{"id":4884,"date":"2022-05-23T12:31:25","date_gmt":"2022-05-23T10:31:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ponzi.site-dev.it\/uncategorized\/osint-cosa-e-a-cosa-serve-perche-e-sempre-piu-importante\/"},"modified":"2022-08-03T11:21:56","modified_gmt":"2022-08-03T09:21:56","slug":"lets-talk-about-osint-what-is-it-what-does-it-do-and-why-is-it-increasingly-important","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ponzi.site-dev.it\/en\/about-ponzi\/lets-talk-about-osint-what-is-it-what-does-it-do-and-why-is-it-increasingly-important\/","title":{"rendered":"Let\u2019s talk about OSINT: what is it, what does it do, and why is it increasingly important?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The term OSINT<\/strong> stands for \u201cOpen Source Intelligence<\/strong>\u201d and refers to the set of activities<\/strong> aimed at collecting and processing information accessible through public sources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An increasingly important service for every type of organisation, especially because of the unstoppable production of digital data from internet users, this investigation tool<\/strong> is the ideal solution for a variety of different needs, such as market surveys<\/strong>, business IT security<\/strong> assessments, reputational assessments<\/strong>, and much more besides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, we will explore in greater detail what it is, what results it brings<\/strong>, and why OSINT<\/strong> has become a crucial intelligence activity<\/strong> across the board<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is OSINT and what sources does it use?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Open Source Intelligence<\/strong> is an investigation activity<\/strong> involving the collection, processing and classification of information starting from the consultation of publicly accessible sources<\/strong>, i.e. all the data available to the public.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is not a new process: OSINT<\/strong> has been around for decades and was once used as a complementary intelligence instrument by<\/strong> security agencies<\/strong> in a variety of nations. However, with the spread of the Internet,<\/strong> OSINT has occupied an increasingly central role in the field of investigations<\/strong>, involving an increasingly vast audience of users.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, the term OSINT<\/strong> refers to an investigation method<\/strong> involving the collection of information, data and news of considerable value when combined and associated with research, selection, evaluation and reporting activities<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The general aim of Open Source Intelligence is to respond to the specific information needs of the customer, whether an organisation, a business or a private individual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some examples?<\/strong> In just a few seconds, a military organisation can use cutting-edge instruments to query millions of public databases spread among the web<\/em>, the deep web<\/em> and the dark web<\/em> in order to trace information about an outlaw; a commercial enterprise may require an OSINT investigation to obtain detailed information on the activities of a competitor, on a company they wish to acquire, on a natural person being assessed for recruitment purposes, etc.; a private individual may turn to a detective agency providing OSINT services to obtain more information on potential partners, missing family members, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is important to remember that OSINT<\/strong> always and only uses sources freely accessible to the public<\/strong>, and therefore must never violate<\/strong> privacy or copyright laws.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The most widely used OSINT sources <\/strong>are those available through traditional instruments<\/strong>, i.e. paper, and those available through digital channels<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n