Open Source Intelligence 101

The internet is an endless place with millions of websites, databases and servers. The visible sites that can be found when you Google something are just the tip of the iceberg. Below the surface is the deep web and the dark web. It was once only available to hackers, criminals and law enforcement, but now because of new technologies it is possible for just about anyone to access the dark web! Did you know – The deep and dark web is so large that it accounts for 90% of all websites! Those who wish to access the dark web or the deep web need to use Tor, a browser software like Google, but the difference is Tor uses “nodes”, a random path of encrypted servers to connect users to the dark web without their tracks being followed. Websites on the dark web also use the Tor software to remain unnamed so you won’t be able to find out who has created them, who is running them or who is hosting them. Many people actually use Tor as a regular browser to search the surface ...

You’ve heard the words before, but you don’t really know what they mean except that they sound scary. You think it’s a place where all the hackers lurk, but the truth is you’re not really sure. Let’s clear the air on what each concept is and what you can find on them. DEEP WEB First of all you need to know that the deep web and the dark web are not the same thing, although they can sometimes overlap. The deep web contains pages that are not indexed, meaning they will not pop up after a search on most search engines such as Google. These pages are basically invisible; unless you know the direct link or click on the link once you get in the deep side of the web. Here are a few things you can find on the deep web: - Personal email accounts - Social media accounts - Online banking accounts - Businesses private databases - Medical record - Legal record s DARK WEB The deep web is deep, but the dark web is even deeper. It is like the deep web mea...

What is OsInt? Open Source Intelligence refers to the use of publicly accessible information as well as databases to collect information in a structured manner. Information is gained from Public and Private Databases, the surface web, the deep web and the dark web Who uses OsInt? OsInt is used by private and forensic investigators, attorneys, law enforcement, intelligence organisations, fraud investigators, human resources professionals, tracing agents and commercial enterprises. It is a key component of performing due diligence studies on persons and businesses. What is SmInt? Social Media Intelligence is the use of information stored within social media platforms to further the knowledge of a person, group or incident. Often this information is available unbeknownst to the user. While the information is not accessible at the click of a button it can be uncovered with queries and structured data calls. Is OsInt software? No, OsInt and SmInt are processes. These processes...