Abstract:

Open-source intelligence (OSINT) is a concept that refers to process of collection and analysis of information gathered from overt and publicly available sources. By the definition analysts are utilizing only legal and ethical means for data gathering and processing. OSINT has proven its effectiveness numerous times in history, moreover its importance has been noted in recent years in particular. It has been identified as an essential tool not only for industrial espionage but also for IT security. Its impact on geopolitics and even military intelligence is also considered significant. Increasing access to public sources, primarily via the internet, enables more and more people to apply open-source intelligence tools for different purposes.
In this paper various aspects of open-source intelligence will be discussed to determine the current state and possible developments in this area. Paper starts with historical approach showing shift from traditional intelligence towards public sources. Several cases in which OSINT played crucial role will be described. Next sections introduces novelty aspects of OSINT such as usage of artificial intelligence. Eventually, conclusions are drawn about current state of open-source intelligence and its possible future directions of development.