Building an OSINT Stack

Intelligence and investigation teams rely on software to support conducting OSINT at scale. Whether conducting due diligence, investigating organised crime, protecting executives or assessing threats to a business, the right technology can dramatically reduce the time taken to collect, analyse and communicate intelligence built on public data.

The challenge is that OSINT software comes in many different forms. Some enterprise platforms combine multiple investigative capabilities within a single solution, while others specialise in one task exceptionally well, such as social media or public records. Because budgets vary considerably between organisations, there is rarely a single "best" solution. The right technology stack is the one that provides the capabilities your team needs within the budget available. 

For organisations investing in intelligence technology for the first time, it can be difficult to know where to start. This guide explains the major categories of intelligence software, the different approaches to building a technology stack, and how organisations with different budgets can prioritise their investment.

Start with capabilities, not products

One of the most common mistakes organisations make is searching for the "best OSINT tool". OSINT is a methodology that draws upon many different sources and workflows, so the best tool or platform will vary depending on your requirements.

Instead of asking which software is best, start by identifying the investigative capabilities your team needs. Typical capabilities include:

• People and/or business investigation
  • Public records
  • Social media and online accounts
  • Breached identifiers
  • News articles and web pages
• Link analysis
• Situational awareness
• Digital evidence capture
• Monitoring and alerting
• Reporting

Different organisations will prioritise these capabilities differently. A corporate security team responsible for executive protection will have very different requirements to an insurance fraud team or a police intelligence unit.