Mastering OSINT: Building Your Ultimate Toolkit for Open Source Intelligence

What is OSINT?

Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) refers to the collection and analysis of information that is publicly available from open sources, such as websites, social media platforms, news articles, government reports, and other publicly accessible information.

Who uses OSINT and for what purposes?

OSINT is conducted for various purposes, including intelligence gathering, research, and investigations by general public, journalists, businesses, financial institutions and designated non-financial businesses and professions, governments, intelligence and Law & Enforcement Authorities.

Is OSINT helpful in the global fight against financial crime?

Certainly! OSINT plays a crucial role in the global fight against financial crime by providing valuable insights, intelligence, and evidence to support investigative efforts and enhance the effectiveness of AML/CFT, ABC and other anti-financial crimes related initiatives.

OSINT is instrumental in gathering information related to financial crimes from publicly available sources and this wealth of data allows investigators to piece together a comprehensive understanding of illicit financial activities, identify potential suspects, and trace money flows.

What tools are used for OSINT?

Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) involves using various tools to collect, analyze, and leverage publicly available information from open sources. These tools can be categorized based on their functionalities within the OSINT process. Here are some common categories of OSINT tools:

1.??????Search Engines allow users to search for information on the web using keywords, phrases, and advanced search operators to refine their search results:

• Google: https://www.google.com/
• Bing: https://www.bing.com/
• Yandex: https://www.yandex.com/

2.??????Social Media Analysis tools help track mentions, hashtags, trends, and user activities across different social media networks:

• Hootsuite: https://hootsuite.com/
• Social Mention: https://www.socialmention.com/
• Talkwalker: https://www.talkwalker.com/
• Tweepy of Python library.

3.??????Data Aggregation and Monitoring tools provide comprehensive insights and real-time monitoring capabilities:

• Maltego: https://www.maltego.com/
• Echosec: https://www.echosec.net/
• Dataminr: https://www.dataminr.com

4.??????Web Archiving tools like way back machines and web archives capture and store snapshots of web pages. They allow users to access and analyze historical versions of websites, even if the content has been modified or removed:

• Wayback Machine: https://archive.org/web/
• Archive.is: https://archive.is/

5.??????DNS and IP Analysis provide information related to domains, IP addresses, DNS records, WHOIS data, and aid in identifying website owners, network infrastructure, and potential threats:

• DNSstuff: https://www.dnsstuff.com/
• DomainTools: https://www.domaintools.com/
• IPinfo: https://ipinfo.io/

6.??????Metadata Extraction help extract metadata from various file types. This metadata can include information about the file's creation date, author, location, and other hidden details:

• ExifTool: https://exiftool.org/
• FOCA: https://www.elevenpaths.com/labstools/foca/index.html

7.??????Geolocation and Mapping tools assist in geolocation-based OSINT. They enable mapping of information such as GPS coordinates, geotagged photos, and social media check-ins:

• Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps
• Geotag Analyzer: https://www.geotag-analyzer.com/
• CreepyDOL: https://github.com/robertdavidgraham/creepydol

8.??????Image and Video Analysis facilitate reverse image and video searching. They help in identifying the origin, usage, and variations of visual content:

• TinEye: https://tineye.com/
• Google Reverse Image Search: https://www.google.com/imghp
• YouTube Data Viewer: https://citizenevidence.amnestyusa.org/

9.??????Email Analysis Can aid in gathering information related to email addresses, including associated social media profiles, online accounts, and contact details:

• Hunter: https://hunter.io/
• Pipl: https://pipl.com/
• theHarvester: https://github.com/laramies/theHarvester

10.??Collaboration and Automation tools like SpiderFoot, Recon-ng, and IntelTechniques provide frameworks for automating OSINT tasks, gathering data from multiple sources, and generating comprehensive reports:

• SpiderFoot: https://www.spiderfoot.net/
• Recon-ng: https://bitbucket.org/LaNMaSteR53/recon-ng/src/master/
• Intel Techniques: https://inteltechniques.com/

11.??Dark Web Search Engines are specifically designed to index and search content on the dark web, which operates on networks such as Tor.

• orch: https://xmh57jrzrnw6insl.onion/
• Not Evil: https://hss3uro2hsxfogfq.onion/
• Ahmia: https://msydqstlz2kzerdg.onion/
• Grams: https://grams7enufi7jmdl.onion/

12.??Ships/Container Tracking Search Engines allow you to track the position and movement of ships and containers worldwide based on AIS (Automatic Identification System) data:

• MarineTraffic: https://www.marinetraffic.com/
• VesselFinder: https://www.vesselfinder.com/
• FleetMon: https://www.fleetmon.com/
• MyShipTracking: https://www.myshiptracking.com/
• Shipfinder: https://www.shipfinder.co/
• AIS Marine Traffic: https://www.aismarinetraffic.com/
• vesselfinder.info: https://www.vesselfinder.info/
• Marine Vessel Traffic: https://www.marinevesseltraffic.com/
• Cruisin: https://www.cruisin.me/
• Seascapes: https://www.seascapesoft.com/

13.??Airplane/Air Travel Search Engines utilize ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast) and other tracking technologies to provide real-time or near real-time tracking of flights worldwide:

• FlightAware: https://flightaware.com/
• Flightradar24: https://www.flightradar24.com/
• FlightStats: https://www.flightstats.com/
• RadarBox: https://www.radarbox.com/
• Planefinder: https://planefinder.net/
• FlightView: https://www.flightview.com/
• FlightAware (Europe): https://uk.flightaware.com/
• ?ADS-B Exchange: https://www.adsbexchange.com/
• FlightAware (Canada): https://ca.flightaware.com/
• FlightRadar24 (Europe): https://www.flightradar24.com/europe

Conclusion

OSINT is a crucial component in the global fight against financial crime. It plays a pivotal role by gathering information, assessing risks, identifying patterns, fostering collaboration, and enabling early detection. By utilizing publicly available information, OSINT enhances investigations, strengthens regulations, and aids in developing proactive strategies to safeguard the integrity of the global financial system.

However, the OSINT landscape is ever-changing, requiring users to stay updated on new tools, techniques, and sources to effectively leverage OSINT in combating financial crime.