Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) is defined as intelligence produced by collecting, evaluating and analyzing publicly available information with the purpose of answering a specific intelligence question.

Information versus Intelligence It's important to note that information does not equal intelligence. Without giving meaning to the data we collect, open-source findings are considered raw data. It is only once this information is looked at from a critical thinking mindset and analyzed that it becomes intelligence.

For instance, conducting OSINT is not simply saving someone’s Facebook friends list. It’s about finding meaningful information that is applicable to the intelligence question and being able to provide actionable intelligence in support of an investigation. Another way to look at it is to answer, “why does this data matter” and provide meaningful intelligence about the data collected.