Glossary term
OSINT (open-source intelligence)
Definition
The disciplined collection and analysis of publicly available information — websites, public registries, filings, news, and technical data — to answer an intelligence requirement. Lawful OSINT relies only on legitimately accessible sources, never on hacking or private-account access, and documents provenance so findings can be verified and defended.
In practice
OSINT is defined by two things beyond the sources it uses: a requirement that bounds what gets collected, and a record of where each finding came from. Without the first, collection turns into hoarding; without the second, a finding is an anecdote a lawyer can dismiss.
The label 'open' is a test of access, not of difficulty. If reaching the material needs a stolen password, a fake account or a bypassed control, it is no longer open source — and that line is also where the legal boundary sits.
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