WHAT REALLY IS OPEN SOURCE INTELLIGENCE?

In the past few years, especially in the past 6 months our analysts have stumbled repeatedly across the erroneous use of the acronym OSINT. Open Source Intelligence has been loosely portrayed in many different ways by very influential persons and entities alike on social media, the internet and on written documentation. We believe pertinent to reset the clocks.
 
Firstly let's define Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) from reliable sources.
 
1. From the US Army ADP-2.0:
 
"4-42. Open-source intelligence is information of potential intelligence value that is available to the general public (JP 2-0). For the Army, OSINT is the discipline that pertains to intelligence produced from publicly available information that is collected, exploited, and disseminated in a timely manner to an appropriate audience for the purpose of addressing a specific intelligence requirement. OSINT operations are integral to Army intelligence operations. 
4-44. OSINT is derived from the systematic collection, processing, and analysis of publicly available, relevant information in response to intelligence requirements."
 
2. From the FBI:
 
"Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) refers to a broad array of information and sources that are generally available, including information obtained from the media (newspapers, radio, television, etc.), professional and academic records (papers, conferences, professional associations, etc.), and public data (government reports, demographics, hearings, speeches, etc.).
Unlike the other INTs, open-source intelligence is not the responsibility of any one agency, but instead is collected by the entire USIC. One advantage of OSINT is its accessibility, although the sheer amount of available information can make it difficult to know what is of value. Determining the data’s source and its reliability can also be complicated. OSINT data therefore still requires review and analysis to be of use to policymakers."
 
3. From the InfoSec Institute:
 
"The use of OSINT has grown within the private sector as well as being a mainstay of the military and the intelligence services for years."
 
4. From Wikipedia:
 
"OSINT is defined by both the U.S. Director of National Intelligence and the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), as "produced from publicly available information that is collected, exploited, and disseminated in a timely manner to an appropriate audience for the purpose of addressing a specific intelligence requirement".
 
5. On Business intelligence/OSINT:
 
"Business OSINT encompasses Commercial Intelligence, Competitor Intelligence, and Business Intelligence, and is often a chief area of practice of private intelligence agencies.
Businesses may use information brokers and private investigators to collect and analyze relevant information for business purposes which may include the media, deep web, web 2.0 and commercial content."
 
Key words from reliable definitions of OSINT include: "produced from publicly available information", "OSINT is derived from", "analysis of publicly available information" and "requires review and analysis".  Additionally, OSINT is an intelligence function along with MASINT and GEOINT, to name a few and is distinguished mainly from other functions in that it is usually unclassified matter. So unanimously OSINT is an unclassified product which is generated from analysis of publicly available information.


Some of our recent tweets on this matter:

21 march 2015:
"Many tweets out there today confuse #OSINT with news reporting. OSINT needs analysis element from public available info. Info is not intel."

12 March 2015:
"Unlike our competition, we do not report the news. We provide full insight, analysis & true #OSINT."

21 February 2015:
"News reporting is NOT #OSINT & speculating on breaking news is NOT #intelligence analysis."

07 December 2014:
"Why do some organizations claim to produce #OSINT documents when, in fact, all amount to unevaluated & raw traffic (info)?"


We at PAR-SEC Consulting have come across many "professionals" in the travel risk management industry and from other fields who have routinely confused news reporting for OSINT. News reporting can be the starting point for OSINT, as raw information or data. A logical process comprising analysis, source vetting, reliability/credibility of information, peer review, an unbiased mind, etc must be followed towards an intelligence product.

Can you entrust your safety while abroad from one of these organizations that commit such basic mistakes ?



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