Open Source Intelligence

Open Source Intelligence ( OSINT ) is a term from the world of intelligence. The aim is to gather information from freely available open sources and to gain from the analysis of these different information actionable insights. This freely accessible mass media are used, such as magazines, newspapers, radio and television, but also the Internet and Web - based applications such as Google Earth. The conceptual relation to open source here means only that freely accessible information is used; connect to open source software does not exist.

The source code used to distinguish seen in primary source Q1 as an eye -witness account, aerial view, filmed uncut raw material or itself and hear secondary source Q2 as Auswertender or a reporting report such as newspaper articles or television reports ( report Ender with eyewitnesses spoken) and tertiary source Q3 for others.

The benefits of open source intelligence over other types of intelligence information gathering are the low costs, but also in the lower risk for so authorized employee. Thus, the numerous " snippets of information " leading to a gain in knowledge, they must be assembled and analyzed after their procurement, order it build up the desired " product information ".

Term

The term Open Source Intelligence ( OSINT ) is a term that comes from the internal diction of U.S. intelligence. It is since 2002 defined both by the Director of National Intelligence and the Department of Defense (DoD ) as " produced from publicly available information did is collected, exploited, and disseminated in a timely manner to at Appropriate audience for the purpose of addressing a specific intelligence requirement. " Since the year 2005, the U.S. Office of Management and Budget has its own definition.

OSINT authorities

For the work of U.S. intelligence OSINT already plays a major role. In general, these activities are, however, as "media monitoring" ( media monitoring ), "media analysis" ( media analysis), "internet research" ( Internet research ) or "public surveys" ( Public Studies ) denotes, these are, however, open source Intelligence. The Foreign Broadcast Information Service, a former department of the CIA, was an example of a part of an intelligence agency whose mission is the collection and analysis of such public information.

The Library of Congress, the National Library of the United States, financed the Federal Research Division, the surcharge customized open source performs tests for different authorities on a large scale.

The German foreign intelligence service, the BND, also served in the Department of Supportive professional services ( UF) associated with the use of open source intelligence advantages.

Even law enforcement authorities of different countries, such as Scotland Yard or the Royal Canadian Mounted Police have set up in recent years OSINT own departments.