Open-source intelligence, also called (OSINT) can be described as the strategic and intelligent use of data obtained from publicly available sources. Open-source intelligence goes beyond fetching information from specific portions of the world wide web regulated by search engines. That is, it goes beyond using search engines alone to fetch information. However, the use of search engines or surface web plays an important role.
Challenges of Using Open Source Information
Even though open-source intelligence is an extremely important method of gathering information, it still faces major problems. One of such problems is information overload — that is, the inability to process every available information efficiently because it’s simply too much.
Most of the methods and procedures applied in open source intelligence are developed to assist security experts or threat actors pay maximum attention to the specific areas they are concerned about. The major disadvantage of open source intelligence is that both security experts and threat actors can have access to the same information or database. Therefore, it is now important that experts set clear objectives and implement effective strategies when gathering publicly available information.
Open-source intelligence is the most applicable form of threat intelligence. It is that which is mostly used by security experts and threat actors as well. This is mainly because it is free and easily accessible. Keep reading to find out how open source intelligence is used by cybersecurity experts?
Ethical Hacking and Penetration Testing
Cybersecurity experts use open source intelligence to detect vulnerabilities in certain network systems before they are discovered by threat actors. Some of these vulnerabilities are:
i. Mistakenly disseminating crucial information that should have been kept secret online.
ii. Unsecured devices connected to the internet. iii. Exposed digital assets like paste bins.
Identifying External Threats
The internet — especially social media — is an ideal location for gathering information about an organization or group. Open-source intelligence allows security experts to make maximum use of their time and resources, and solve the most important cybersecurity issues. This can only be achieved through thorough research for detecting certain vulnerabilities and blocking all forms of cyberattacks.
Open Source Intelligence and Other Technologies One interesting aspect of open source intelligence is that it can be used with other types of intelligence.
Closed source intelligence, including internal analytics, restricted dark web platforms, and external intelligence-sharing groups, are frequently used to evaluate and validate open-source intelligence. There are several techniques designed to assist experts in performing these activities, which can ensure that certain cyber threats are detected successfully.
Open-source intelligence is extremely important for gathering evidence and information on the internet. The fact that such information can be gotten from the public makes it less difficult to carry out this procedure. However, cybersecurity experts must be conscious since other people are trying to get such information (mostly for harmful reasons). Therefore getting the right experts to gather information is important. This is where Effect Group comes in.
Trusting Effect Group for Open Source Research
There are a good number of professionals out there who use open-source intelligence effectively. However, Effect Group is currently one of the best software as a service for gathering vital open-source intelligence for your business. Effect Group provides intelligent data to big organizations across industries. Some of its clients include the United Nations, Oculus Finance, and BBC.