What is OSINT (Open Source Intelligence)

The practice of collecting and analyzing publicly available information to generate actionable intelligence.

Expanded Explanation

Open Source Intelligence, or OSINT, refers to the process of gathering data from publicly accessible sources—such as websites, social media platforms, forums, government records, and news outlets—to identify patterns, risks, or targets. In cybersecurity and ethical hacking, OSINT is used during the reconnaissance phase to map digital footprints without triggering alerts, making it a non-intrusive yet highly effective method of intelligence gathering. It can reveal usernames, emails, IP addresses, software versions, and more.

Related Terms

reconnaissance, footprinting, threat intelligence, metadata analysis, and social engineering

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