Training
What is Open Source Intelligence (OSINT)?
It is estimated that there are over 5 billion internet users of the Internet worldwide, and the total number of users grew by 147 million over the last 12-months.
Facebook users are now in the region of 3 billion, Twitter 450 million, and LinkedIn has an estimated 900 million members in more than 200 countries. There is therefore a vast amount of information available that can help to identify people, their patterns of life and movements, links between people, groups, and organisations and much more.
Open-source intelligence (OSINT) training
Futurum offer OSINT Training to a wide range of organisations and individuals who are looking to improve their knowledge of gathering information that is digitally available and turning it into actionable evidence.
We have supported organisations in over 50 countries develop their capacity and capabilities and this includes helping teams in both the public and corporate sector develop open-source intelligence (OSINT) capabilities.
OSINT research and social media exploitation is no longer the preserve of law enforcement and government agencies. Our OSINT training can be used by teams involved in:
- Customer due diligence / KYC enquiries
- Supply chain and sub-contractor checks
- Environmental, social and governance (ESG)
- Fraud and financial crime intelligence and investigation teams
- Employee screening
- Countering risks from social engineering, corporate espionage and cyber attacks
- Countering and investigating counterfeit fraud and IP theft
- Civil litigation
- Understanding digital footprints and associated risks
- Academic researchers
- Journalists
Our modular programme
Our OSINT training is divided into 14 modules allowing you to choose a training programme encompassing all modules or choose a selection that will best meet your individual needs. A summary of the modules is provided below.
Our modules are:
Module 1 - Setting the digital scene
- The current digital world and Internet of Things (IoT)
- Digital footprints – active versus passive
- The internet – surface, deep and dark web
- Definition of Open Source Intelligence (OSINT)
- Limitations and risks of OSINT
- Ethics of OSINT
Module 2 - Using the internet safely and securely
- Browser fingerprints
- Online trackers
- Internet Service Providers
- Computer/device/connection security
- Protection against intrusion
- Remaining anonymous
Module 3 - Search engines and browsers
- Searching versus browsing
- Search engine comparison
- Directory of search engines
- Browser comparison
- Browser extensions for OSINT
Module 4 - Maximising search results
- Boolean logic
- Google dorks
- Advanced search options
Module 5 - Historic website content
- Internet archives, including Wayback Machine and StreetView
- Cached content
- Website copier
Module 6 - Searching for people
- Names and usernames
- Boolean search
- People search tools
- Social media
- Country specific records, e.g. ancestry, corporate records, address directories etc
Module 7 - Identifying and researching an email address
- Finding emails
- Email permutation
- Email prediction
- Email verification
- Boolean search
- People search tools
- Social media
- Emails linked to domains
- Searching emails within pastes
Module 8 - Researching phone numbers
- Boolean search
- People search tools
- Social media
- Truecaller
- Instant messaging platforms
- Searching phone numbers within pastes
Module 9 - Image exploitation and geolocation
- Face value
- Reverse image searching
- Exif data
- Video stills and downloads
Module 10 – Facebook techniques
- Facebook profiles
- Facebook search
- Posts, photos, photos by
- Photos
- Mutual friends
- Groups
- Closed friends
- Facebook ID
- Usernames
- Search engines
Module 11 - Twitter and other Social Media tools and techniques
- Advanced search
- TweetBeaver
- Twitonomy
- Treeverse
- Tweetdeck
Module 12 - Corporate footprints
- Boolean search
- Corporate registries, e.g. directorships, shareholdings, annual financial reports, etc
- Media
- Board members and other senior executives
- Domain, website and archives
- Online review forums
- Active company social media, e.g. LinkedIn, Twitter
- Passive social media by employees and customers about the company
- Breached data
Module 13 - Identifying false news
- Reverse image search
- Geolocation services
- Video search
- Social media profile verification
- Website analysis
Module 14 – Research frameworks
- Digital trails
- OSINT resources
- Mindmap