data on affected regions, aiding relief efforts, and locating missing persons.
Cybersecurity Analysis: OSINT helps cybersecurity professionals gather threat intelligence, identify potential vulnerabilities, and assess the cybersecurity landscape.
The OSINT framework refers to a structured approach that combines data, procedures, methodologies, and various tools to aid security teams in swiftly and accurately uncovering information about potential adversaries or their activities. By utilizing an OSINT framework, security professionals can effectively establish the digital footprint of a known threat.
The OSINT framework typically includes the following key steps:
Planning: Define the objectives of the OSINT operation, identify the target of interest, and outline the scope and resources needed for the investigation.
Collection: Gather relevant information from open sources such as social media platforms, websites, public records, news articles, and other publicly available data.
Processing: Organize and categorize the collected data for easier analysis. This step involves removing duplicates, verifying sources, and ensuring data integrity.
Analysis: Evaluate the information to extract meaningful insights, patterns, and connections. Analyze the data to identify potential risks, opportunities, or threats.
Collaboration: Share findings and collaborate with other stakeholders or team members to gain additional perspectives and insights.
Reporting: Prepare a comprehensive and structured report presenting the findings, analysis, and conclusions of the OSINT operation.
Validation: Validate the accuracy and reliability of the information obtained, ensuring that it aligns with the overall objectives of the investigation.
The OSINT framework is a valuable tool for various fields, including intelligence agencies, law enforcement, cybersecurity, corporate security, and business intelligence. It provides a structured and systematic approach to harness the vast amount of publicly available information on the internet, enabling organizations to make informed decisions, identify potential risks, and stay ahead of emerging threats.
OSINT tools operate entirely within the bounds of the law since they solely rely on information accessible through “open sources.” These sources do not encompass any proprietary or confidential data stored within an organization’s databases; instead, they are limited to publicly available information.
