OSINT
Open-source research
OSINT means collecting information from public sources and reporting it in a way that can be checked. This is the main starting point for beginners.
First steps
- Write the research question in one sentence.
- Check primary and official sources first.
- Keep findings, interpretation, and assumptions separate.
- Verify important points with at least two sources.
Limits
- Do not try to access closed systems.
- Do not collect private personal data without a clear reason.
- Do not present one source as final proof.
What this field covers
A quick scope view.
Search and source discovery
Web archive checks
Official-record review
Evidence logging
Short reporting
Related source collections
Good places to start in this field.
Search and meta-search
Bing
Use as a starting point, then verify with original and independent sources.
Open sourceSearch and meta-search
Brave Search
Use as a starting point, then verify with original and independent sources.
Open sourceWeb history and archives
BuiltWith
Use to compare old pages, deleted claims, and archived versions.
Open sourceReporting templates
CISA Report Cyber Issues
Use to keep evidence, interpretation, limits, and confidence separate.
Open sourceWeb history and archives
Common Crawl
Use to compare old pages, deleted claims, and archived versions.
Open sourceGovernment and official datasets
data.europa.eu
Use for primary records, public data, and official statements.
Open source