There are dozens of better definitions of OSINT that are out there but for simplicity sake, here is Wikipedia‘s.
“Open-source intelligence (OSINT) is the collection and analysis of data gathered from open sources (covert sources and publicly available information; PAI) 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 intelligence requirements across the previous intelligence disciplines.”
Wikipedia’s definition is loaded with confusing vocabulary for those who are new to OSINT, so let’s start again.
Let’s define OSINT in the simplest of terms:
OSINT is a strategy with the purpose of answering a specific intelligence question.
What is intelligence?
What is the intelligence question we ask?
How do you obtain information from covert sources if, by definition, OSINT is open-source?
Wait, there is such a thing as Passive OSINT?
Read on, as we go down the OSINT Rabbit Hole.
