Resources to Get Started in OSINT

How should you get started with Open Source Intelligence? Where should you go to learn more about it?
There are so many places to learn that it can be difficult to even think about where to go or what you should do.

⚔️ Core Concepts

• Search smarter, not harder
• Follow digital breadcrumbs
• Never underestimate what someone posts publicly
• OSINT is legal… but not always ethical — know your boundaries

🧰 Tools to Learn First

• Google Dorking – Search like a beast
• Wayback Machine – See deleted or changed websites
• Shodan – Scan the internet for exposed devices
• DNSDumpster – Free domain reconnaissance
• ExifTool – Extract metadata from photos
• Maltego CE – Visualize relationships and entities
• SpiderFoot – Automated open-source intelligence tool
• OSINT Framework – Curated collection of OSINT tools and techniques

📚 Must-Read OSINT Resources

• Bellingcat’s OSINT Guides – Investigative journalism techniques for open-source analysis
• Bellingcat Toolkit – Tools for online investigations
• Trace Labs – Crowdsourced investigations to help find missing people
• OSINT Industries: Case Studies – OSINT workflows and real-world examples
• Sector035 - Week in OSINT – Weekly roundup of OSINT tools and news
• Intel Techniques Blog – In-depth investigations by Michael Bazzell
• Maltego Blog Master List - Maltego Managed Resources for OSINT Investigators

🎯 Where to Practice

• What’s My Name – Investigate usernames across hundreds of platforms
• Awesome-OSINT GitHub – Curated list of OSINT tools
• Have I Been Pwned – Look up exposed email/password combinations
• Quiztime – Learn visual verification and geolocation through daily challenges
• OSINT Dojo – Free training, badges, and CTF walkthroughs
• The OSINT Startpage – All-in-one homepage for tools, guides, and news

© 2024 Michael Weems