OSINT Roundup:
The Friday 5 Newsletter
By Ritu Gill
OSINT Terms & Definitions
| OSINT Term | Description/Definition | Platforms/Applications |
|---|---|---|
| Algorithm | An algorithm is a set of rules or procedures a platform uses to sort and display content. | All major platforms |
| Analysis | Examination and interpretation of collected data to derive meaningful insights. | Not specific to a platform; applicable across various platforms |
| Analytics | Analytics involves the tracking and analyzing of data related to user behavior and engagement. | All major platforms |
| Anonymizer | A tool to make the user's internet activities untraceable. | Tor, VPN services |
| Avatar | A graphical representation of a user, such as those used in forums and online gaming. | Social media, gaming platforms |
| Chain of Custody | Legal or procedural documentation regarding the handling of evidence. | Legal and investigation contexts |
| Chatbot | A software application used to conduct an on-line chat conversation via text or text-to-speech. | Various platforms |
| Check-In | Check-ins allow users to share their location at a particular place or event. | Facebook, Swarm |
| Click Fraud | The practice of repeatedly clicking on an advertisement hosted on a website to generate revenue. | Various online platforms |
| Clickbait | Clickbait refers to sensationalized headlines or content to entice users to click. | All major platforms |
| Collaborative Filtering | Collaborative filtering is used to make automatic predictions about user interests. | YouTube, Amazon |
| Community Guidelines | Community guidelines are rules governing behavior and content within a platform. | All major platforms |
| Content Discovery Platform | Tools used to discover, curate, and display content from a variety of sources. | Various platforms |
| Cookie | A cookie is a small piece of data stored on the user's device by a web browser. | Various websites |
| Creative Commons | Creative Commons is a public copyright license that allows free distribution of copyrighted work. | Flickr, Wikipedia |
| Credential Stuffing | Automated injection of breached username/password pairs to gain unauthorized access to user accounts. | Various online platforms |
| Cross-Site Request Forgery | Forcing an end user to execute unwanted actions on a web application they are authenticated in. | Various websites |
| Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) | Injecting malicious scripts into websites to run in another user's browser. | Various websites |
| Crowdsourcing | Crowdsourcing involves obtaining input or funding from a large number of people, typically online. | Kickstarter, Indiegogo |
| Cyber Stalking | The use of the Internet or other electronic means to stalk or harass an individual or group. | Various online platforms |
| Dark Web | The dark web is a part of the internet that is not indexed by traditional search engines. | N/A |
| Dashboard | A dashboard is a control panel that provides a view of key performance indicators. | All major platforms |
| Data Mining | The process of analyzing large data sets to identify patterns and relationships. | Various databases |
| Deep Web | Parts of the World Wide Web that are not indexed by traditional search engines. | N/A |
| Discreet Identity | Name given on a social networking site for the purpose of gathering intelligence. | Various platforms |
| Discreet Network | Network that conceals the user’s IP address and does not readily attribute to the agency. | Various platforms |
| Disinformation | Disinformation is the deliberate spread of false or misleading information. | All major platforms |
| DM (Direct Message) | A DM is a private message sent between users. | X (Twitter), Instagram, Facebook |
| DNS Enumeration | Gathering detailed information about a domain. | Various online platforms |
| Doxing | Doxing involves researching and publishing private or identifying information about an individual. | Various online forums |
| Embed | Embedding means placing a link to a video, image, or website within another site. | All major platforms |
| Emoji | Small digital icons used to convey emotions, ideas, or reactions in posts and messages. | All major platforms including Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, WhatsApp |
| Emoticon | An emoticon is a text-based symbol used to convey an emotion, such as :) or :(. | All major platforms |
| Encryption | Encryption is the process of converting data into code to prevent unauthorized access. | All major platforms |
| End-to-End Encryption | End-to-end encryption ensures only the sender and receiver can read a message. | WhatsApp, Signal |
| Endorsement | An endorsement is a public or social declaration of support or approval, often seen on LinkedIn. | |
| Engagement Rate | Engagement rate is a metric that measures interactions with content as a percentage of total followers. | All major platforms |
| Explore Page | An explore page is a section where users can discover new content and accounts. | Instagram, YouTube |
| Fake News | Fake news refers to intentionally fabricated or misleading information presented as genuine news. | Facebook, X (Twitter), Reddit, various online news platforms |
| Feed | A feed is a continually updated stream of content such as news, posts, and updates. | Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram |
| Filter | A filter is a digital effect applied to an image or video. | Instagram, Snapchat |
| Fingerprinting | Gathering detailed information about a device or system based on its data and behavior. | Various tracking services |
| Firewall | A firewall is a system that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic. | N/A |
| Follow | The action of subscribing to another user's profile or content updates on a social media platform. | X (Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn |
| Follower | A follower is a user who subscribes to another user's profile to receive their updates. | X (Twitter), Instagram, Facebook |
| Footprinting | Gathering information about a target system to find ways to intrude into the system. | Various online platforms |
| Forum | A forum is an online community where users can have discussions on various topics. | Reddit, various online forums |
| Friend | A friend is a connection between two users on a social media platform. | |
| Geofencing | A location-based service that triggers an action when a device enters a set location. | Various mobile apps |
| GEOINT | Using geographical information to analyze and interpret intelligence data. | Not specific to social media platforms; relevant in geospatial intelligence fields |
| Geolocation | Determining the real-world location of an object, such as a mobile device. | Various mapping services |
| Geotagging | Geotagging involves adding geographical information to content like photos. | Instagram, Facebook, X (Twitter) |
| GIF | A GIF is an animated image file that plays in a loop. | Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram |
| Google Alerts | A tool that sends out email alerts when new content matches specified search terms. | Google Alerts |
| Google Dorking | Using advanced operators in the Google search engine to locate specific strings of text. | Google search engine |
| Group | A group is a community of users who share common interests or goals. | Facebook, LinkedIn |
| Handle | A handle is a user's unique username on a social media platform. | X (Twitter), Instagram |
| Hashtag | A hashtag is a keyword or phrase preceded by the # symbol, used to categorize content. | X (Twitter), Instagram, Facebook |
| HUMINT | Human Intelligence, gathering information through interpersonal contact and engagement. | Social engineering contexts |
| Hyperlink | A hyperlink is a link from a document to another location or file, typically activated by clicking. | All major platforms |
| Impressions | Impressions refer to the number of times a piece of content has been displayed, regardless of clicks. | All major platforms |
| Influencer | An influencer is someone who has the power to affect purchase decisions due to their popularity. | Instagram, YouTube, X (Twitter) |
| Insider Threat | A security threat that originates from within the organization being attacked. | N/A |
| Intelligence Cycle | The intelligence cycle is a step-by-step way that intelligence agencies and groups follow to collect, study, and share information. They do this to help with making decisions, planning operations, and doing other important tasks. | Not specific to a platform; applicable in various intelligence and research contexts |
| Interface | An interface is the point of interaction between a computer and a person or system. | All major platforms |
| IP Address | An IP address is a numerical label assigned to a device in a computer network. | N/A |
| Joe Job | A spamming practice that sends out unsolicited emails, making it appear that they were sent by someone else. | Various platforms |
| Keylogger | A keylogger is a type of software or hardware used to capture keystrokes. | N/A |
| Landing Page | A landing page is a standalone web page created specifically for a marketing campaign. | Various websites |
| Like | A 'Like' is an expression of approval or support for a post or page. | Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, LinkedIn |
| Link Farm | A group of websites that all hyperlink to every other site in the group. | SEO practices |
| Live Stream | Live streaming is the broadcasting of live video to an audience over the internet. | Facebook, YouTube, Twitch, Instagram |
| Live Streaming | Broadcasting video content in real-time over the internet. | Facebook Live, YouTube Live, Twitch |
| Location-Based Marketing | Marketing that targets customers within a certain geographic area. | Various mobile apps |
| Logic Bomb | Malicious code that is triggered by a specific event. | Various software |
| Maltego | A tool used for open-source intelligence and forensics. | Maltego platform |
| Malware | Malicious software designed to disrupt, damage, or gain unauthorized access to a computer system. | Various platforms |
| Malware | Malware is malicious software designed to damage or exploit devices or networks. | N/A |
| Meme | A meme is an image, video, or text that is copied, modified, and spread by users. | All major platforms |
| Meme | A meme is a humorous image, video, or text that is spread rapidly online. | Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram |
| Mention | Mentioning refers to tagging another user's profile using the @ symbol. | X (Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn |
| Metadata | Metadata is data that provides information about other data, like creation date of a file. | All major platforms |
| Microblogging | Posting brief and frequent updates to a personal blog. | X (Twitter), Tumblr |
| Misinformation | Misinformation refers to false or inaccurate information that is spread, often unintentionally, through various means such as social media, news outlets | All major platforms |
| Mitigation | The act of reducing the severity, seriousness, or painfulness of something. | Risk management, security |
| Multi-Factor Authentication | Using multiple forms of verification to prove identity. | Various online platforms |
| Multifactor Authentication | Multifactor authentication uses multiple forms of identification for security. | All major platforms |
| Mute | Muting allows users to hide another user's content without unfollowing or unfriending them. | X (Twitter), Facebook, Instagram |
| Network | A network refers to connections between individuals, computers, or profiles. | LinkedIn, Facebook |
| Network Attribution | The place where your digital footprint associates to | Various platforms |
| News Feed | A news feed is a continually updated stream of news and posts. | |
| Node | A connection point in a network that can receive, send, create, or store data. | N/A |
| Notification | Notifications are alerts or updates about activity related to a user's account or content. | All major platforms |
| Open Port | A network port that is configured to accept packets. | N/A |
| Open Source | Open source refers to something that can be modified because its design is publicly accessible. | Various platforms |
| OPSEC | Short for Operational Security, a term that originated from the U.S. Military. Over time, OPSEC has been taken up by numerous groups and industries to protect important information in different situations, not just in the military. | Applicable across various platforms and industries for security purposes |
| OSINT Framework | Tools and methodologies used in the process of collecting and analyzing open-source intelligence. | Various platforms and tools |
| Page View | A page view is a metric that counts the number of times a web page has been loaded. | All major platforms |
| Passive OSINT (Reconnaissance) | Open-source collection without directly interacting with the target to gather information about them using publicly available information. | Various platforms |
| Phishing | Phishing is an attempt to deceive individuals into revealing personal information through fake websites. | Email, fraudulent websites |
| Pinboard | A pinboard is a collection of ‘pins’ or bookmarks used to organize information. | |
| Playlist | A playlist is a collection of videos or music tracks. | YouTube, Spotify |
| Plugin | A plugin is a piece of software that adds specific functionalities to an existing program. | Web browsers |
| Podcast | A podcast is an audio or video file that can be streamed or downloaded. | iTunes, Spotify, Google Podcasts |
| Post | Content shared by a user on a social media platform, which can include text, images, videos, links, etc. | All major platforms |
| Privacy Policy | A privacy policy is a legal document that explains how a company uses personal information. | All major platforms |
| Privacy Settings | Privacy settings control who can see or interact with a user's content. | All major platforms |
| Profile | A profile is a user's personal page, containing information like bio, photos, posts, etc. | All major platforms |
| QR Code | A QR code is a type of matrix barcode that can be scanned using a smartphone camera. | Various apps and services |
| Reporting | Reporting is the act of flagging content or users that violate community guidelines. | All major platforms |
| Research Account | Research accounts also known as sock puppets are online fictitious identities used to conceal the true identity of the OSINT investigator and to gain access to information that requires an account to access. | Various platforms |
| Retweet | Retweeting means sharing someone else's tweet on X (Twitter). | X (Twitter) |
| RSS Feed | An RSS feed allows users to receive updates to web content in a standardized format. | Various websites |
| Screen Capture | Screen capture is the act of taking a screenshot or recording of what's displayed on a screen. | N/A |
| Scroll | Scrolling refers to moving up, down, or across the screen to view content. | All major platforms |
| Search Engine | Allows a user to search on the World Wide Web | Google, Bing, Yahoo |
| Search Engine Optimization (SEO) | Search engine optimization involves strategies to increase the visibility of a website in search results. | Various websites |
| Sentiment Analysis | Using algorithms to determine the mood or attitude expressed in a piece of text. | Social media analysis |
| SERP | Search Engine Results Page, the page displayed by a search engine in response to a query. | Various search engines |
| Session | A session is a single, continuous period of interaction with a website or app. | N/A |
| Share | Sharing involves disseminating content to other users on a platform. | Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, LinkedIn |
| Shodan | A search engine that lets users find specific types of devices connected to the internet. | Shodan platform |
| SIGINT | Gathering information from communication signals, like intercepted radio transmissions or digital communications. | Not specific to social media platforms; more relevant to communication and intelligence gathering sectors |
| Snap | A 'snap' when talking about Snapchat typically refers to a photo or video message that you send using the Snapchat app. | Snapchat |
| Social Capital | Social capital is the networks, relationships, and values that arise from social interaction. | LinkedIn, Facebook |
| Social Engineering | Manipulating people into divulging confidential information. | Various online platforms |
| Social Network | Online platforms used to interact with others in a social environment | Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, LinkedIn, Etc. |
| Sock Puppet | An online identity used for purposes of deception, often in online forums. | Social media, forums |
| SOCMINT | Stands for Social Media Intelligence, is about collecting and understanding information from social media platforms. | All major social media platforms including Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, LinkedIn |
| Source | The origin of information, such as a website, social media platform, or publication. | Not specific to a platform; applicable across various platforms |
| Spam | Spam is unsolicited or irrelevant messages sent over the internet, typically to advertise. | Email, all major platforms |
| Spear Phishing | A targeted phishing attack on a specific individual or organization. | Email, fraudulent websites |
| Sponsored Content | Sponsored content is paid advertising that blends in with the regular content on a platform. | All major platforms |
| Story | A Story is a short, temporary video or image that appears for 24 hours. | Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat |
| Subscribe | Subscribing means following a channel to receive regular updates. | YouTube |
| Swipe | Swiping involves moving fingers across a screen to navigate or make a selection. | Tinder, various mobile apps |
| Tag | Tagging involves linking to another user's profile or content. | Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter) |
| Targeted Advertising | Targeted advertising is showing ads to a specific audience based on demographics or behavior. | All major platforms |
| Threat Intelligence | The analysis of data to identify, assess, and proactively address potential threats. | Various cybersecurity platforms |
| Threat Model | Identifying potential threats and vulnerabilities to develop appropriate security strategies. | Not specific to a platform; relevant across various cybersecurity and IT platforms |
| Thumbnail | A thumbnail is a small image or preview of larger media, often used to provide a quick overview. | YouTube, all major platforms |
| Timeline | A timeline is a chronological display of a user's posts and activity. | Facebook, X (Twitter), LinkedIn |
| Trending | Trending refers to topics that are currently popular or widely discussed online. | X (Twitter), Facebook, YouTube |
| Troll | A troll is a person who posts inflammatory or off-topic messages to provoke others. | All major platforms |
| Tweet | A tweet is a message posted on X (Twitter), consisting of 280 characters or less. | X (Twitter) |
| Two-Factor Authentication | Two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security by requiring two forms of identification. | All major platforms |
| Unfriend/Unfollow | Unfriending or unfollowing involves removing someone from a list of friends or followers. | Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram |
| User-Generated Content | User-generated content is any form of content created by users rather than by the site or company. | All major platforms |
| Username | A username is a word or combination of characters used that is unique and usually chosen identifier for a person. Also known as an online moniker. | All major platforms including Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, Reddit |
| Verification | Ensuring the accuracy and reliability of the gathered information. | Not specific to a platform; applicable across various platforms and contexts |
| Verification Badge | A verification badge is a checkmark that appears next to a profile to confirm authenticity. | X (Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn |
| Virtual Machine | A software emulation of a physical computer system. | N/A |
| Vlog | A vlog is a video blog or video log, typically hosted on YouTube. | YouTube |
| VPN | Virtual Private Network, used to create a secure network connection over a public network. | Various VPN services |
| Watering Hole Attack | Attacking a specific group by infecting websites that the group is known to visit. | Targeted websites |
| Wayback Machine | An archive of web pages, showing what web pages looked like at various points in time. | Internet Archive |
| Web Browser | Software that allows you to access the World Wide Web | Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, IE (old) |
| Web Scraping | Web scraping involves extracting large amounts of data from websites. | N/A |
| Webinar | A webinar is a seminar conducted over the Internet, often used for educational purposes. | Zoom, Skype, WebEx |
| Whaling | A specific type of phishing attack aimed at high-profile targets like executives. | Email, fraudulent websites |
| WHOIS | Provides information about who owns or operates a specific website or domain name on the internet. | Not applicable to specific social media platforms |
| Widget | A widget is a small application that provides specific functions or content on a webpage. | Various websites |
| WiFi | WiFi is a technology that allows devices to connect to the internet wirelessly. | N/A |
| Wiki | A wiki is a website that allows collaborative editing of content by users. | Wikipedia |
| Zero-Day Vulnerability | A flaw in software that is unknown to the party responsible for patching or fixing the flaw. | Various software |
| Zoom | Zooming involves making content larger or smaller on a screen. | All major platforms |
Minimum Requirements:
- 8 Characters
- 1 Upper
- 1 Lower
- 1 Digit