Open Source Intelligence Applications in Cybersecurity

Abstract

Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) has rapidly evolved as a prominent yet peculiar member of the intelligence disciplines (INTs). OSINT is valuable in both offensive and defensive cybersecurity applications such as malware and phishing campaigns, botnets and coordinated cyberattacks, cybercrime, etc. Non-cyber threats like terrorism and human trafficking can also be combatted with a OSINT-flavored cyber angle. Defensively, OSINT can be used to model threat behavior both pro-actively and reactively. Offensively, OSINT can be used to identify target weaknesses or opportune attack vectors. In this talk we walk through the history of OSINT, consider its placement among the other INTs, discuss at length existing and new applications for OSINT, and examine the state of the art in leveraging OSINT at scale.