Cyber Word of the Week: OSINT (Open Source Intelligence)

In cybersecurity, one important part of reconnaissance is open source intelligence (OSINT). OSINT is the process of gathering and analyzing information from publicly available sources.

Cyber attackers often use OSINT to learn more about their intended targets, while security analysts use it to detect sensitive or confidential information that may have been leaked online.

Common Sources of OSINT

Publicly available information can be found in many places, including:

• Social media platforms (Facebook, X (Twitter), TikTok, Reddit, etc.)
  
• Company websites and employee directories
  
• Public records and databases
• The dark web 
• Government websites
  
  

In today’s digital era, you might be surprised by how much of your personal or business information is exposed and easily accessible.

Try It Yourself

Do a quick search online and see what information about you is publicly available. You may be surprised at how much personal data you can uncover with just a few searches.