Read more
Learn to gather and analyze publicly available data for your intelligence needsIn Deep Dive: Exploring the Real-world Value of Open Source Intelligence, veteran open-source intelligence analyst Rae Baker explains how to use publicly available data to advance your investigative OSINT skills and how your adversaries are most likely to use publicly accessible data against you. The author delivers an authoritative introduction to the tradecraft utilized by open-source intelligence gathering specialists while offering real-life cases that highlight and underline the data collection and analysis processes and strategies you can implement immediately while hunting for open-source info.In addition to a wide breadth of essential OSINT subjects, you'll also find detailed discussions on ethics, traditional OSINT topics like subject intelligence, organizational intelligence, image analysis, and more niche topics like maritime and IOT. The book includes: Practical tips for new and intermediate analysts looking for concrete intelligence-gathering strategies Methods for data analysis and collection relevant to today's dynamic intelligence environment Tools for protecting your own data and information against bad actors and potential adversaries An essential resource for new intelligence analysts, Deep Dive: Exploring the Real-world Value of Open Source Intelligence is also a must-read for early-career and intermediate analysts, as well as intelligence teams seeking to improve the skills of their newest team members.
List of contents
Foreword xix
Preface xxi
Introduction xxv
Part I Foundational OSINT 1
Chapter 1 Open Source Intelligence 3
1.1 What Is OSINT? 3
1.2 A Brief History of OSINT 6
The Past 6
The Present 8
The Future 10
1.3 Critical Thinking 14
1.4 Mental Health 16
1.5 Personal Bias 17
1.6 Ethics 19
Chapter 2 The Intelligence Cycle 23
2.1 What Is the Intelligence Cycle? 23
2.2 Planning and Requirements Phase 24
2.3 Collection Phase 26
The Art of Pivoting 27
Overcoming OSINT Challenges 33
RESET Technique 33
Gap Analysis 34
Why We Have So Much Data 37
2.4 Documentation Methods 39
2.5 Processing and Evaluation Phase 44
Scoping 45
Data Enrichment 45
2.6 Analysis and Production Phase 47
Visualizations 47
2.7 Reporting 50
Report Tone 51
Report Design 51
Example Report 54
2.8 Dissemination and Consumption Phases 54
Tippers 55
Feedback Phase 55
Challenges in the Intelligence Cycle 55
Chapter 3 The Adversarial Mindset 57
3.1 Getting to Know the Adversary 57
3.2 Passive vs. Active Recon 64
Chapter 4 Operational Security 67
4.1 What Is OPSEC? 67
Threat Modeling 68
Persona Non Grata Method 68
Security or "Baseball" Cards 69
Attack Trees 71
4.2 Steps for OPSEC 72
Outlining the Five Steps of OPSEC 72
Step 1: Define Critical Information 72
Step 2: Analyze the Threat 72
Step 3: Determine Vulnerabilities 73
Step 4: Risk Assessment 73
Step 5: Apply Countermeasures 74
4.3 OPSEC Technology 77
Virtual Private Network 77
Why Use a VPN? 77
Choosing a VPN 78
VPN Concerns 78
Privacy Browsers 79
Tor 79
Freenet 80
I2p 82
Virtual Machine 83
Mobile Emulator 85
4.4 Research Accounts 85
4.5 Congratulations! 90
Part II OSINT Touchpoints 91
Chapter 5 Subject Intelligence 97
5.1 Overview 97
What Is Subject Intelligence? 98
Digital Footprint 98
Examining a Subject's Pattern of Life 102
5.2 Names 106
Subject Names 106
Naming Conventions 107
Arabic Naming Conventions 107
Chinese Naming Conventions 109
Russian Naming Conventions 109
Name Searching Techniques 110
5.3 Subject Usernames 110
Username Searching Techniques 111
Correlating Accounts and Subject Information by Username 112
5.4 Subject Emails 116
How to begin connecting accounts 117
Correlating Accounts and Subject Information by Email 117
Google Accounts 119
Correlating an Email with a Domain 120
Email Verification 122
Privacy Emails 124
Data Breaches 125
5.5 Subject Phone Numbers 129
Typing Phone Numbers to additional selectors 129
Correlating a Phone Number with a Subject 129
Phone Number Spoofing 131
5.6 Public Records and Personal Disclosures 132
Methods for incorporating public records searches 132
Collecting Public Records Associated with a Subject 132
U.S. Official Public Record Sources 134
U.S. Unofficial Sources 142
Chapter 6 Social Media Analysis 145
&n
