OSINT
Handbook

Turning OSINT Findings into an Intelligence Product An OSINT investigation may produce a large collection of records, screenshots and analytical notes. That material is not automatically an intelligence product. An intelligence Capturing and Preserving Online Material Digital content is rarely permanent. Social media posts can be deleted, webpages can be updated, usernames can change and search results can disappear. Capturing Documenting an OSINT Investigation OSINT investigations can generate dozens of searches, hundreds of records and numerous potential lines of enquiry. Without consistent documentation, it can quickly become difficult False Personas and Covert Research Accounts for OSINT To remain anonymous during an internet investigation and ensure the integrity of an investigation, investigators can use covert accounts. 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 OSINT for Counterterrorism and Extremism OSINT can help investigators establish the wider context in a counterterrorism investigation. Publicly available information may reveal the development of an ideology, connections between OSINT for Modern Slavery and Exploitation Modern slavery investigations concern relationships built around control. A victim may appear to have accepted employment, travelled voluntarily, shared accommodation with other workers or OSINT for Serious and Organised Crime Serious and organised crime operates through networks of people, businesses, properties, vehicles, and professional services: * A drug-trafficking network may rely on importers, couriers, OSINT for Missing and Wanted Person Investigations Police forces may need to find a vulnerable missing person, trace someone wanted for an offence, execute an outstanding warrant or identify the current An Introduction to OSINT for the Public Sector OSINT is used across the UK public sector to support investigations, protect vulnerable people, understand emerging threats and inform operational decisions. Police forces may OSINT for Loss Prevention Loss prevention extends far beyond watching what happens inside a store. Goods move through suppliers, distribution centres, vehicles, warehouses, shops, customers and resale markets. OSINT for Event Security Events concentrate people, attention and activity within a defined place and period. That concentration can create opportunities for disorder, crime, harassment and deliberate attacks. How Executive Protection Teams Use OSINT OSINT helps protection teams identify and assess a range of risks surrounding a principal, both digital and physical. OSINT can reveal information exposing the Building an OSINT Capability for Corporate Security Building a mature OSINT capability means providing your organisation with a repeatable way to identify intelligence requirements, select appropriate sources, collect and verify information, assess its significance and communicate findings to decision-makers.  Intro to OSINT for Corporate Security Corporate security teams are responsible for protecting every element of a company, including their executives, employees, offices, stores, warehouses, intellectual property, supply chains, events and the organisation’s reputation. Situational Awareness with OSINT Situational awareness is the process of developing and maintaining an accurate understanding of an operating environment. For an OSINT team, this normally involves direction, understanding, and assessment. How to Find UK and US Court Cases This guide explains how to search both UK and US court records using publicly available sources, while also highlighting the limitations investigators should understand before drawing conclusions. Building Network Charts for OSINT One of the greatest strengths of intelligence analysis is the ability to transform thousands of individual pieces of information into a picture that decision- Understanding Who Controls a Company Finding a company record is often just the beginning of an investigation. The real value comes from understanding the people behind the organisation and Accessing UK and US Company Records for OSINT Company records are often a common source for investigators when researching a person or organisation. Whether you are conducting due diligence, investigating fraud, tracing Using the ICO Register for OSINT When investigators think about company research in the UK, they often go straight to Companies House. However, another government-maintained dataset can provide valuable intelligence that is frequently overlooked: The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) Register of Fee Payers. Accessing Electoral and Voter Records for OSINT Why Electoral Data Matters One of the first questions in many investigations is simple: Where does this person live? The answer can support numerous Communicating Confidence and Uncertainty in OSINT An often misunderstood aspect of intelligence analysis is the difference between what we know and what we believe. Investigators are often asked to answer Understanding Crime Problems Through Intelligence Intelligence should help organisations understand not just what has happened, but why it is happening and what can be done about it. The most successful analysts are the ones whose work helps reduce crime, prevent harm and improve the decisions made by investigators, managers and senior leaders. Tips for Writing Intelligence Reports Producing a high-quality intelligence assessment requires far more than identifying patterns or drawing sound conclusions. Those findings must also be communicated clearly, accurately Choosing the Right Intelligence Product The value of intelligence is determined not only by the quality of the analysis, but also by how effectively it is communicated. An outstanding Building Intelligence Assessments The purpose of intelligence analysis is not to collect information or describe events but to develop an assessment that helps someone make a better Building an Intelligence Collection Plan No two internet investigations are the same. A corporate due diligence investigation requires different information from an executive protection assessment. A missing person enquiry Collection Planning A common mistake made by OSINT practitioners is collecting information before deciding what information is actually needed. Social media, news articles, public records, commercial Understanding Intelligence Requirements Every intelligence product begins with a question. It might be a detective asking who is responsible for a series of burglaries, a corporate security Structured Analytical Techniques for Stronger Intelligence Assessments One of the biggest misconceptions about intelligence analysis is that it is simply a matter of experience. With enough years working investigations, you' Evaluating Information Sources Every intelligence assessment is only as reliable as the information on which it is based. No amount of analytical skill can compensate for poor- Cognitive Bias in Intelligence Assessments The greatest threat to good intelligence analysis is often the way we interpret the information we have collected. Intelligence analysts are required to make The Intelligence Process Whether supporting a criminal investigation, conducting due diligence on a company, researching geopolitical developments, or assessing insider threats, every intelligence product begins in the The History of OSINT Today, OSINT is one of the fastest-growing disciplines in investigations. Law enforcement agencies use it to identify suspects, financial institutions rely on it What Is OSINT? Understanding Open-Source Intelligence If you've spent any time around investigators, journalists, law enforcement or corporate security teams, you've almost certainly come across the UK Legislation Every OSINT Practitioner Should Understand Open-source intelligence (OSINT) is loosely defined as the collection and analysis of publicly available information to support decision-making. While that definition is Practical Name Matching Techniques Understanding why names vary is only the first step. Experienced investigators develop a systematic process for generating alternative spellings and testing them during an Transliteration in OSINT Finding information about a person is often straightforward when every source records their name in exactly the same way. Unfortunately, that is rarely the