OSINT Career Blog

Learn more about Owlint.

Follow Owlint on LinkedIn and Twitter.

1. Where do you work now and what are your day-to-day tasks?

I am the director of the services division at Owlint, a French company that publishes OSINT software accessible to non-specialists! Our idea is to democratize OSINT and make it accessible. This platform was developed by and for analysts. 

In my daily work, I follow our customers and assist them in using the tool. I also work with our teams of OSINT analysts who allow us to assist our partners on deep investigations. 

Meetings, customer meetings, OSINT monitoring, support and consulting missions, it makes for a varied day!

‍

2. How can candidates stand out right away?

Good question. We are looking for curiosity more than diplomas! We are a company of enthusiasts and we work with a high level of commitment, both to each other and to our clients. A good candidate is a self-starter who is reliable, who says what they know how to do, wants to learn what they don't know how to do, and who says when they get stuck. 

We have no problem recognizing limits, everything can be learned! You just have to know it.

‍

3. What does the recruitment process look like at your organization? How many steps are there?

Interviews, technical or business tests, discussions with leaders. Nothing too complicated, a minimum of 3 steps.

‍

4. What kind of skill-sets are you looking for when hiring for an intelligence analyst within your company?

Technical background, ability to work independently, ability to handle pressure and workload. 

Not necessarily a specialist, except in certain cases, we prefer overall generalists who are sharp and very skilled in their work methods.

‍

5. What kind of character traits do you find beneficial during interviews? Is there any behavior that can be an advantage for the candidate?

Openness, listening, humility, respect, ability to put forward a clear and honest reasoning. 

We are looking for members of a tribe rather than a work team.

‍

6. Do you have any advice regarding salary negotiations during the hiring process? And dos and don’ts?

Don't be pedantic, be frank and reasonable. There is no such thing as a superhero, and those who seek them are mistaken. 

‍

7. Would you be able to share any outstandingly positive interview experiences you have gone through as the hiring manager or person responsible for recruiting? What blows you away during an interview?

I am often amazed by the quality of the deliverables. Surprised in a positive way because the deliverable reflects the person! We have seen incredible things on business tests that often require writing, with almost no text and only graphs! The diversity of the brains always impresses me.

‍

8. Is there any other useful feedback for the OSINT community that you would like to share with us? For example, what are some of the most common mistakes made by interviewees, and how can they be prevented?

In my opinion, you have to know how to constantly evolve and question yourself, both in terms of tools and methods.  The diversity of OSINT practices is very important and each community has very interesting assets and reflexes. Conclusion, let's avoid working in a vacuum and let's share knowledge. 

‍

9. What type of interview processes or questions are outdated in your opinion? How can the hiring process be improved?

The main qualities and defects ... the thematic games ... For me these elements are no longer useful. We are looking for professionals or professionals in the making, so let's talk about our respective daily lives and the way we do things rather than extrapolating on metaphorical management topics.

‍

10. What would you recommend to recent graduates or newbies? How can they best prepare for their first interviews? Are there any resources you can recommend?

I ask them to know the area and the environment. Expertise comes with work, but the first effort is to know where they stand.

‍

‍

[note: this interview has not been edited]

Follow Olga on Twitter.

Connect with her on LinkedIn.

Learn more about BBC Monitoring here and make sure to follow them on Twitter.

‍

1. Where do you work now and what are your day-to-day tasks?

I work at BBC Monitoring, a specialist unit at BBC News that observes and reports news from and about the world’s media and social media. As one of the Assistant Editors, I run the Disinformation team at BBCM and oversee the work of its Jihadist Media team and Researchers.

‍

2. How can candidates stand out right away?

By showing genuine interest in the job that they have applied for.

‍

3. What does the recruitment process look like at your organization? How many steps are there?

There are several stages in the recruitment process at the BBC. First, we assess all the applications and CVs we’ve received from candidates. The most suitable candidates are then shortlisted and often asked to sit a test that is designed to check some of the key skills and knowledge required to do the job. The test can include writing assignments, translation and background knowledge tests. The successful candidates are then asked to attend an interview in person or via Zoom. Candidates will get feedback if they have been turned down at the interview stage.

‍

4. What kind of skill sets are you looking for when hiring for an intelligence analyst within your company? Are there any technical skills you are particularly interested in?

Journalists at BBC Monitoring are required to have excellent writing and analytical skills as well as ability to work to tight deadlines and explain complex subjects clearly and concisely. Strong verification skills as well as good knowledge of social media analysis and tracking tools are a must, as well as understanding of the core principles of data analysis. Regional and language skills are highly desirable but not a must for the Disinformation team specifically, although these are essential for regional teams.

‍

5. What kind of character traits do you find beneficial during interviews? Is there any behavior that can be an advantage for the candidate?

I try to be as open-minded as I can during the recruitment process so strive to assess every candidate individually and on merit. We look for potential as well as experience.

‍

6. Do you have any advice regarding salary negotiations during the hiring process? And dos and don’ts?

I’d say it always helps to be open about your salary expectations and also do some research prior to applying or attending your interview to gain a bit of an understanding of what kind of reward might be considered reasonable for the sector or company. 

‍

7. Would you be able to share any outstandingly positive interview experiences you have gone through as the hiring manager or person responsible for recruiting? What blows you away during an interview?

It’s hard not to be impressed when a candidate comes to the interview well-prepared and when they show genuine passion for the job or subject matter. 

‍

8. Is there any other useful feedback for the OSINT community that you would like to share with us? For example, what are some of the most common mistakes made by interviewees, and how can they be prevented?

Before applying for any role, it’s worth doing some digging into what the job entails, what kind of skills are essential and what the company/department you’re applying for does.  

‍

9. What type of interview processes or questions are outdated in your opinion? How can the hiring process be improved?

Personally, I think generic questions like “Where do you see yourself in five years?” do little to help the recruiting manager assess the candidate’s abilities and experience. And some questions that may have been the norm at some point in the past are simply unacceptable in the modern recruitment process. For example, “I can see that you got married recently, are you planning to go on parental leave any time soon?” or “Where do you come from originally?” Discrimination and bias of any kind in the recruitment process are simply inexcusable.

‍

10. What would you recommend to recent graduates or newbies? How can they best prepare for their first interviews? Are there any resources you can recommend?

It might sound daunting, but it can be helpful to reach out to people who work at the department you’re applying for and have a chat about the job and what is expected from a candidate. And there is nothing wrong in asking for more information or clarification from the recruitment manager/HR when you apply.

‍

[note: this interview has not been edited]

Follow Schillings Partners on LinkedIn.

1. Where do you work now and what are your day-to-day tasks?

I’m Head of Research in the Intelligence & Investigations practice at Schillings Partners. We are a boutique crisis management firm specialising in reputation, privacy and security issues, primarily acting for high-profile individuals and global corporates.

Our Intelligence & Investigations practice provides a range of services to clients including investigations for litigation support, asset tracing, privacy exposures, due diligence, and reverse due diligence. I lead a team of five analysts, directing research and managing cases.

On a day-to-day basis, our team works alongside other in-house experts at the firm, including leading reputation and privacy lawyers, risk professionals, cyber security analysts and digital communications advisors - this makes it a really unique place to work.

2. How can candidates stand out right away?

Candidates that display a good understanding of the firm, our values and what we do immediately impress. Researching and referencing cases the firm has worked on and displaying a good commercial understanding of our market is key.

3. What does the recruitment process look like at your organization? How many steps are there?

We do an initial CV sift, followed by a verbal reasoning/aptitude test. This leads to a shortlist for first interviews and a written test (specific to the role/language or region we are recruiting for). This is then followed by a final interview, for successful candidates. We prefer to conduct the interviews in person.

4. What kind of skill-sets are you looking for when hiring for an intelligence analyst within your company?

At Graduate Analyst level, we always look for inquisitive nature and someone who is inclined to dig deeper into a problem, taking the initiative. We frequently work in times of crisis for our clients so analysts need to be comfortable working at speed, often with incomplete information, flexibility of thought is key! For more experienced analysts, we expect to see evidence of strong research skills, knowledge of relevant resources/software and excellent written and oral communication.

5. Do you have any advice regarding salary negotiations during the hiring process? And dos and don’ts?

You should be honest about your salary expectations throughout and ensure you have done market research to manage these expectations. You should bear in mind that a job is more than just the salary, so you shouldn't be scared to ask about the career development opportunities at the firm, and the sort of work you might be doing on a day-to-day basis, to allow you to weigh up the whole package.

6. Would you be able to share any outstandingly positive interview experiences you have gone through as the hiring manager or person responsible for recruiting? What blows you away during an interview?

One strong candidate demonstrated how they had done their research into current trends in our industry and had insightful links to their own experience. They asked an interesting question about an article I had recently written which is a great way to flatter the hiring manager!

7. Is there any other useful feedback for the OSINT community that you would like to share with us? For example, what are some of the most common mistakes made by interviewees, and how can they be prevented?

It’s natural to be nervous but remember that the interviewers are just people too! Always take some notes in with you, as well as a copy of your CV and cover letter. It’s a good idea to have some questions up your sleeve about the relevant industry or field, preferably something timely or in the news – but keep the mundane pay/benefits/WFH questions for the HR team.

8. What would you recommend to recent graduates or newbies? How can they best prepare for their first interviews? Are there any resources you can recommend?

You likely won’t have much experience to talk about but you can demonstrate your interest in the field with research, keeping up to date with new trends and attending webinars/events. If you’ve been invited to interview, read up on the firm and people who you might work with: the company website is a good place to start, as are any articles they’ve published, and their social media channels.

‍

[note: this interview has not been edited]

Learn more about Hensoldt Analytics.

Follow Hensoldt Analytics on LinkedIn and Twitter.

1. Where do you work now and what are your day-to-day tasks?

I have been leading the Sales and Marketing Team at HENSOLDT Analytics since last year, July 2021 to be exact. Initially, I had been exclusively taking care of the global sales and business development activities. However, very quickly after I joined the company it has become clear that our ambitious growth goals in Europe and beyond required a much closer collaborative effort between our sales representatives – the customer-facing group – and the in-house marketing team. So I took charge of the merged department. 

The Intelligence Desk is part of that team as well. Our OSINT analysts support a whole range of projects and tasks across research, fulfilment, and product development in addition to working alongside sales and marketing. As they are the power-users of the OSINT Media Mining System, their work and input across a variety of business areas is extremely valuable.  

‍

2. How can candidates stand out right away?

The best way to stand out when applying at HENSOLDT Analytics is to communicate your passion for learning. The industry we work in, defence and military, is challenging to navigate and set in its ways. However, innovation and pushing boundaries is what keeps HENSOLDT Analytics at the forefront of open-source intelligence solutions. We cannot improve our product to address the challenges our customers are facing if we don’t continuously develop ourselves. Our analysts use our OSINT system daily, which is an ideal process to both learn and improve our system.

We listen carefully to the feedback of the Media Mining System users, which we use to develop new features and additional components of the system in-house. But we also need feedback from subject matter experts, who are aware of what is going on in their field and who suggest ways of staying ahead and anticipate our customers’ needs. So, a person, who is keen on learning within their area of expertise, comes forward with ideas and solutions, and has the drive to see them through, is highly encouraged to apply.

One of the additional prerequisites for our employees is that they thrive in an international work environment and are curious about expanding their horizons. At HENSOLDT Analytics, we have people from various professional backgrounds and numerous countries. Once we tried to count the number of languages spoken at the company and got to 22, but I am sure we still missed some.

‍

3. What does the recruitment process look like at your organization? How many steps are there?

If someone is interested in applying to one of our open positions or sending us a speculative job application, they should go through the official HENSOLDT Analytics website. Then, our HR team will get in touch with the applicant and schedule a first interview with the department’s manager. What usually follows is a second round with either the prospective colleagues joining in to get a better feel of the person that might become their future colleague, or with our managing director. Ideally, this all happens in person at one of our office locations - Vienna or Munich. 

‍

4. What kind of skillsets are you looking for when hiring for an intelligence analyst within your company?

We are looking for people who will hit the ground running and dive deep into the OSINT Media Mining System. Our OSINT solution is a complex multi-component product and its role is to empower users to monitor key open-source channels and derive actionable intelligence on a specific topic. Our OSINT analysts are brand ambassadors of our system and they showcase what it can do. This has to be paired with a detail-oriented approach when writing use cases and reports, as well as an aptitude for reading between the lines and understanding the information our analysts come across, including its context.

Other than that, we work in a fast-paced environment. Someone who enjoys challenges and is able to immerse themselves in a team and work side-by-side on completing their tasks will find their place here.

‍

5. What kind of character traits do you find beneficial during interviews? Is there any behaviour that can be an advantage for the candidate?

First of all, be yourself. At the end of the day, we are looking for someone who will feel at home in our team and hopefully stay with us for a long time. An interview is a two-way process – the candidate is also interviewing us to see if we fulfil their expectations. Therefore, my advice is to be relaxed, have an open mind, and figure out if this relationship could work out.

In addition to that, coming prepared goes a long way. Find out more about HENSOLDT Analytics and the HENSOLDT Group, browse our channels, and see what we have done so far. 

‍

6. Do you have any advice regarding salary negotiations during the hiring process? And dos and don’ts?

This is a tough one because it depends on so many factors: the seniority of the person, the position they apply for. Do your research and understand what the average salary for the role is. Consider what is asked of you and what you bring to the table. Ask for what feels fair to you and be open to further discussion. After all, we are talking about negotiating so you might need to compromise. 

‍

7. Would you be able to share any outstandingly positive interview experiences you have gone through as the hiring manager or person responsible for recruiting? What blows you away during an interview?

I think that what always left a very positive impression on me is people who show that they care about this opportunity. They fulfil the requirements, are prepared, and, most importantly, ask a lot of questions. We received a large volume of applications for some of the positions in the past and it’s easy to spot people who apply without reading the job descriptions. Those people won’t be invited to an interview.

‍

8. What would you recommend to recent graduates or newbies? How can they best prepare for their first interviews? Are there any resources you can recommend?

These days, there are many free learning resources at your fingertips. With a can-do attitude, it is possible to embark on a journey of life-long learning, which is absolutely necessary for working in the open-source intelligence domain. If you are able to demonstrate this attitude during the interview, and have maybe even completed some OSINT courses, you are already off to a great start.

Regarding the recommendation of resources, it really depends on what you want to specialise in. Is it a general OSINT position you are applying for? Then make sure to know the most common investigation methods, their limitations, and mention your workflows. If you are interested in more specialised positions, maybe head over to online learning platforms such as Coursera or Udemy and complete a GIS course, or a Python course for data science.

‍

[note: this interview has not been edited]

Follow OSINT Combine on Twitter.

Follow OSINT Combine on LinkedIn.

Learn more about OSINT Combine here.

‍

1. Where do you work now and what are your day-to-day tasks?

I am the founder & CEO of OSINT Combine, my day to day tasks involve running the business, supporting the team across training, software & services to provide OSINT capability to organisations.

‍

2. How can candidates stand out right away?

Strong communicators with inquisitive mindsets to learn, and solve problems that are unfamiliar to them.

‍

3. What does the recruitment process look like at your organization? How many steps are there?

Depends on the role, however, it will consist of a series of interviews for cultural fit & subject matter knowledge.

‍

4. What kind of skill-sets are you looking for when hiring for an intelligence analyst within your company?

Depends on the level. If we are hiring a senior analyst, we prefer Government/Military experience so they have real-world context to the problems they will have to face, however, it is great to find non-government people as they bring a different lens and perspective to problem solving that is quite unique.

Skills wise, we want them to be able to be effective at all parts of the intelligence cycle, so excellent PAI collectors, good at data reduction and processing due to the excessive noise in PAI landscape, great analysts so they can find the “so what” in the data they collect to ultimate turn it into intelligence and not just re-formatted information, and finally they must be able to produce digestible product – so communication skills are key.

‍

5. What kind of character traits do you find beneficial during interviews? Is there any behavior that can be an advantage for the candidate?

Good communicator that is able to ask intelligent questions and has a positive approach to work, morals and ethics

‍

6. Do you have any advice regarding salary negotiations during the hiring process? And dos and don’ts?

Be realistic about what salary is commensurate with your experience, and be willing to work towards higher outcomes by demonstrating your skills and contribution to the mission.

‍

7. Would you be able to share any outstandingly positive interview experiences you have gone through as the hiring manager or person responsible for recruiting? What blows you away during an interview?

Someone who can immediately understand the context that we are operating in, engaging in an interesting and topical discussion on contemporary use-cases where they can support their arguments with experience or unique ideas

‍

8. Is there any other useful feedback for the OSINT community that you would like to share with us? For example, what are some of the most common mistakes made by interviewees, and how can they be prevented?

Avoid trying to “know it all”. Be humble in what you don’t know, because there is so much to learn daily, approach the interview with an inquisitive mindset and strong work ethic to solve unknown problems.

‍

9. What would you recommend to recent graduates or newbies? How can they best prepare for their first interviews? Are there any resources you can recommend?

Get involved in community OSINT activities to learn the landscape, develop some basic skills and invest time in finding a mentor(s) to help you. Start your OSINT journey by trawling the #OSINT on twitter, do analysis on credible resources vs questionable ones to find which ones you want to invest your time into first, and find activities (such as CTFs) that you think would be of interest to practice skills in a safe environment.

‍

[note: this interview has not been edited]

Learn more about Logically here.

Follow Logically on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, and LinkedIn.

‍

1. Where do you work now and what are your day-to-day tasks?

I’m the Head of Global Investigations at Logically.ai. Logically is an award-winning international team of data scientists, engineers, analysts, developers, and investigators with offices in the U.K., U.S., and India. 

Our unique combination of automated intelligence and expertise in intelligence collection and analysis allows Logically to apply scale and nuance to the problems of mis- and disinformation, detecting, triaging, and responding to issues, through predictive analysis to helping clients to prevent and respond to emerging threats.

‍

2. How can candidates stand out right away?

Candidates stand out to me when they show a genuine interest in Logically and have taken time to understand the work Logically does, along with the ability to explain how their current experience or education relates to the work we do as an OSINT practitioner.

‍

3. What does the recruitment process look like at your organization? How many steps are there?

Logically’s recruitment process starts with a resume review by the hiring supervisor, followed by a phone screening from one of our awesome teammates on our People team. After the initial phone screen, candidates will interview with the immediate supervisor for the position, followed by a second interview with Department Head or manager. In some instances, our more senior positions or those filling an international role may be asked to participate in a third interview with members of our leadership team. 

‍

4. What kind of skill-sets are you looking for when hiring for an intelligence analyst within your company?

We look for candidates with varying skill sets, when hiring junior analysts, we focus on their potential more than a specific skill set. Successful candidates at the entry level will have basic intelligence related skills gained through their academic or personal experiences. When recruiting for our mid-level and senior analyst positions, we look for specific skills associated with intelligence collection and analysis and knowledge of OSINT specific tradecraft.  

‍

5. What kind of character traits do you find beneficial during interviews? Is there any behavior that can be an advantage for the candidate?

I find it beneficial for candidates to show confidence without being overconfident, and to show they have a genuine ability to carry a conversation. Come prepared with knowledge about the position and the company and be prepared to ask questions. 

‍

6. Do you have any advice regarding salary negotiations during the hiring process? And dos and don’ts?

Candidates should not be afraid to ask about salary. Logically often asks candidates about salary expectations or informs candidates of the salary range during the screening process. If you receive an offer and have other offers to consider, be honest and let the hiring manager know, there could be some options available to them in certain situations. 

‍

7. Would you be able to share any outstandingly positive interview experiences you have gone through as the hiring manager or person responsible for recruiting? What blows you away during an interview?

I’ve had some tremendous interview experiences as a hiring manager, in particular to the OSINT community, I have been blown away be some of the technology solutions candidates have developed out of need. The OSINT community is constantly evolving and seeing candidates develop their own tools and share them with the community has always impressed me, not only from the technology point, but the fact many of these candidates share the tools they developed without hesitation.

‍

8. Is there any other useful feedback for the OSINT community that you would like to share with us? For example, what are some of the most common mistakes made by interviewees, and how can they be prevented?

Don’t be rigid, let your true personality show. If I was looking for a robot, I’d ask the engineers to build one. We seek candidates who can think for themselves and are not afraid to say, “I don’t know, let me find out and get back to you.”

‍

9. What type of interview processes or questions are outdated in your opinion? How can the hiring process be improved?

I avoid using behavioral assessment questions, I believe they are outdated and often force stale canned responses. I believe that if a candidate is not showing their true personality it will show during a genuine conversation. That said, I have set questions that I use as an outline, but I can honestly say I have never asked every one of those questions, I prefer to let the interview drive our conversation. 

‍

10. What would you recommend to recent graduates or newbies? How can they best prepare for their first interviews? Are there any resources you can recommend?

Get to know the company, ask questions, and don’t let the interview process overwhelm you. The hiring manger you are talking with was once in your shoes, they know it and should put you at ease. If they don’t you should ask yourself if that is truly what you are looking for in a company.

‍

[note: this interview has not been edited]

Connect with Jenna on LinkedIn:

‍

Where do you work now and what exactly is it that you do?

I am an Open Source Information Analyst for a human rights organization.

Can you tell me more about the industry that you are working in?

I work in the human rights and humanitarian law field where we collect, investigate, and analyze open source content for possible human rights violations, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. 

What skills, knowledge, and background are required to work in your industry?

The great thing about the OSINT community is that it is highly collaborative so, no single person needs to know everything about the field. For my specific field, it is a hybrid of having advanced knowledge of humanitarian and human rights law as well as experience in carrying out conflict research, geospatial analysis, and digital investigation.

However, I have colleagues who come from security, intelligence, law enforcement, legal, and data science backgrounds so all of our skills and knowledge complement each other which is why collaboration is very important in our work. Besides background knowledge and technical skills, writing skills are also important. The ability to write a technical report or guide as well as narratives can be crucial depending on your role.

In your view, what are the top skills/attributes to have for becoming successful in your area?

For technical skills, satellite imagery analysis, social media investigation, technical and narrative writing, as well as knowledge of human rights, serious international crimes, conflict, and humanitarian crises. For interpersonal skills, being supportive, patient, open minded, receptive to constructive criticism, collaborative, and having a willingness to learn are vital.

Where and how did you land your first job?

My first open source research position was with the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED). I saw the job post and reached out to my network to see if anyone worked there and then asked for advice on the application and interview process.

A colleague of mine tagged a friend who was an employee and she gave me valuable insight into the process. Don’t be afraid to use your network or even message people on LinkedIn. You would be surprised how helpful and supportive strangers in your network/field are.

I also did volunteer work on a few projects, one of which I found in a post on r/OSINT, the Tibet Research Project. The coordinator of that project, Tom Jarvis, helped me land another volunteer position the Ocelli Project, which in turn helped me get my first paid human rights OSINT position which was with the Centre for Information Resilience. That position helped me land my current position, which has been a goal of mine for 10 years. This goes to show how using your network and knowing the right people can help. Although unpaid work is not ideal, it can also be incredibly valuable in the long run. I met amazing people, learned new skills, and it catapulted my career. 

Looking back at how you started and where you are today, what advice do you have for someone who wants to pursue a similar career or even transition to the field you are working in?

First, be patient. After I graduated with my Master of Laws (LLM), it took me 5 years to get a paid position in my field. For years I asked myself what I was doing wrong or what I lacked compared to others and I realized that this field was so new there just weren’t many paid positions yet. I also optimistically and naively thought I would have work right out of school, which I know many can relate to. It can take time to find the right field or area, the right organization, the right position, and so on. Being in the right place at the right time by having the right position come available when you are looking makes a difference.

Second, I began working with career coach Claire Mahon, who is incredibly knowledgeable about the human rights field and hiring practices. I absolutely credit her help with advancing my career.

Third, if you’re not already, get on LinkedIn. This is where you can connect with the right people. Recruiters want to see that you know the right people in your field and that you are also active in it. You don’t need to post things daily, but post things of interest to your field, interact with what others’ content, write articles, share content, etc. Using the right hashtags will also help your content be seen by more people as well as joining groups.

After I posted something useful or interesting with multiple hashtags, I would see a huge spike in my post and profile views. Don’t be afraid to message people that have worked or are working in a position you want. Ask questions about their day to day, their favorite and least favorite parts of the job, how they work with their supervisor, their supervisor’s management style, etc. Approach job hunting like an investigation, do research on your target - the organization, their projects, the person who currently has the job you want, or the person that will become your supervisor, and so on.

One rookie mistake I made while job hunting was not keeping up on job posts enough. I would go back and find a position that I wanted had closed when I never saw the post go up. Make a habit of regularly checking job postings (at least once per week, if not almost daily) and set up email alerts for LinkedIn, Indeed, organization websites, or job boards.

Finally, if you don’t know it, go learn it. Use your time to brush up on certain skills or learn new ones. If you’re transitioning, then start researching and learning about your new field, try to get a leg up and impress your interviewers. Go follow their social media and interact with it.

Is there a kind of project you want to work on, but no one is doing it? Then start it yourself! You will also gain experience on what it is like to run your own investigation and collaborate with others. This is how I got my first volunteer gig, someone posted about a project they created on their own and needed help. That post changed my career. 

If you were to hire people in your team, what would you look for?

Someone who is supportive of others, willing to learn, can take constructive criticism, who can be part of a team, who is driven, who can put their biases aside as best as possible, who wants to see their colleagues succeed, and who just wants to try and do good by those we aim to help. Sometimes, someone can be amazing at one technical skill but lacks the rest, I would probably not continue with that person.

I would rather someone have less technical knowledge but possess all the other interpersonal skills because technical things can be taught, it is hard to teach humility, cooperation, respect, neutrality, and so on.

Looking at your career, is there anything you would do differently today if you had the chance to travel back in time?

I try to look at everything as something to learn from, whether good or bad. If I hadn’t taken some of my non-OSINT related jobs, there would be things I wouldn’t have learned or experienced such as certain interpersonal skills, non-technical skills, how to enforce work-life boundaries, what a bad manager is like, what type of environment you want to work in, what your strengths are, and what you want out of a job.

I appreciate the roundabout path I took to get where I am, a lot of my experience that seems completely irrelevant to the job I have now has come in very handy in interesting ways.

Where and how do you develop yourself professionally?

Any websites or organizations that offer free courses, and not just OSINT-related ones, but non-technical like interpersonal skills or writing. I follow the social media of organizations like Digital Forensic Research Lab, Bellingcat, Myanmar Witness, Amnesty International’s Citizen Evidence Lab, UC Berkeley’s Human Rights Investigations Lab, and University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab, all of which offer OSINT learning content, courses, and boot camps in addition to sending out volunteer crowdsourcing requests. A few years ago, I joined Amnesty Decoders to assist them with various human rights related open source projects. For those interested in open source and international criminal law, there’s IICI courses.

Don’t hesitate to ask your colleagues or network for help in learning something new.

Are there any websites, books, podcasts, or anything else that you would recommend for professional development (does not have to be OSINT related)?

Join all the OSINT groups on LinkedIn, Facebook, r/OSINT, or elsewhere. Watch Bellingcat and Ben Strick’s OSINT tutorials on Bellingcat’s site, Ben’s LinkedIn, Youtube, or Twitter. Participate in Trace Labs’ Search party, Europol’s Trace an Object, or take a course through Advocacy Assembly or First Draft. Also, read Digital Witness by Daragh Murray, Sam Dubberely, and Alexa Koenig, We Are Bellingcat by Eliot Higgins, as well as this collection of articles in the Journal of International Criminal Justice. If you love human rights OSINT or #OSINTforgood, don’t be afraid to dive in!

‍

[note: this interview has not been edited]

‍

Get in touch with Bruno regarding professional services

Connect with Bruno on LinkedIn

Follow him on Twitter

Check out Bruno's OSINT resources collection and more

‍

1. Where do you work now and what are your day-to-day tasks?

I am responsible for Corporate Intelligence Services in the Forensics Risk and Compliance department of the BDO Wirtschaftspruefungsgesellschaft AG in Hamburg, Germany. My day-to-day tasks as an investigator and analyst include Fraud, Financial Crime and BrandIP investigations, Due Diligence, Pre- and post-Employment Screening, Competitive Intelligence, Asset tracing, Anti Money Laundering and OSINT training.

‍

2. How can candidates stand out right away?

Every OSINT effort culminates in an intelligence product – usually a report. This report should be able to provide the recipient with information on which to base a decision. A CV i.e. resume is the first deliverable, where the candidate can show his or her report writing skill and ability to deliver a flawless finished product.

‍

3. What does the recruitment process look like at your organization? How many steps are there?

BDO has over 95.000 employees in 164 countries. Recruitment is handled by the respective HR departments, however the relevant operational unit i.e., technical department can and should assist HR operations. Visit the BDO website in your respective country (https://www.bdo.de/) for more information

‍

4. What kind of skill-sets are you looking for when hiring for an intelligence analyst within your company?

OSINT is lifelong learning, when hiring, we are looking for candidates that have an inquisitive mindset.
‍

The specific skill set we are looking for in candidates is the ability to find and mine open sources using advanced search techniques and tools to obtain reliable, validated, and valuable information and data. Intelligence is not collected; it is produced through analysis. Analytical techniques for exploration, and decision making are crucial.

‍
Language skills are definitely advantageous. Though translation algorithms have become quite powerful, they are by no means perfect and can produce some questionable (and, at times, quite humorous) results. Being able to search in the target language and apply a distinctive understanding of how the language works, how people use it to communicate online, and the nuances that exist, is definitely an asset.

‍

5. What kind of character traits do you find beneficial during interviews? Is there any behaviour that can be an advantage for the candidate?

An OSINT analyst needs to be flexible and adapt, relying on good research practices and analytical thinking. Tools come and go, the right mindset for OSINT work stays. Moreover, an OSINT analysts need to be aware of bias, ego, or attitude. Every belief is a blind spot – confirmation bias, or the tendency to look for evidence that supports your point of view, can produce negative outcomes. So, we look for candidates that have the ability to question themselves. An equally important skill is the ability to communicate effectively.

‍

6. Do you have any advice regarding salary negotiations during the hiring process? And dos and don’ts?

If you start salary negotiations with “I want” or “I need” you have no room to manoeuvre and negotiate. There are ample resources out there where current and former employees anonymously review companies and give insights about jobs, salaries, and companies. Our suggestion to candidates is to be prepared, it shows when you are not.

‍

7. Would you be able to share any exceptional interview experiences you have gone through as the hiring manager or person responsible for recruiting? What blows you away during an interview?

What blows me away in an interview is when a candidate tells me what they are genuinely passionate about and what they are interested in. To see the passion in their behaviour when they speak about investigations and research, and what they have found. We are looking for candidates who enjoy the pleasure of finding things out. We expect candidates to come to an interview prepared with a list of questions and to take notes during an interview.

‍

8. Is there any other useful feedback for the OSINT community that you would like to share with us? For example, what are some of the most common mistakes made by interviewees, and how can they be prevented?

Not fully reading or understanding the job advert is the most common mistake. A CV needs to be tailored to the job advert. If the advert asks for fluency in a specific language, this means that this skill is essential. Candidates should do an OSINT on their prospective employer. Try be relaxed and yourself, your character should filter through in the interview.

‍

9. What type of interview processes or questions are outdated in your opinion? How can the hiring process be improved?

As interviewers, we help the candidate relax during the interview. Bias, ego or attitude in an analyst and in an interviewer produces negative outcomes. Asking questions expecting the candidate to respond from memory is redundant if that information can be found via an OSINT search. More interesting is if the candidate demonstrates the ability to explore and learn.

‍

10. What would you recommend to recent graduates or newbies? How can they best prepare for their first interviews? Are there any resources you can recommend?

A “Common Interview Questions” google search will produce a plethora of results. I would suggest searching for the behavioural interview questions from Amazon and to check out the resources from Daniel Miessler. Even though the interview questions from Daniel Miessler pertain to cybersecurity, it is a great resource that can be adapted to other fields. I would suggest any candidate to stay true.

‍

[note: this interview has not been edited]

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

Step 1: Emphasize Critical Thinking - The Bedrock of Intelligence

Critical thinking is the backbone of OSINT, as it enables professionals to discern patterns, identify biases, and draw accurate conclusions from vast and complex datasets. In an Intel job, critical thinking is essential when analyzing large sets of information to uncover hidden connections between seemingly unrelated data points, thus providing valuable insights for decision-makers.

Step 2: Seek Sound Judgment in Uncertain Environments

In the dynamic intelligence landscape, professionals often encounter ambiguous situations requiring quick and well-informed decisions. In an Intel job, sound judgment becomes crucial when assessing the credibility and reliability of sources, distinguishing between accurate information and misinformation, and prioritizing tasks based on their potential impact.

Step 3: Value Emotional Intelligence and Interpersonal Skills

Effective intelligence work demands collaboration with team members and stakeholders. In an Intel job, emotional intelligence plays a pivotal role in fostering effective communication, building rapport with sources, and managing inter-team dynamics.

During a joint task force operation involving multiple intelligence agencies, an Intel professional's emotional intelligence can be vital in bridging communication gaps, resolving conflicts, and maintaining cohesion among team members from diverse backgrounds.

Step 4: Assess Resilience and Perseverance

Intelligence work often involves extended periods of uncertainty and seemingly fruitless efforts. Seek candidates who demonstrate the ability to persist, persevere, and maintain unwavering dedication to the mission, setting exceptional Intel professionals apart. Resilience enables intelligence practitioners to adapt their approach, collaborate with other teams, and continue pursuing the target until a successful outcome is achieved.

Step 5: Prioritize Ethics and Integrity

The information gathered and analyzed by Intel professionals carries real-world implications. Seek candidates with strong ethical values, ensuring they handle sensitive data responsibly and understand the impact of their work. Ethical Intel professionals are driven by a desire to contribute positively to the world.

Step 6: Evaluate Problem-Solving Skills and Simulations

To gauge a candidate's suitability, conduct skills testing and present real-world scenarios to assess their problem-solving skills. Simulations help evaluate how candidates approach complex issues, make decisions under pressure, and demonstrate resourcefulness and adaptability - pivotal skills in the ever-changing intelligence landscape.

Step 7: Conduct Face-to-Face Interviews and Assess Cultural Fit

In the final stages of the hiring process, face-to-face interviews become crucial to evaluating emotional intelligence and cultural fit. Conversations delve into candidates' motivations, passion for intelligence work, and alignment with the organization's values. This step ensures candidates possess the tenacity and commitment required for effective contributions to the collective intelligence mission.

Step 8: Cultivate a New Generation of Intel Professionals

The search for exceptional OSINT and Intel professionals goes beyond technical expertise. By identifying and nurturing individuals who embody critical thinking, sound judgment, emotional intelligence, resilience, and ethical values, hiring managers shape a powerful intelligence team capable of shaping the course of history through knowledge and analysis.

Step 9: Embrace Continuous Learning and Development

Lastly, recognize that skills testing and qualifications are not static measures. Intelligence professionals should be encouraged to engage in continuous learning and development, keeping up-to-date with the latest advancements in OSINT tools, techniques, and analysis methodologies. Foster an environment that encourages curiosity, research, and knowledge-sharing, enabling your Intel team to remain at the forefront of the intelligence domain.

Conclusion

As hiring managers in the intelligence field, your role extends beyond mere technical proficiency assessment. By identifying candidates who embody critical thinking, sound judgment, emotional intelligence, and ethical values, you lay the foundation for a team of outstanding intelligence professionals. Incorporating skills testing and simulations further helps evaluate problem-solving skills in real-world contexts. Encouraging a culture of continuous learning ensures your intelligence team remains at the forefront of this constantly evolving landscape. Together, you can drive positive change and contribute to a world shaped by knowledge and strategic analysis.

How this guide is structured [Updated 2023]

This guide is intended for early career practitioners or those wanting to transition to an OSINT job. It lays out fundamental building blocks that you should know about when learning OSINT. It's important to highlight that this is not the only way to become an OSINT practitioner. Nor is it a guaranteed way of finding an OSINT job quickly. It's best to view this guide as a reference point that you can use throughout your learning journey. It will be a living document with regular updates.

There are three main parts, covering the following aspects:

1) Theoretical concepts and other important basics - an often underestimated but critical part. It will lay the foundation for your OSINT knowledge. Here you'll learn about essential concepts and definitions like what is intelligence and what is OSINT? How does it differ from data and information? What's the difference between the internet and the world wide web? And many other important issues.

2) Practical skills at a basic to advanced level. This will equip you with commonly used techniques and tools as well as make you aware of when and in which context they can be used most effectively.

3) How to stay up to date in the world of OSINT.

‍

Why the basics are so important

Understanding the basics is critical. As with many other professions, it's not possible to jump straight in without having a bit of background knowledge. You wouldn't try to fix an electrical problem in your house without knowing how the electrical system works. Or at least we hope you wouldn't. The same applies for OSINT.

As an OSINT professional, you should be able to explain in simple and technical terms how you arrived at X, which tools and techniques you used as well as what they do and how they work, whilst highlighting gaps and limitations of your analysis. Without the background knowledge this wouldn't be possible.

Another important point that we at OSINT-JOBS.com want to stress is that OSINT should not be merely seen as a collection of links - OSINT is a multi-facetted profession that requires, depending on the job, a wide range of skills, including analytical and writing skills - just to name a few.

‍

Part 1: understanding basic and theoretical concepts in OSINT

To get you started with some of the important basic concepts in OSINT, have a look at the following reading list. This should provide you with a good overview.

Introduction to OSINT and several basic concepts

• Defining Second Generation Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) for the Defense Enterprise
• Open Source Intelligence. Introduction, legal, and ethical considerations
• OSINT Intelligence Cycle Part 1

History of OSINT

• A Brief History of Open Source Intelligence
• Sailing the Sea of OSINT in the Information Age
• The Evolution of Open Source Intelligence

Introduction to basic OPSEC and digital security

• Basic Opsec for the Uninitated
• Current Digital Security Resources

Fundamental concepts

• What is the Internet? 13 key questions answered
• Google Search - Discover How Search Works

Introduction to intelligence analysis - cognitive biases and structured analytic techniques

• Psychology of Intelligence Analysis
• A Tradecraft Primer:
  Structured Analytic Techniques
  for Improving Intelligence Analysis

Introduction to intelligence writing

• Awesome Intelligence Writing
• ‍Writing: Intelligence Writing

Comprehensive Reading List

• OSINT Library maintained by Ludo Block

As noted earlier, this list is not exhaustive and we are going to add more reading material in the future. If you would like to share anything that you think should be on here, please let us know and we'll add it!

‍

Part 2: learning fundamental OSINT techniques and practice, practice, practice

Once you understood some of the most important basic concepts in OSINT, it's time to gain some practical skills. There's no perfect or one way of doing this; however, we want to emphasise the importance of learning how to use search engines first. Yes, search engines!

In fact, once you understood how they actually work and how to use them effectively and efficiently, you can find any information you want and even specify the format, such as image, video, text or various other file formats. This is pretty powerful, if you think about it, as it opens up an unlimited number of use cases.

Similar to the importance of understanding basic concepts in OSINT, it is crucial to understand the time it takes to master specific OSINT skills. Geolocating photos and videos, for example, is probably one such skill that requires practice and sometimes an extraordinary amount of patience and tenacity. Reading case studies, watching YouTube tutorials, or practicing with QuizTime challenges can be immensely helpful when learning how to do it; but don't get fooled by how "easy" or "logical" it appears when going through case studies by others.

It's one thing to understand why the investigator in that case started with clue A and continued pursuing clue B and C to ultimately find the location. But it's another skill to make these decisions, especially when working under pressure and time constraints. The main point is here that OSINT skills can be learned by anyone but to truly master specific skills, patience and practice is required.

Recommended blogs, projects, and YouTube channels for OSINT

To help you start practicing some OSINT skills, we've collated this list of various blogs, projects and YouTube channels that have produced a wealth of OSINT knowledge - knowledge that is freely available to anyone in the world.

If you like to share resources that are not listed here, please get in touch!

• Aware Online
• Bellingcat
• Benjamin Strick
• Dutch OSINT Guy
• Intelligence with Steve
• i-intelligence OSINT Handbook
• Lorand Bodo
• MW_OSINT
• Nixintel
• Null Byte
• OSINT at home
• OSINT Combine
• OSINT Curious
• OSINT Editor
• OSINTme
• Secjuice
• Sector035
• Wondersmith Rae

Recommend Podcasts for OSINT

Listening to podcasts is another great way to grow your OSINT skills. Here's a list of shows that regularly publish episodes - in no particular order:

• The World of Intelligence (Janes Podcast)
• The Layer 8 Podcast
• Breadcrumbs by Trace Labs
• The OSINT Bunker
• The OSINT Curious Project Podcast
• Michael Bazzell's The Privacy, Security, & OSINT Show

Additional ways of learning OSINT

For those who wish to follow a more structured and guided OSINT learning path, you should check out the OSINT Dojo - "a project that aims to guide those new to Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) through the first steps of their journey".

Most recently, Bellingcat's Giancarlo Fiorella has published a comprehensive guide that not only talks about the difference between OSINT and open source research but also provides very practical advice and guidance on how to get started. You can find it here: "First Steps to Getting Started in Open Source Research".

‍

Part 3: Keeping up to date with OSINT

Keeping up with the latest news and techniques can be tedious. But don't worry there are many OSINT experts out there that have done the heavy lifting for you. The following resources, will show you where and how to keep up, so you can focus on learning and practicing:

• Follow the OSINT community on Twitter
• Follow the OSINT community on Reddit
• Comprehensive guide on "Staying Up to Date with OSINT Content" by Ritu Gill

‍

Wrapping up

Finally, As stated at the beginning, this guide should be seen as a reference point for your OSINT learning journey. All of the resources listed here are completely free. Nevertheless, we also want to stress the importance of professional training. Reading blog posts, reports, and other material are extremely helpful but professional training courses should not be disregarded. Being able to ask questions, receive specialist training in a wide range of areas, and practice in controlled environments will sharpen your OSINT skill set and advance your career.

We hope this guide will help you start your OSINT journey. If you have any comments or questions, feel free to get in touch with us via email (contact@osint-jobs.com) or reach out via  Twitter.

‍

Click here to view the original LinkedIn post + Comments‍

‍

1. Certain Animals, Jewelry, and Server HTTP Response Headers:

Believe it or not, some online investigations have taken an unexpected turn when investigators noticed certain animals or jewelry in images posted online. These seemingly unrelated elements have led to the identification of locations and individuals. Additionally, paying attention to server HTTP response headers can reveal information about the technology stack used by a website, providing valuable clues about its origin.

2. Sidewalks:

An overlooked but highly informative breadcrumb is the sidewalk. Examining details of sidewalks in images can help determine locations , as the patterns and materials used often vary from one country to another. Most importantly, sidewalks can be unique to specific countries or regions, thus helping the investigator to narrow down the location.

3. Elements Hidden Within Source Code, XML Data, and Certificate Components:

Digital breadcrumbs can be found in the source code. By meticulously combing through website source code, investigators can uncover hidden details, links to other websites, and even security vulnerabilities. Additionally, XML data gathered during uploads and certificate components can reveal information about the infrastructure and security protocols of a website.

4. Geolocation Clues:

When it comes to geolocation, minor details can be game-changers. Reflections, angles, and landscape features in photographs can provide valuable hints about the location where the image was taken. These seemingly insignificant details can help investigators narrow down their search significantly.

5. Phone Carrier:

In a world where smartphones are ubiquitous, a phone carrier can be a key breadcrumb. Identifying the phone carrier can lead to discovering the user's location or even their identity.

6. Exif Data:

Photographers and investigators are well aware of the importance of Exif data. This hidden treasure trove of information, embedded in image files, can reveal the camera used, GPS coordinates, and even the time and date the image was captured.‍

7. SMTP & Message Header Metadata:

When it comes to email investigations, examining SMTP and message header metadata can be enlightening. These headers contain information about the path an email took to reach its destination, potentially exposing the sender's IP address and intermediary servers.‍

8. Linguistic Slips:

In the world of online investigations, language is a powerful breadcrumb. Analyzing linguistic patterns, grammatical errors, or unique vocabulary used in online communications can help in identifying and tracking individuals, especially when pseudonyms are used.

9. Comments in Website Code:

Hidden in the source code of websites, comments left by developers or users can be revealing. These comments might contain references to vulnerabilities, insider knowledge, or even contact details that were not meant to be public.

10. Social Media Clues:

When investigating social media accounts, consider the value of likes, check-ins, and user IDs. These seemingly mundane actions can connect individuals, track their movements, and reveal social connections that might not be evident at first glance.

11. Photos from Conventions and Conferences:

A lesser-known gold mine of information is photos taken at conventions and conferences. Attendees often share these images online, unknowingly disclosing their affiliations, whereabouts, and even the individuals they associate with.

‍

Conclusion

Obscure digital breadcrumbs are often hidden in plain sight, and the keen eye of an OSINT professional can turn these breadcrumbs into gold mines of information. By paying attention to seemingly trivial details such as animal icons, server headers, and linguistic slips, investigators can unveil valuable insights that may lead to major breakthroughs in their online investigations.

These breadcrumbs are not only the domain of experts but can be harnessed by anyone willing to explore the digital world with a curious and discerning eye. So, remember, the next time you embark on an online investigation, keep an eye out for these obscure digital breadcrumbs; you might just strike gold.

And let us know if we've missed any other obscure breadcrumbs, so we can add it to the list, keeping it as a living repository of digital breadcrumbs that we can all benefit from! Simply email us at contact@osint-jobs.com!

Demystifying APIs: What Are They?

At its core, an API is a set of rules and protocols that allows different software applications to communicate with each other. It functions as a bridge, facilitating the exchange of data and services, and enabling developers to harness the capabilities of one application within another. APIs are the unsung facilitators of modern digital interactions, whether you're ordering a ride through a ridesharing app, checking the weather on your smartphone, or seamlessly sharing a social media post.

‍

Why APIs Matter: The Digital Glue

APIs matter for several compelling reasons. Firstly, they foster interoperability by allowing applications to work together, regardless of their underlying technology or architecture. This interoperability empowers developers to build upon existing services and create innovative solutions, accelerating development cycles and reducing redundancy. This, in turn, spurs innovation and drives efficiency, as developers can leverage the capabilities of established applications, focusing their efforts on adding unique value.

Secondly, APIs serve as the building blocks of the digital ecosystem. They enable third-party developers to access core functionalities of a platform or service, leading to the creation of an expansive ecosystem of interconnected applications. Take, for instance, the app stores on our smartphones, where developers leverage APIs to build diverse applications that seamlessly integrate with our devices' core functions. This ecosystem drives user engagement, enriches user experiences, and bolsters the value proposition of digital platforms.

Moreover, APIs are pivotal in ensuring scalability and flexibility. Businesses and organizations can adapt swiftly to changing needs and market demands by integrating APIs into their infrastructure. Whether it's expanding to new markets, adopting emerging technologies, or accommodating growing user bases, APIs provide the agility required for success in the dynamic digital landscape.

‍

APIs for OSINT

In the ever-evolving landscape of Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT), APIs play an important role, offering indispensable capabilities to address some of the specific challenges and needs of OSINT professionals.

In a world where vast volumes of data are dispersed across the digital realm, the capacity to efficiently collect, analyze, and cross-reference information from a diverse array of online sources is paramount. APIs serve as the crucial bridge connecting OSINT tools and platforms to this expansive data ecosystem. They grant access to a wealth of information, spanning social media networks, news websites, government databases, and more, empowering OSINT practitioners to harness this data for actionable insights.

What sets APIs apart in the OSINT landscape is their ability to provide real-time access to an array of platforms and services. Numerous social media platforms offer developer APIs, which enable OSINT professionals to collect and analyze data from these platforms in a structured and automated manner.

The integration of APIs into OSINT workflows offers several advantages. Firstly, it streamlines the process of data extraction, allowing analysts to quickly retrieve information. This efficiency is essential for time-sensitive operations and real-time threat monitoring. Additionally, APIs enable the automation of data collection and analysis, saving valuable time and resources.

Furthermore, the use of APIs ensures that OSINT professionals can keep pace with the rapidly changing digital landscape. Whether the goal is to track online sentiment, monitor emerging events, or conduct in-depth research, APIs empower analysts to adapt and scale their investigative capabilities. This adaptability is vital, as it allows professionals to stay ahead in a field where information is constantly evolving.

‍

Challenges and Considerations

While APIs hold immense potential, they also introduce challenges and considerations. Security is paramount when exposing data and services to external parties. Robust authentication and authorization mechanisms are essential to safeguard sensitive information and ensure compliance with data protection regulations like GDPR.

Additionally, API management is crucial to maintain control, visibility, and performance. Organizations must invest in API gateways and analytics tools to monitor API usage, track performance metrics, and enforce access policies.

‍

The Future of APIs: A Glimpse Ahead

The future of APIs is boundless, as they continue to reshape industries and drive innovation. With the advent of technologies like Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence, APIs will play an increasingly pivotal role in orchestrating complex interactions between devices, services, and applications.

Furthermore, as businesses recognize the strategic importance of APIs, we can expect to see an even greater proliferation of API marketplaces, where organizations can discover and leverage third-party APIs to enhance their offerings and create new revenue streams.

In conclusion, APIs are the digital connectors that underpin the modern technological landscape. They enable interoperability, foster innovation, and empower businesses to thrive in the digital age. As we navigate an increasingly interconnected world, APIs will continue to shape the way we interact

‍

Twitter has been a major source for OSINT practitioners for many years - it connects OSINT practitioners with a global community of passionate online sleuths and provides access to real-time information that practitioners have been using to monitor and investigate world events as they happen.

Above all, the OSINT community is at the core of OSINT. It’s not the tools and resources, it’s people connecting and collaborating across the web, which makes OSINT so powerful. As the OSINT community has began migrating away from Twitter to other platforms, we’ve put together some alternatives here:

OSINT Newsletter

• Week in OSINT by Sector035
• OSINT Newsletter by Jake Creps
• The Weekly OSINT Newsletter
• Digital Investigations by Craig Silverman
• Bullsh*t Hunting

Discord

• Bellingcat
• OSINT-FR
• Project Owl
• OSINT Essentials
• The OSINTion
• OSINT Curious

Facebook

• OSINT Network (private Group)
• OSINT Open Source Intelligence (private Group)

LinkedIn

• OSINT Jobs
• Cyb_detective #OSINT hacks, tips and tricks
• OSINT
• Social Media Intelligence (SOCMINT)
• Intelligence and Security
• OSINT & WEBINT Investigation

Bluesky

• OSINT feed on Bluesky
• OSINT News feed on Bluesky

Mastodon

• InfosecExchange
• OSINT.social

Nostr

• Nostr Github repository

(Sub)Reddit

• Bellingcat
• OSINT
• Hacktoria
• Information Security News
• Intelligence

Telegram

• Cyber_Detective
• OSIntOps News

And if you know of any alternatives that we haven’t included yet, please do let us know on LinkedIn, Twitter, or via email at contact@osint-jobs.com!

Connect with Skip on LinkedIn.

Follow Skip on Twitter.

Check out his OSINT course "Searching the Chinese Internet".

Check out his OSINT course "Searching the Arabic Web".

Visit i-intelligence for more info and other OSINT courses.

‍

Skip, where do you work now and what exactly is it that you do?

I have been a Chinese Open Source Intelligence Instructor for a little more than a year and I teach on behalf of Switzerland-based I-Intelligence GmbH. I develop and teach courses on how to perform online-research in foreign languages.

Can you tell us more about the industry that you are working in?

Information and risk management, open source intelligence, investigations and investigative techniques, futures and foresights, policy advisory, strategic consulting, education and professional development.

Mainly consultation, education and research in the above-mentioned disciplines for the benefit of organisations as well as individuals.

What skills, knowledge, and background are required to work in your industry?

Information management requires you to be able to master several disciplines. Specialized academic knowledge or a solid technical background will definitely make you stand out when trying to find your “spot” within the industry.

This knowledge does not solely need to be technical however; I believe international relations, history or any humanity study will help you strengthen your portfolio as clients don’t always wish to engage with “tech-only” specialists.

In your view, what are the top skills/attributes to have for becoming successful in your area?

Understanding the information cycle, mastering the basics as well as being able to deliver services and knowledge play important roles. Although these form the elementary skills needed for this profession, it is my opinion that you also need to bring something extra to the table that makes you stand out since there is a myriad of companies offering very similar services.

Where and how did you land your first job?

I grew up in Switzerland as an expat kid and travelled to the Netherlands when I was 18 to join the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps where I served for 16 years until I got injured. There aren’t any words that come to mind in how to land this kind of “job”.

Most people think it’s pure physical strength but I would argue most selections for elite units are more of a mental challenge; you have to really want it. (Of course it helps if you’re physically prepared and heal quickly).

Looking back at how you started and where you are today, what advice do you have for someone who wants to pursue a similar career or even transition to the field you are working in?

A tough question since I consider my path to where I am now not logical at all but it worked for me! I was fairly young when I became increasingly interested in different languages and the military. I quickly discovered that studying and using foreign languages wherever I trained or deployed with the Marines became my key asset.

One advice that I can give is that you don’t always have to wait to see what’s being offered to you in terms of extracurricular education or specialties wherever you work; think out of the box, find what drives you and go for it!  

Transition tip would be: reach out to specialists in this field who share their knowledge.

If you were to hire people in your team, what would you look for? 

Out of the box mentality, cultural awareness, mastery of basic skills, team-player mentality but also able to operate as an individual and having that extra something. Languages worked out for me; what is it that is going to make you stand out?

Looking at your career, is there anything you would do differently today if you had the chance to travel back in time?

I’d probably move slightly more to the left or right and avoid getting shot! Things go as they go and you improvise adapt and overcome. I’ve had plenty of failures and successes and I’m glad I did; I try to take ownership of both as they help me put things into a very basic perspective. If I could I would probably have started connecting with other OSINT experts much earlier.

There is a ton of knowledge out there and most experts are more than happy to share and help.

Where and how do you develop yourself professionally?

Looking for new content, trying out new applications and pin-pointing what I think could be relevant to put in a course is something I do on a daily basis. There’s so much out there and new tools and technique surface so quickly therefore I try to focus on my area of expertise which is OSINT research in foreign languages.

Are there any websites, books, podcasts, or anything else that you would recommend for professional development (does not have to be OSINT related)?

Podcasts have been a major thing for me for the past few years. One of my favourite podcasts is ChinaTalk hosted by Jordan Schneider and the Sinica Podcast hosted by Kaiser Kuo and Jeremy Goldkorn. Both podcasts offer excellent well balanced content by interviewing China-experts ranging from academics, tech’ watchers, policy advisors, business professionals and many more.

I recommend these as well as other podcasts as they can help in better understanding China from different perspectives, especially Chinese ones. I’ve made a list of 20+ different podcasts that all cover China; reach out and I’ll send it to you!

[End of interview - note this interview has not been edited]

‍

1. Set Clear Work Boundaries: Define your work hours and stick to them. It's easy to fall into the trap of saying "yes" or "just one more thing". Setting boundaries is the first important step and respecting these is crucial for winding down.

2. Create a Physical Workspace: Designate a specific area in your home as your workspace. This physical boundary helps in mentally separating work from personal life. Once you step out of this zone, let it signal the end of your workday. It's crucial to have a space that doesn't follow you around. For those who don't have an extra space at home, clear your desk and stow away your equipment, so it's clear that you aren't working anymore.

3. Establish a Daily Detox Routine: Set specific times for completely disconnecting from all work-related things. This could be during dinner, post 8 PM,  during weekends, and at specific days. Use this time to do non-digital activities like reading a book, practicing a hobby (definitely not OSINT!), or spending quality time with family and friends. Furthermore, you can switch off your phone completely. And as an extra tip: separate your work from your private life by purchasing a work phone.

4. Engage in Physical Activities: Exercise is not just about physical health; it's a powerful tool for mental decompression. Whether it's a quick walk in your neighbourhood, a session at the gym, or yoga, physical activities help in shifting your focus from work and reducing stress levels. If you can't exercise for whatever reasons, try other physical activities that distract you from your day-to-day job. For example, painting, home DIY, or similar.

5. Practice Mindfulness and Meditation: Mindfulness techniques and meditation can be beneficial in managing stress and anxiety that comes with high-intensity jobs. Even a few minutes of meditation can have a significant impact on your overall well-being. If this interests you, check out some related apps. For example, Calm or Headspace.

There's no single strategy that works for everyone. So, try things out and see what works best for you. Learning to wind down after a long and stressful day is not just important for OSINT professionals. It's a healthy skill for everyone. Remember, taking time to relax and disconnect isn't just beneficial for your personal life; it enhances your productivity and effectiveness as a professional.

Now, we turn to you, the OSINT community. Share your winding down strategies with us. Let's collaborate, learn from each other, and create a comprehensive guide that benefits all professionals. Share your thoughts via Twitter, LinkedIn, or email us at contact@osint-jobs.com.

Understanding Git

Git, a distributed version control system, serves as the cornerstone of modern collaborative development. Linus Torvalds, the mastermind behind Linux, conceived Git as a means to facilitate seamless collaboration on projects. Its primary function involves tracking changes in files and directories, allowing multiple developers to work concurrently on different parts of a project without conflicts. Through its adept branching and merging capabilities, Git ensures the integrity and traceability of code changes, providing a robust foundation for developers worldwide.

For OSINT practitioners, Git offers a valuable tool for effectively managing and documenting changes in research projects. By seamlessly facilitating collaboration and coordination among intelligence analysts working on various aspects of an investigation, Git ensures that vital information is preserved and shared effectively among team members.

GitHub: The Social Coding Hub

Referred to as the "Facebook for programmers," GitHub is a web-based hosting service designed specifically for Git repositories. Functioning as a collaborative platform, it enables developers to share, contribute, and engage in discussions centered around code projects. Boasting an impressive repository count exceeding 100 million, GitHub has become the preeminent platform for open-source projects.

Within the realm of OSINT, GitHub presents an expansive collection of publicly available code repositories that harbor invaluable intelligence-related resources. Researchers can adeptly leverage GitHub's search functionality to unearth tools, scripts, and data sources that hold relevance to their investigations. Furthermore, GitHub's provision of issue tracking and commenting features facilitates collaboration and knowledge sharing among OSINT professionals, fostering an environment of collective growth and learning.

GitLab: The All-in-One DevOps Platform

GitLab represents a comprehensive web-based Git repository management and collaboration platform that extends its functionalities beyond GitHub's purview. It encompasses not only version control but also project management, continuous integration and deployment, and more. Moreover, GitLab offers organizations the flexibility of self-hosting, thereby enabling complete control over repositories and associated data.

For OSINT practitioners, GitLab stands as a robust alternative to GitHub. The self-hosting option it provides lends itself to enhanced privacy and security, particularly pertinent to sensitive intelligence projects. Additionally, GitLab's inclusion of built-in project management and continuous integration tools streamlines the workflow of OSINT teams, simplifying coordination efforts and facilitating the systematic tracking of investigation progress.

The Significance of Git, GitHub, and GitLab for OSINT Practitioners

The adoption of Git, GitHub, and GitLab among OSINT practitioners includes several compelling advantages:

a) Enhanced collaboration and knowledge sharing: These platforms offer intelligence analysts a means to seamlessly work together, bolstering the efficiency and effectiveness of investigations. By enabling the tracking of changes and facilitating the swift sharing of findings, they greatly enhance team coordination and contribute to comprehensive analyses.

b) Access to a wealth of open-source intelligence resources: GitHub and GitLab serve as vast repositories housing a plethora of open-source tools, scripts, and data sources that can significantly aid OSINT practitioners in their investigations. By harnessing the work of others, analysts can contribute to a collective intelligence effort, amplifying the potential for impactful discoveries.

c) Robust version control and traceability: The version control capabilities inherent in Git ensure that changes and modifications are meticulously tracked, preserving the integrity and historical context of investigations. This invaluable feature proves particularly valuable when grappling with complex OSINT projects involving multiple contributors and iterations.

In the ever-evolving landscape of OSINT, skillful utilization of tools is imperative for success. Git, GitHub, and GitLab offer powerful collaboration, version control, and resource-sharing capabilities that prove highly beneficial for OSINT practitioners. By adeptly harnessing the capabilities of these platforms, analysts can streamline their workflows, bolster collaboration, and tap into a vast array of open-source intelligence resources. Embracing Git, GitHub, and GitLab emerges as a pivotal step towards becoming a more efficient and effective OSINT professional.

Word of Caution: Exercising Vigilance When Utilizing Open-Source Scripts from GitHub or GitLab

While the open-source nature of platforms like GitHub and GitLab offers a wealth of resources for OSINT practitioners, it is essential to exercise caution when downloading and utilizing scripts or tools from these repositories. Although the majority of projects hosted on these platforms are legitimate and well-maintained, there is always a possibility of encountering malicious or harmful code.

When exploring open-source scripts on GitHub or GitLab, it is crucial to follow these precautions:

1. Verify the Reputation: Before downloading any script, take the time to assess the reputation and credibility of the project and its contributors. Look for indicators such as the number of stars, forks, and contributions, as well as user feedback and reviews. Projects with a strong community presence and positive feedback are generally more trustworthy.

2. Review the Code: Take a thorough look at the code itself. Analyze the script for any suspicious or obfuscated sections. Look out for potential security vulnerabilities or indications of malicious intent. If you have any doubts or concerns about the script's integrity, it is advisable to seek assistance from experienced developers or security experts.

3. Check for Updates: Regularly updated projects are more likely to be actively maintained and reviewed for security vulnerabilities. Check the project's commit history and recent activity to ensure that it is not abandoned or outdated. Active projects with frequent updates tend to be more reliable and less susceptible to hidden threats.

4. Leverage User Comments and Feedback: GitHub and GitLab provide comment sections and issue tracking systems where users can report bugs or security concerns. Before using a script, review these sections to gauge the experiences and concerns of other users. If there are reports of security issues or unresolved bugs, exercise caution or consider alternative options.

5. Scan for Malware: Always perform a thorough antivirus scan on any downloaded files before executing them. Reliable antivirus software can help detect and mitigate potential risks associated with malware-infected scripts.

6. Use Sandboxing or Virtualization: When testing new scripts or tools, consider using sandboxing or virtualization techniques to isolate the execution environment from your main system. This practice provides an extra layer of protection and minimizes the potential impact of any unforeseen security issues.

‍

Defining The Objectives

Open Source Intelligence (OSINT), the practice of collecting and analyzing information from publicly available sources, casts a wide net across the digital landscape, encompassing websites, social media platforms, forums, news articles, and various other online repositories of information. This foundational understanding is not just a preliminary step but a pivotal one as it sets the stage upon which your OSINT unit's entire mission is built.

To navigate the intricate world of OSINT effectively, it is crucial to embark on this journey with a well-defined set of objectives. Are you primarily focused on harnessing OSINT for gaining a competitive edge in your industry? Or is your primary aim to vigilantly monitor and manage your brand's online reputation? Maybe you're keen on tracking industry trends and emerging patterns to proactively adapt your strategies, or perhaps your primary focus is the evaluation of potential risks lurking in the digital shadows. Each of these objectives is distinct and multifaceted, and they invariably influence the tools, methodologies, and expertise required for your OSINT unit's success.

Building the Pillars

Tools and Technology

The tools and technologies at the disposal of your OSINT unit form the cornerstone of its capabilities. In the vast landscape of OSINT tools, strategic investments in advanced web scraping tools, social media analytics platforms, and data aggregation software stand out as game-changers. Consider the likes of Hootsuite, a comprehensive social media management platform; Maltego, renowned for its prowess in data visualization and analysis; and Echosec, a location-based search engine that empowers your unit with the ability to extract, filter, and analyze vast volumes of data from multiple sources.

Data Privacy and Ethics

In an era where concerns about data privacy and the regulatory landscape loom large, the ethical dimension of OSINT practices takes center stage. It's imperative to emphasize and enforce stringent ethical standards in your OSINT endeavors. As regulations like GDPR and CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act) govern the handling of personal data, it is vital to establish robust guidelines and protocols for data handling. This extends to ensuring that sensitive and personal information extracted during your OSINT operations is treated with the utmost care, confidentiality, and compliance. In doing so, you not only safeguard your organization against potential legal ramifications but also uphold the highest ethical standards in the digital domain.

The Human Element

Expertise Matters

The heart and soul of any OSINT endeavor lies in the expertise and competencies of the team driving it. Building a team with a diverse skill set is the bedrock of your unit's success. It's not merely about data analysis and cybersecurity; it's about casting a wide net to recruit individuals possessing a range of proficiencies, including linguistic aptitude and a deep understanding of the intricate nuances of social media dynamics. The synergy of this diverse expertise equips your unit to address multifaceted challenges with precision and creativity.

Training and Skill Development

In the dynamic landscape of the digital realm, where changes occur at an accelerated pace, investing in continuous training and skill development becomes the lifeline of your OSINT unit. Courses covering critical areas such as digital forensics, advanced online investigation techniques, and cybersecurity fortify your team with the knowledge, tools, and methodologies required to navigate the complex web of online information with confidence and finesse. This commitment to continuous learning not only keeps your team sharp but also ensures that your OSINT unit remains at the forefront of industry best practices.

Crafting the Workflow

Information Gathering

In the art of OSINT, the process of information gathering is far from arbitrary; it's a meticulously systematic endeavor. Developing customized search queries tailored to specific data sources and equipping your team with a deep understanding of advanced search operators for search engines and social media platforms become the linchpin of your data collection strategy. This proficiency empowers your team to sift through the vast sea of digital data and extract the most pertinent and valuable information efficiently.

Data Validation and Analysis

In the digital realm, not all information is created equal, and this is where your team's critical discernment skills come into play. Implementing rigorous validation processes becomes the safeguard, ensuring that the data collected is not just abundant but credible and reliable. The development of structured analytical frameworks is the catalyst that transforms raw data into meaningful insights, providing your organization with actionable intelligence that shapes decision-making at its core.

Collaboration and Integration

Cross-Functional Collaboration

OSINT does not exist in isolation; it thrives on collaboration with other departments within your organization. Fostering strong and seamless connections between your OSINT unit and functions such as marketing, risk management, and legal is pivotal. This interconnectedness ensures a more holistic understanding of your organization's challenges and opportunities, paving the way for more comprehensive and effective intelligence gathering.

Real-time Reporting and Alerts

To keep your organization agile and responsive, it's imperative to establish mechanisms for real-time reporting and alerts. Leveraging cutting-edge tools that automate the monitoring process and send alerts based on predefined triggers becomes the linchpin. This proactive approach ensures swift responses to emerging trends or threats, helping your organization not only keep pace but leap ahead of the curve.

Continuous Improvement

Feedback and Adaptation

The ethos of continuous improvement lies at the very heart of a successful OSINT unit. Regularly soliciting feedback from your team is akin to honing your sword; it sharpens your capabilities. Are there obstacles hindering their efficiency? Do they require additional tools or training to excel in their roles? Adapting your strategies based on their experiences and insights becomes an ongoing quest to optimize your unit's performance continually.

Staying Ahead of the Curve

In a digital landscape where change is not the exception but the rule, staying relevant and effective necessitates an unwavering commitment to staying abreast of emerging technologies and trends in OSINT. Active participation in conferences, webinars, and networking events with professionals in the field ensures that your OSINT unit not only keeps pace but leads the charge in innovation. This proactive engagement empowers your unit to anticipate, adapt, and innovate, ensuring your organization maintains a competitive edge in the ever-evolving digital arena.

Conclusion: Enriching Decision-making through OSINT

In a world where data is king, the establishment of an OSINT unit is not just a strategic move but a multidimensional undertaking that demands a fusion of technological acumen, human expertise, and a strategic mindset. By taking a comprehensive approach to each component, you're not just laying the groundwork for an OSINT unit; you're crafting a powerhouse that transforms raw data into actionable insights. These insights, in turn, serve as the guiding star for your organization's decision-making, enhancing your competitive advantage and bolstering resilience in a world increasingly driven by data.

If you're seeking guidance on setting up an OSINT unit in your organization, don't hesitate to get in touch with us directly. Simply click here to connect with our experts.

The Intelligence Cycle: A Comprehensive Overview

The intelligence cycle is a structured and systematic process followed by intelligence agencies and organizations to provide timely, accurate information that supports decision-making. It comprises several interrelated stages, each playing a pivotal role:

1. Planning and Direction: The intelligence cycle kicks off with the definition of intelligence priorities, objectives, and requirements. Intelligence professionals and managers collaborate closely with stakeholders to determine what information is essential and why.

2. Collection: This stage revolves around the collection of information from diverse sources, including human intelligence (HUMINT), signals intelligence (SIGINT), imagery intelligence (IMINT), open-source intelligence (OSINT), and more. The overarching goal of the collection phase is to gather pertinent data that aligns with the identified requirements.

3. Processing and Exploitation: Collected data undergoes a series of transformations to render it usable. This may involve translation, decryption, or structuring of the information to prepare it for subsequent analysis.

4. Analysis and Production: Intelligence analysts, armed with subject matter expertise, embark on the task of assessing and evaluating the processed data. Their mission is to unearth patterns, identify threats, and furnish decision-makers with valuable insights. The analysis phase is marked by critical thinking, hypothesis testing, and the fusion of data from various sources.

5. Dissemination and Ingreation: Once subjected to analysis, the intelligence is disseminated to authorized consumers, who could be policymakers, military commanders, law enforcement agencies, or other pertinent entities. Timeliness and relevance are paramount during this phase to ensure that the information is actionable.

Feedback: The intelligence cycle is characterized by a continuous feedback loop, where intelligence professionals actively seek input from consumers. This ongoing process evaluates the usefulness and accuracy of the intelligence provided, thereby informing adjustments to future intelligence priorities and requirements.

‍

Challenges in the Intelligence Cycle

The intelligence cycle is not without its challenges, and intelligence professionals must navigate these complexities adeptly:

‍

1. Information Overload: In the digital age, intelligence professionals face the daunting task of sifting through colossal quantities of data. Managing this deluge of information necessitates robust data collection and processing capabilities.

2. Data Integration: Collating data from disparate sources poses challenges in terms of compatibility and accuracy. Integrating various data streams into a cohesive picture can be an intricate process.

3. Data Verification: The authenticity and reliability of data can be questionable, especially when dealing with open-source intelligence and digital information. Intelligence professionals must employ rigorous verification methods to ensure data accuracy.

4. Analysis Complexity: Analyzing large datasets requires advanced analytics tools and skilled professionals. Extracting actionable intelligence from vast amounts of data demands specialized expertise.

5. Presentation to Decision-Makers: Intelligence professionals not only need to make sense of the data but also aggregate, verify, and summarize it in a way that is comprehensible to decision-makers. Effective communication of complex findings is essential.

6. Adaptation to Evolving Threats: The intelligence cycle must continuously adapt to emerging threats and evolving technological landscapes, requiring a proactive approach to stay ahead of adversaries.

‍

Why the Intelligence Cycle Holds Significance

‍

The intelligence cycle is pivotal for several reasons:

‍

Informed Decision-Making

At its core, the intelligence cycle facilitates informed decision-making. For intelligence professionals and managers, this translates to delivering accurate, timely, and relevant information to those in positions of authority. It ensures that decisions are grounded in a comprehensive understanding of the prevailing circumstances.

Risk Mitigation

In an era marked by increasing complexity and uncertainty, intelligence professionals are pivotal in identifying and mitigating risks. By diligently adhering to the intelligence cycle, they can anticipate emerging threats, assess vulnerabilities, and develop strategies designed to minimize potential harm.

Resource Allocation

Efficient resource allocation is a linchpin of effective intelligence operations. Intelligence managers draw upon the cycle to judiciously allocate personnel, technology, and funding to stages that necessitate them most. This optimization guarantees the efficient utilization of resources.

Adaptation to Changing Environments

The intelligence cycle is inherently dynamic and adaptable to shifting circumstances. Intelligence professionals and managers can modify their priorities, collection methods, and analytical approaches to meet the evolving challenges and threats that emerge over time.

Accountability and Oversight

The structured nature of the intelligence cycle enhances both accountability and oversight. It provides the means for agencies and organizations to meticulously track the flow of information, ensuring that processes adhere to transparency, compliance with legal and ethical standards, and rigorous scrutiny.

‍

In summary, the intelligence cycle stands as the cornerstone of intelligence operations, a vital conduit through which intelligence professionals and practitioners fulfill their mission. It is not just an abstract concept but a practical guide, safeguarding national and international security and lending crucial support to decision-makers. By unwaveringly adhering to this cycle, intelligence professionals ensure that timely, accurate, and pertinent information flows into the hands of those who need it most, ultimately shaping a safer world.

However, mastering the intelligence cycle is no easy feat. In today's information-rich landscape, intelligence professionals must grapple with the colossal volumes of data at their disposal. They must navigate through the complexities of a digital age that brings with it the challenge of discerning fact from fiction. Additionally, they must employ rigorous methods to verify the authenticity and reliability of data sources.

It doesn't stop there. Intelligence professionals are not merely data collectors; they are analysts and interpreters. They must make sense of the vast sea of information, connecting the dots, and discerning meaningful patterns and insights within the noise. It's not enough to possess data; one must understand its significance and relevance within the context of intelligence priorities.

The aggregation and summarization of this data into a coherent and comprehensible format for presentation to decision-makers is an art in itself. It demands the ability to distill complex findings into clear, concise, and actionable intelligence reports.

‍

Should you require assistance in setting up operational processes and workflows fo OSINT within your organization, please do not hesitate to contact us directly. You can reach us here.

‍

Find out more about Terry's work at Atreides.

Follow Terry on Twitter.

Connect with Terry on LinkedIn.

Terry, where do you work now and what exactly is it that you do?

I am the Director of Customer Solutions at Atreides. My focus is on improving intelligence capabilities of organisations and analyst teams, which aligns exactly with the focus of Atreides, where we are developing solutions to make intelligence easier. 

The challenge of how to use the vast array of available information without getting overloaded or missing anything important is only increasing for every type of organisation. I use my experience in producing OSINT and in leading analyst teams, as well as training OSINT practitioners, to help clients make sense of the mass of information and derive insights to support decision-making. The platform we’ve created at Atreides is specifically designed to help intelligence teams manage requirements and resources, while also applying complex datasets to address their requirements. 

Can you tell us more about the industry that you are working in?

The core of what we’re doing at Atreides is providing software-as-a-service (SaaS) for intelligence teams. This also extends to providing intelligence support and capability development, including Operational Intelligence training, to a wide range of organisations, both in government and the private sector. It’s hard to define within a single ‘industry’! It’s a combination of software, consulting, and training. 

Every client is different, and I aim to understand their unique requirements and develop solutions that will help them improve how they create and use intelligence. Working with government clients has its own specific challenges, particularly navigating their often-complex procurement processes. Sometimes clients aren’t fully aware of the ‘art of the possible’ with OSINT and they don’t always realise what they can ask for in terms of OSINT support. I think this situation is improving though, particularly with the wide range of case studies that everyone in the OSINT community is producing and sharing.

What skills, knowledge, and background are required to work in your industry?

I tend to think of OSINT as a specialised form of knowledge work, so skills relevant to general knowledge work, i.e. any form of research and analysis, will be relevant. This includes the ability to gather and analyse information, evaluate sources, discern insights, and communicate the findings, addressing the ‘so what?’ question for the audience. The fundamentals remain the same and I’ve found that analysts can make a lot of gains by learning how to use the basic tools of their trade – search engines and MS Office (or equivalents). That might seem boring, but don’t underestimate how important those tools are!

What makes OSINT a little different is that we’re usually aiming to obfuscate our online research for reasons of security. To that end, it helps anyone wanting to enter the OSINT field to develop an understanding of how online information is structured and to adopt appropriate information security measures.  

In your view, what are the top skills/attributes to have for becoming successful in your area?

The most important attributes are to be curious, diligent, and to have a good eye for detail. I used to tell myself that I wasn’t a details person, but once I realised how important the details are, I changed my mindset and that has been vital to all the OSINT work I’ve created. 

In addition, most OSINT or intelligence work is done in small teams, so team-working and collaboration skills are hugely important. And the intelligence is useless if it’s not communicated effectively, which places a premium on writing and briefing skills. 

One attribute / skill that has become more important for me through my career has been management, both of teams and of projects / requirements. Sometimes it seems like managers are going out of fashion, but having good team managers in an intelligence organisation can be the difference between success and failure.

Where and how did you land your first job?

I started my career in government service shortly after 9/11. Back then, I wanted to know what was happening in the world and it seemed like I wasn’t going to find out by reading the news (the Tora Bora caves story is a case in point). 

By the time I switched to a private sector OSINT role in 2008, the proliferation of publicly available information, e.g. social media, made it seem like the world was far more ‘knowable,’ without needing classified information. 

I would go further and say that many analysts working in government find it so hard (even today!) to go online that working in those departments can be more of a hindrance than a help in trying to access all of the available information.

Looking back at how you started and where you are today, what advice do you have for someone who wants to pursue a similar career or even transition to the field you are working in?

I learned a huge amount from starting my career in the public sector, not least because I worked with some amazing colleagues. The training I went through and the experience I gained then has stood me in good stead throughout my career. It’s also helped me to understand the needs of the many government clients I’ve worked with over the years. 

When it comes to OSINT, there are many more resources available now than even a few years ago, so I imagine it could be overwhelming for anyone who is starting out now. It’s worth beginning with some of the many OSINT twitter accounts and YouTube channels to get an idea of what is possible. 

To anyone who wants to transition into OSINT, it’s also worth thinking about which areas you want to apply your skills to, as there’s a wide range of sectors where OSINT skills are relevant. Corporate security, investigations, cyber threat intelligence, to name but a few. Similar skills, but different problem-sets. If you’re tackling a problem that you find interesting it will make a huge difference to how much you enjoy your work.

If you were to hire people in your team, what would you look for? 

People who are curious, adaptable, and have an analytical mindset, with strong critical thinking skills. By the latter, I mean people who can identify the factual details and then consider the ‘how’, ‘why’, ‘so what’, and ‘what next’ questions, while also evaluating the sources, information, and their own assumptions. 

I also look for people who bring a different perspective to me, to challenge my thinking. None of us has a monopoly on the right answers and in OSINT we’re often dealing with situations where there isn’t a right answer. That means we need team members who approach problems from a variety of angles to produce more rounded analysis.

It's a bit of a cliche but being a good team player is something I look for – the ability to collaborate with others requires a good level of empathy and is vital. OSINT is definitely a team sport!

Looking at your career, is there anything you would do differently today if you had the chance to travel back in time?

So many things I don’t know where to start! Making mistakes is part of the journey and I’ve always tried to acknowledge mine and learn from them. I was helped by having some very forgiving colleagues early on. 

There are three things I will mention that could be helpful to others. First, I wish I’d kept up skills that I spent a lot of time learning, especially my language skills, which I didn’t use for most of my career, but have become increasingly important. Likewise with more technical skills – I first learned HTML and web design 20 years ago, but it’s been many years since I created a website!

The second thing is relevant to anyone who delivers OSINT or intelligence training. I would have tried harder to resist client demands to deliver certain types of training without first doing a thorough training needs analysis. This gets overlooked and then you find yourself in a room with a group that has no need for the training you’ve been hired to deliver! 

Third, I would have found work life a lot easier if I’d learned to say no earlier in my career. It’s difficult, especially if the work is particularly interesting, to push back and say you’re overloaded and can’t take on another assignment, but there’s only so long you can go without getting enough sleep before you hit burnout. 

Where and how do you develop yourself professionally?

I’ve always found it useful to look outside of the OSINT field to learn lessons from elsewhere and think about how to apply them to my own work. For example, learning tips from the fields of graphic design and marketing has helped me to improve the quality of briefings and written reports that I’ve delivered.

I think it’s also important to have something to focus on outside of your immediate work. Spending time each week on a hobby or other activity helps give a sense of perspective to professional life that has helped me to improve my performance. 

Are there any websites, books, podcasts, or anything else that you would recommend for professional development (does not have to be OSINT related)?

There’s so many. I listen to a lot of podcasts. The daily FT News Briefing is a really concise round-up of the key global news stories. As my work is focused on intelligence, national security and defence issues, I listen to several related podcasts, e.g. The Convergence – the US Army Mad Scientist podcast, From the Green Notebook, the Centre for Army Leadership podcast, Intelligence Matters, and the Business of Intelligence.

There’s a lot of useful OSINT resources and I follow several organisations and experts on platforms like Linkedin, Twitter, and YouTube, but it’s worth mentioning that you have to be careful with some of the advice that’s available. Always keep in mind the legal and ethical implications of gathering information online.

[End of interview - note this interview has not been edited]

‍

‍

You can connect with Lindsay on LinkedIn.

Lindsay, where do you work now and what exactly is it that you do?

I’m an open source intelligence (OSINT) specialist working in a freelance capacity for a range of clients. 

My work typically involves carrying out research, analysis, and reporting based on publicly available (but hard to find or interpret) information. 

Sometimes the requirement is narrowly defined and seeks to answer a specific question, such as verifying past employment in a due diligence context, tracing a particular asset, or establishing jurisdiction in support of litigation proceedings. At other times, the aim is to gather as much information as possible about a particular organisation or even a whole sector. 

The beauty of being a freelance OSINTer is never knowing what I’m going to be looking at next or where in the world it might take me. It could be mercenaries in Africa, a failed businessperson in Ukraine, or disinformation networks in Germany.

A native English speaker, I also work with Russian and Arabic, which I studied at university and in subsequent employment in the UK and overseas. I also do a little pure language work, including weekly pro bono translations for UK human rights NGO Rights in Russia.

‍

Can you tell us more about the industry that you are working in?

The organisations I support cover corporate investigations, competitive intelligence, litigation finance, and government consulting. So I work in a range of sectors, and each uses open source information in a different way.

OSINT is a little like the Wild West of professional services in that it is a relatively new field and so not fully defined or regulated. 

The market for OSINT services is building fast, and everyone is carving out their own niche within it. What this means is that there are lots of interesting newly created jobs out there, and plenty of scope to define how the work is done. So you have quite a bit of freedom at the moment to chart your own path and build a rewarding career. 

However, there is some misunderstanding around what OSINT actually is, which I think stems from the variety of the work done by its practitioners and the range of skill levels involved.

Similarly, there can be a huge divergence in clients’ expectations. Some think that OSINT involves searching for keywords in a subscription database and that if there’s nothing there, then there’s no more to be done. Others expect you to be able to find private information on anything or anyone instantly. Yet others want analysis with new insights on a field they’ve worked in for decades, and you’ve only just heard of. So it’s important to understand where your client is coming from and what they expect of you.

With the advent of GDPR and trend away from sharing online (in the West, at least), the information landscape is shifting, and the industry and skills required of OSINT analysts may change with it in future. Someone has suggested that OSINT analysts are a little like digital archaeologists of the future in that we’ll have to infer a lot from the remains of people’s past lives online. I suspect that there will always be a need for online sleuthing in some form.

‍

What skills, knowledge, and background are required to work in your industry?

The specific skills needed very much depend on the sort of work involved. I can’t code or scrape to save my life, but I can read an Arabic court decision and use the information to interrogate the UAE business register and compare archived versions of a company website. 

There is a perception that you must be a die-hard techie to work as an OSINTer, and while an understanding of how websites are built does help technically challenged investigators like me to work out when a webpage was last modified, there are plenty of tools out there that can do the job for you.

Well-honed analytical skills are very important to all types of OSINT roles. Investigative reporters and police detectives make great OSINTers. In turn, OSINT skills make for better investigative reporters and police detectives.

A good level of general knowledge is useful, as is having a specialism – depending on the project, of course.

There is a big focus in the OSINT community on tools: which sites are best for a particular task and which website is up or down at the moment. As I said above, the OSINT landscape is ever shifting, and the need to keep up with the latest changes can be overwhelming; in fact, it’s a job in itself, as many experts in the field will know. While I do try to stay on top of key developments, I don’t spend too much of my time reading up on OSINT tools and keeping all my bookmarks up to date. Instead, I maintain a core set of go-to resources and then seek out specific tools for a given assignment. 

Language skills are important, too. Google Translate is improving all the time but still contains bloopers, and it can send you down rabbit holes if not used responsibly. Fluency in multiple languages definitely helps, but if you aren’t multilingual, then having an awareness of how languages work, and the limits of machine translation, can really help.

‍

In your view, what are the top skills/attributes to have for becoming successful in your area?

The first and most important attribute, in my view, is an investigative mindset. That means absorbing and thinking deeply about the requirement, and then applying (or inventing!) the right methodology. Discipline, intellectual rigour, critical thinking, careful note-taking, concentration, and patience are all essential. 

Self-awareness is important, too, if you’re to avoid confirmation bias and maintain objectivity. Freelance OSINTers like me tend to work mostly or entirely alone, so these qualities are key to successful investigations.

There is a great article along these lines called ‘OSINT is a State of Mind’, by Dutch Osint Guy. Although it was written a few years ago, the points made remain relevant, and I highly recommend it as a guide to OSINTers old and new.

Solid report writing skills are vital, too. The ability to distil raw findings into meaningful conclusions that directly answer the client’s questions and (ideally) tell a coherent story is a very important skill.

‍

Where and how did you land your first job?

I was using OSINT without realising it throughout much of my early professional career. As an analyst in government for many years, I routinely drew on open source information, initially to inform my analysis and latterly as a source of reporting in its own right. 

In the months after leaving the civil service, I was introduced through contacts to a couple of small consultancies that specialised in open source research techniques and corporate investigations, and from there I began to build up a portfolio of clients – again, mainly through introductions by existing clients or other professional acquaintances.

‍

Looking back at how you started and where you are today, what advice do you have for someone who wants to pursue a similar career or even transition to the field you are working in?

I would suggest that developing a niche can help you to stand out from the crowd, whether that is having a strong professional or academic record or a distinctive skillset. 

Demonstrating a curiosity about the world and showing that you are passionate about investigations can help in early conversations.

As with many things, networking and endorsements from a well-placed colleague can make all the difference. That’s why I’m very grateful for all the help and encouragement from acquaintances that I’ve had along the way. 

There are lots of excellent resources out there, too, which will help you to build up a knowledge of the OSINT world and stay on top of developments. (See Section 4.) 

Short courses such as those run by the Centre for Investigative Journalism (CIJ) or Bellingcat are a great way to pick up some tips and techniques, interact with seasoned OSINTers, and get a flavour for the sort of work that they do.

‍

If you were to hire people in your team, what would you look for? 

They would have to have an eye for detail, self-discipline, and an inquisitive mind. They would show resilience when faced with investigative obstacles or dead ends. 

Importantly, they would have strong ethics and integrity. As an OSINTer, you are often required to delve deep into a particular person or group of people, and to work on controversial or sensitive topics. The ability to rise above the subject-matter of the investigation and keep sight of the wider regulatory and ethical context is extremely important, and I would want my team to be comprised of people who share that perspective. 

On a practical level, I would want each member of my team to bring something unique, be it deep technical know-how, legal expertise, rare languages, industry contacts, or long experience of managing investigations.

‍

Looking at your career, is there anything you would do differently today if you had the chance to travel back in time?

Firstly, I would seek out an even wider range of clients at an earlier stage of my OSINT career. The most rewarding part of my job today is getting to work on lots of different types of projects from month to month, which enables me to develop old skills and learn new ones, and to work with lots of different people.

Secondly, I would have taken more courses such as those I mention above, at an earlier stage in my career. I prioritised finding work and accepting every assignment over training. I suspect that I could have saved some time by picking up a few tips and tricks in short courses early in my OSINT career, rather than working it all out later on in the field through trial and error.

I would also have prioritised building a network of contacts from the get-go to act as a trusted sounding board or source of expertise.

‍

Where and how do you develop yourself professionally?

The OSINT community is very collaborative and open to knowledge sharing. I follow various thought leaders and experts on social media – Twitter is particularly good for this – and, when time allows, set aside time for self-study. 

Honestly, though, now that I have a good deal of experience under my belt, I do my best learning on the job, by accepting a range of challenging projects, getting exposure to new territories and topics, and working with new clients, who each have their own approaches to research and investigations.

‍

Are there any websites, books, podcasts, or anything else that you would recommend for professional development (does not have to be OSINT related)?

There’s a wealth of great resources out there. Someone at Bellingcat recently put together a useful summary – First Steps to Getting Started in Open Source Research. In particular, I would second the tip to create a separate Twitter list of key OSINT researchers. I find it a great way to dip in and out when I get a spare five minutes.‍

‍

Michael Bazzell’s Open Source Intelligence Techniques (now in its 8th edition) is indispensable as a reference guide – it’s a bit of an OSINT bible. Journalism resources can be very helpful. I mentioned the CIJ. The New York Times, Tools for Reporters, Paul Myers, and First Draft also have some great resources on their websites. Academic sources are worth exploring, too. The Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas, for one, runs some good training. Finally, you can’t go wrong with a subscription to The Economist or Financial Times.

[End of interview]

Note: this interview has not been edited.

Connect with Julia on LinkedIn.

Check out her online investigations agency here.

Julia, where do you work now and what exactly is it that you do?

Since 2012 I have owned and operated the private investigation company, Online Investigations Pty Ltd. As a private investigator no two days are the same, but the cases I will typically find myself working on are locating individuals, conducting background checks, undertaking due diligence, establishing connections between individuals, and uncovering the true identity of anonymous actors online.

The work I do generally has an OSINT component - whether that be initial research or an essential part of the investigation - that goes towards solving the problem.

Can you tell us more about the industry that you are working in?

The private investigation industry is essentially an overarching term for an incredibly diverse range of speciality areas within the field of investigation.  For example, there are investigators who have expertise in surveillance, fraud, forensics, interviewing, genealogy etc. 

As a full service agency, we hold relationships with investigators holding each of these different skills across the globe who we can call upon when the need arises.  

What skills, knowledge, and background are required to work in your industry?

Depending where you live, it is highly likely there will be some form of licensing requirement to operate as a private investigator in your area. Obtaining a licence will show you’re an individual of good standing and you’ve undertaken some form of investigation training. From there it comes down to the individual themselves to either continue their own independent training or align themselves with an experienced investigation company for on the job training.

In your view, what are the top skills/attributes to have for becoming successful in your area?

Someone with a curious mind, who can think outside the box, accepts they will never know everything and leaves their ego at the door.

Where and how did you land your first job?

From a young age I had always aspired to be a Police Officer, so my investigation career began when I entered the Police Force at 20 years old. My interest in the online investigation world when I left the Police and started working as a corporate investigator in the United Kingdom.

Moving to Melbourne, Australia the two methods of old school and modern day investigation collided when I started my own private investigation company.

Looking back at how you started and where you are today, what advice do you have for someone who wants to pursue a similar career or even transition to the field you are working in?

Given how diverse the private investigation world is, it’s very difficult to recommend a particular course or area of study if someone wanted to transition into this field. As a gauge to see if this field is of interest I would recommend following the #osint hashtag on Twitter, participating in Trace Labs events and undertaking your own amateur investigations online to try and develop your own methodologies and techniques.

Then it’s understanding your local State requirements for becoming a licensed investigator.

If you were to hire people in your team, what would you look for? 

I regularly receive resumes and emails from people interested in working with me.  While I have no issue with this, something I would prefer to see over a resume are clear examples of how they solved a problem using OSINT. 

There are so many practice examples people can find online and although there is usually one answer there are multiple methods of solving it.  That’s what I am interested in understanding – how an individual approaches a problem and the steps they took to solve it.  

Looking at your career, is there anything you would do differently today if you had the chance to travel back in time?

Of course! In saying that though the digital landscape changes so much there are ongoing opportunities to explore other avenues, learn different techniques and network with people from a varied range of industries.   

Where and how do you develop yourself professionally?

The first thing I do in the morning is check the #osint hashtag on Twitter.  It’s by far the easiest way to keep an eye on the latest sites, tools and techniques being widely used and recommended.  

Are there any websites, books, podcasts, or anything else that you would recommend for professional development (does not have to be OSINT related)?

It would be remiss of me not to mention my own podcast ‘Chasing Charlie’ here. This was a case I worked on for seven years chasing a global conman around the world using OSINT as my main investigation tool. 

[End of interview]

Note: this interview has not been edited.

‍

J, where do you work now and what exactly is it that you do?

I am an Investigator for a non-profit, investigating crimes, threats or frauds against our organization, staff or supporters in multiple countries.

Can you tell us more about the industry that you are working in?

Global non-profit focused on poverty alleviation, humanitarian and disaster relief.

What skills, knowledge, and background are required to work in your industry?

I had 18+ years of law enforcement experience before taking this job.  I worked in 2 different major U.S. cities and specialized in gang and organized crime group intelligence gathering and reconnaissance.  During that career, I learned early on to use the internet and open-source assets for gathering intelligence data and helpful images.  

I later learned it was called “OSINT”, lol.  I am now C|OSINT certified as well as certified in several OSINT related disciplines (Advanced SOCMINT, etc) through private education programs or training provided by grant funded programs.

In your view, what are the top skills/attributes to have for becoming successful in your area?

Think outside the box.  Far too many new investigators get stuck in “Google everything mode”.  Learn how to search the rest of the internet, not just Google’s results.

For me, learning Boolean search methods and even Google dorks was a major change to my level of information gathering success.

Switching browsers for getting different results, keeping yourself protected with VPNs and sock puppet accounts is crucial…learn how to create a sock puppet from your peers, there is a ton of training in just this area alone from the world’s best OSINT practitioners, and this will keep you much safer.  

Burner phones and using a Linux based OS don’t hurt either, in my opinion.

Where and how did you land your first job?

My current role was a fluke. I was familiar with the organization and decided to see if they had a corporate security team. Low and behold, they did, and they happened to be hiring.

I wanted to finish my law enforcement career, so I applied. My first role was in the corporate security function, but I was eventually moved into a higher-level role as a full time investigator.

I pretty much had to invent my roles over these last few years, there were no such jobs within this organization at the time I was hired. OSINT, and proving OSINT’s value as a budget friendly approach were key in my success in doing this.

Looking back at how you started and where you are today, what advice do you have for someone who wants to pursue a similar career or even transition to the field you are working in?

Get your skill sets under your belt first. I had to discover OSINT out of necessity and work backwards in building out my role and new career.

The free and low-cost classes online are worth it and help build that resume. I should note I am the rare OSINT professional who does not know how to code… but I have found an ample supply of tools out there, created by smart folks to help a non-coder do everything you need for OSINT, you just gotta vet out those resources and make the budget work for your employer (or personal budget if you are freelance/contracting).

Follow the experts in the field on social media (Twitter is a must) and their newsletters; they are the best group of professionals out there (Henk van Ess, Lorand Bodo, Niko Dekens, Jake Creps, etc.).

Participate in the Capture the Flag events as well, get those skills sharpened and learn how your peers “find the flags”, they are a huge inspiration and resource.

If you were to hire people in your team, what would you look for? 

• Strong internet and social media skills.
• Experience in deciphering legal or court documents is essential.  
• Understanding source codes for emails and webpages would be helpful.
• Finding that “needle in the haystack” is crucial, I want someone who looks past the surface and finds those cracks, uncovering the real mystery beneath, which usually leads to the truth/suspect/reportable findings.

Looking at your career, is there anything you would do differently today if you had the chance to travel back in time?

I would have put more emphasis on learning technical/computer skills. I went to college to learn the why and how of criminal behaviours in the context of major crimes (homicide and other physical, deviant criminal behaviours) because those were the high profile cases in the criminal justice world back then.

I failed to spend enough time thinking most crimes were going to be committed from behind a computer screen in the 21st Century.

Where and how do you develop yourself professionally?

I take all the classes I can find. I also follow the OSINT community on Twitter, LinkedIn and so on. I subscribe to newsletters from not just OSINT groups, but investigative journalist groups, private investigation forums and law enforcement partnership groups (such as the FBI’s public-private partnership initiative) as well.

In training and development, again, think outside the box…find groups of journalists, fraud investigators, forensic analysts who post or publish content related to investigative methods…they are all using OSINT now and have a wealth of information to share.  

I also catalogue everything in a start.me page, it is much easier than bookmarking sites and never finding them again.

Are there any websites, books, podcasts, or anything else that you would recommend for professional development (does not have to be OSINT related)?

Any book by Michael Bazzell, get it.  “Open Source Intelligence Techniques” is the first book you should buy.

I like sites and resources by OSINTCurio.us, NixIntel, Hunchly and the SANS Institute. While I am certified by the McAfee Institute, their classes are not for everyone, especially anyone who can code and operate tools like Spiderfoot, etc.

I also subscribe to the Boolean Strings, Bellingcat and GIJN newsletters.

‍

[End of interview - note this interview has not been edited]

Connect with Gareth on LinkedIn.

Gareth, where do you work now and what exactly is it that you do?

I have built and now manage a small team at a major pharmaceutical firm that provide insight and intelligence support to the Global Security team and its stakeholders.

Can you tell us more about the industry that you are working in?

Corporate security has long been a feature of Pharma, given the industry’s size and scope. Intelligence teams, depending on the company range from being well established to reasonably new. It’s a growing capability within Pharma companies and I’ve seen intelligence teams support physical security, travel security, investigations, personnel security, insider threat, business continuity and more.  

The work I do is mainly limited to supporting various aspects of physical security and investigations.

What skills, knowledge, and background are required to work in your industry?

I think the skills and experience required for corporate intelligence teams map across industries.

Most of my professional colleagues are split into two categories:

• Former public sector intelligence professionals from the military, law enforcement or intelligence community
• Graduates who’ve undertaken study in such fields as security, intelligence and international relations

Certainly at the mid - higher levels, a background in intelligence analysis and reporting are required, be that from service in the public sector or within a corporate intelligence environment. However, at the entry level, the basics required could have been obtained from a university degree or indeed, another sector in which critical thinking and report writing is undertaken.

In your view, what are the top skills/attributes to have for becoming successful in your area?

This really depends on what the corporate intelligence team are set up to do. Some of the skills within me and my team include:

• Intelligence analysis
• Exemplary report writing
• Ability to reduce complexity into concise meaningful insight
• Experience using data and data analysis software
• Open source and advanced open source research techniques
• Understanding of global security issues
• Horizon scanning – ability to see, quantify and describe threat and resulting risk
• Experience with common software platforms – ability to quickly adapt to new software
• An inquisitive mindset
• Stakeholder management
• Project management and workflow prioritisation skills
  

Where and how did you land your first job?

My first job was in teaching.

My first intelligence and security job was gained through joining the British Military.

Looking back at how you started and where you are today, what advice do you have for someone who wants to pursue a similar career or even transition to the field you are working in?

Don’t rule out anything. Even if you think you’re not suited. Apply for everything.

Get out there and interview – you never know what opportunities have in store and at worst, you’ve practiced your interview technique.

If you were to hire people in your team, what would you look for? 

• Quick thinking and ability to see two and three steps ahead – what does this mean, how does it affect us and what could we do next.
• Excellent presentation and report writing skills.
• Ability to reduce complex issues into short, concise insights
  

Looking at your career, is there anything you would do differently today if you had the chance to travel back in time?

I’d have started my career in the military a lot sooner!

Where and how do you develop yourself professionally?

The internet is a wonderful place for development. Much excellent training is free. However, it’s no substitute (at the start of your career) for formal training in intelligence.  

Are there any websites, books, podcasts, or anything else that you would recommend for professional development (does not have to be OSINT related)?

• The business of intelligence podcast
• The Breadcrumbs podcast
• Intelligence matters podcast
  

Books:

• Structured analytical techniques for intelligence analysts
• The internet intelligence and investigations handbook
• Psychology of Intelligence Analysis
• Reasoning for Intelligence Analysts
• The Thinker's Tool Kit
• Cases in Intelligence Analysis
• Risk (McCrystal) 
  

‍

Useful information sources (in no particular order):

https://osintframework.com/

https://rr.reuser.biz/

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/18rtqh8EG2q1xBo2cLNyhIDuK9jrPGwYr9DI2UncoqJQ/htmlview

https://www.crisisgroup.org/

https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/

https://centralops.net/co/

‍https://acleddata.com/#/dashboard

‍https://www.gdeltproject.org/

and many many more!.....

‍

There are a multitude of courses out there.Do link up with me on LinkedIn if you'd like recommendations, any more info on the above or just a chin wag!

‍

[End of interview]

Connect with Dean on LinkedIn.

Dean, where do you work now and what exactly is it that you do?

I work at Skopenow (www.skopenow.com) as a Solution Architect. In this position I work within the space between Product Management, Sales and Customer Services as a SME (Subject Matter Expert) in the Insurance and Private Investigation business sectors. 

This position allows me to help customers effectively use the platform to complete their investigations into social media and open-source data sets. I focus on helping users consider the surrounding factors on their use case, use available data on how to locate, document and preserve the most materially relevant data for their cases or investigations which can involve persons, businesses, or combinations of both.  

Can you tell us more about the industry that you are working in?

Skopenow (www.skopenow.com) is a privately held SaaS (Software as a Service) company working within business, government, and non-profit entities in the OSINT (Open-Source Intelligence) sector.

What skills, knowledge, and background are required to work in your industry?

It depends on the company and the industry involved. The skills can range from extremely technical expertise to those with softer skills like training and learning aid creation. An extreme interest in technology, change, and early adoption of constantly changing TTPs (Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures) along with a healthy curiosity into the topics and areas of your expertise are crucial. A reasonable period of direct experience in the industries involved is usually necessary. Depending on the position, prior experience could involve computer science education, coding, and project-based work. Having teamwork, interpersonal and customer service skills are crucial as those will likely form a large part of daily work within most positions.

‍

In your view, what are the top skills/attributes to have for becoming successful in your area?

I joined Skopenow in July so I would hold my opinion until I had more experience to provide a better-informed response.

‍

Where and how did you land your first job?

My first professional position was with Liberty Mutual in California after leaving college. I was trained to handle insurance claims as an adjuster for commercial lines of business specific to Workers’ Compensation, General Liability, Bodily Injury and Property Damage claims. I worked with businesses of moderate to large size with UPS, IBM, General Mills, JCPenney, Red Lobster/Olive Garden, Red Lion Hotels as accounts I handled for claims.

This was a formative time in how to work effectively with others in a high stress, high volume, complex environment with exposure to different topics in contract law, medical treatment, legal concepts (Civil, Administrative and Criminal) and business communication areas.  I started in business when email, PCs and voicemail did not exist. Making contacts during this time and navigating Fortune 100 corporate life were skills I would use later.  

The biggest take away was how to investigate, document, argue and present findings on accident, injury, and property damage claims. This could involve verification, payment, denial, or reduction of benefits or damages. I was involved in policy and claim related legal activities such as discovery process, depositions, appearing at court, attending settlement conferences, and resolution of claims or lawsuits. 

This occurred within an office environment but also “on the road” about 30-60% of the time.  From talking to injured workers, employers, law enforcement, witnesses and reviewing reports resulting from the incidents all helped form the experience and my mindset going forward.

Looking back at how you started and where you are today, what advice do you have for someone who wants to pursue a similar career or even transition to the field you are working in?

Get your education or experience plan together. Talk to people in the industry you are interested in.  Seek internship to expand your knowledge. Consider volunteer activity in the area you are interested in.  Leverage the internet and social media to both follow people and concepts you have an interest in. Take advantage of learning how to do research, write effectively, present in public and think critically.  There are many paths here, and it is dependent on interests, capabilities, and resources.

Consider academic training, the military and self-study on topics of interest.  Another key area is to pursue interests outside of your chosen area to get a larger perspective of the world, community, and yourself.  This will only help you see things in a deeper way and make connections.  Also, the human element of building networks of friends, colleagues, mentors, and people who are SMEs (Subject Matter Expert) is crucial for future opportunities and learning.  Last, is being flexible to situations you find yourself part of.  Learning and understanding can come from many areas of life, situations, and people.  

If you were to hire people in your team, what would you look for? 

I would hire a team of intellectually curious, motivated, and thoughtful people who can anticipate second and third order effects from decisions, actions, or outcomes. I prefer flexibility and consider a sense of humour to be an asset but there are many talents I appreciate such as divergent views/thinking to fill out the team. Everyone can bring their talents to teams but having a safe place to shine as an individual with a team mindset is what I would foster.  

Looking at your career, is there anything you would do differently today if you had the chance to travel back in time?

I would have also focused on psychology and computer science more in college. I am in the US and would have considered a stint or career in Intelligence or Analysis with the Military or Federal Law Enforcement. I think those opportunities would have fit well in my future based on what I know now.

‍

Where and how do you develop yourself professionally?

This has primarily been through courses in the business area I worked in. I would attend training and certification classes in the anti-fraud space in the Insurance industry. I would also seek out formal training by way of college course work that is available through tuition reimbursement scenarios at employers.  I attended Crime and Intelligence Analysis courses at the University level, but also completed self-study for designations or licenses in my industry such as FCLS (Fraud Claim Law Specialist), CIFI (Certified Insurance Fraud Investigator), PI (Private Investigator License), CIFA (Certified Insurance Fraud Analyst) and CFE (Certified Fraud Examiner).  

Additionally, I read SME books or content to maintain or increase my knowledge base such as those of Michael Bazzell, Cynthia Hetherington, and other technically proficient experts.  I maintain daily, weekly, and monthly monitoring of topics of interest in the OSINT, SIU (Special Investigation Unit) and hacking communities.  Last, I attend industry conferences and build my professional networks on LinkedIn to maintain a stable of resources that I can call up on when I have issues, I need help with. 

Are there any websites, books, podcasts, or anything else that you would recommend for professional development (does not have to be OSINT related)?

Definitely. Most can be found using simple OSINT keyword or #osint search terms.  

Michael Bazzell, Cynthia Hetherington, Toddington, SANS, etc. are all excellent resources.  There are too many other to list. I believe researching your own sources, contacts and materials based on your specific use case is important.  What are you trying to solve? Who do you work for? What are your interests and capabilities?  All these considerations can help to guide you in directions that you may find relevant.  

I also pay attention to media stories, movies, articles, documentaries, and current events to see how OSINT is used (or abused) by people to get information, influence, manipulate or research something.  

Last, I think trying to engage with like-minded people who have similar interests is beyond helpful but you should seek out information from several areas so you can remain open to all possibilities.

[End of interview]

Note: this interview has not been edited.

Connect with Carolina on LinkedIn.

Visit the Anti-Human Trafficking Intelligence Initiative (ATII) here.

Carolina, where do you work now and what exactly is it that you do?

At present, I am the Head of Research and CSAM Investigations at the Anti-Human Trafficking Intelligence Initiative, where I work in close partnership with national and international law enforcement authorities by supporting them in ongoing investigations. Every CSAM investigation conducted in partnership with ATII is being equally researched for actionable intelligence indicators, so that we can better inform our Law Enforcement Authorities and also gather valuable input from them. CSAM Analytics - translate a CSAM Researcher’s job like that.

Can you tell us more about the industry that you are working in?

ATII has two specific focus: The fight against Human Trafficking and the fight against CSAM, both of which we work in strong cooperation with Law Enforcement Authorities, as also with the OSINT and Finance Intelligence partners. Our investigations are powered by our professional teams of volunteers at the OSINT, Financial Intelligence and other Teams level, as also constantly helped by Hades, a Dark Web software that ATII has developed for this specific purpose.

What skills, knowledge, and background are required to work in your industry?

The intelligence career is not a background-specific one. I, for example, was raised at the Law School - where I bring my analytics, my sense of legality and my current methodology from. 

Working with intelligence means being able to walk a great part of our career path by yourself, specially when it comes to analytics. Because the intelligence environment is highly volatile, anyone working with CSAM Research (and consequently with CSAM Intelligence) must be a constant learner. 

Notwithstanding, having someone to guide you through the intelligence route is something that can be decisive - and I had, personally, had the great chance of having some great intelligence mentors during my career, and to whom I am extremely grateful. My mentors remain, until today, my first point of reference when it comes to self-development.

For me, being mentored by someone else who is already working in the field is something I would highly advise, even though I would not set it as a “requirement”. 

In terms of skills, one of the most valuable skills one of my mentors taught me is that a good analyst does not panic: (s)he looks for alternatives. Adaptability thus remains, in my view, an indispensable skill. 

In your view, what are the top skills/attributes to have for becoming successful in your area?

1. Strong operational security knowledge (OPSEC) 

2. Great analytical and abstraction capacity 

3. Problem-solving thinking 

Where and how did you land your first job?

My CSAM Researcher career was born at University of São Paulo (Brazil) Law School and during my second year as an undergraduate, with a Research Project of mine being selected for public funding in August 2017. This research report and its follow-ups gained a prominence I wasn’t absolutely expecting: Suddenly, I started to stand out for the very specific and unique research I was doing. 

Following the advice of a foreign professor who was delighted by the innovative approach of my work, I started translating into English and publishing in a channel of high circulation (LinkedIn) - which brought it to an international audience. 

Looking back at how you started and where you are today, what advice do you have for someone who wants to pursue a similar career or even transition to the field you are working in?

1. Find where the gaps are 

2. Study (in depth) methodology. 

3. Be transparent with Law Enforcement Authorities about what is it that you are doing and keep the communication open.

4.  Do not break any laws

5.  Keep your operational security practice up to date

6. Keep the good diplomacy

If you were to hire people in your team, what would you look for? 

A problem-solving mindset, a great analytical capacity, an adequate sense of discretion and an untouchable ethical integrity. 

Looking at your career, is there anything you would do differently today if you had the chance to travel back in time?

I would have start learning “how to code” earlier.

Where and how do you develop yourself professionally?

I have daily “to-read” lists, and I take a time of my day to learn something new every day. This can be, for example, a Coursera new Course, a new law that was just published or an interesting report that someone has just sent me through LinkedIn. 

Important is not where and how one develops oneself professionally, but the fact that one is constantly looking forward to learning something new.

Are there any websites, books, podcasts, or anything else that you would recommend for professional development (does not have to be OSINT related)?

Articles: 

My LinkedIn articles, which can be found in my LinkedIn page (linked above)

Books: 

Beyond Tolerance: Child Pornography on the Internet by Philipp Jenkins 

Silk Road by Eileen Ormsby

The Darkest Web by Eileen Ormsby

Podcasts: 

Safe to Net (https://safetonet.com/)

CatFish Cops (https://catfishcops.com/)

[End of interview]

Note: this interview has not been edited.

Follow Ben on Twitter

Follow Ben on LinkedIn

Check out Ben's OSINT at home YouTube tutorials

Check out the Russia-Ukraine Monitor Map

Learn more about the Centre for Information Resilience

‍‍‍

Briefly tell us how you’ve ended up where you are now, professionally.

When I really think about it, the position that I am in now within the open source community isn’t due to specific skills, techniques or much at all to do with open source, but really it boils down to four specific things:

Hard work and persistence. Open source investigative work involves heavy digging over long periods of time and often doing quite repetitive work. Amidst that you also have to keep up with new skills and sharpen your axe over and over again.  

Obsessive and opportunistic. Many brilliant investigators I have known have been borderline obsessive about their work. There’s no glorifying my personal story with open source, while it could look successful on the surface, I have sacrificed social relationships, sleep, skipped seeing family, avoided holidays and worked weekends all in the bid to work harder and do more.

Storytelling. Some of the investigations I’ve worked on or collaborated with in the past have never resonated due to their complexities or intricacies of ‘assumed knowledge’ but learning to tell stories and shape your investigations or findings into ‘why is this important’ has helped me a lot.

Time management. Learning this has been the one strength I have in limiting burnout, prioritising tasks, and getting large volumes of work done.

What is the best 3 pieces of advice you could give to someone looking to move into your industry?

Pick a very niche skill and master it. There are a lot of generalist investigators moving into this field at a rapid pace, many of whom have done familiarisation courses and training to learn OSINT and open source investigations, but to make a real stamp on this industry it’s helpful to choose a specialisation and master it. Watch courses and tutorials on YouTube, use Udemi, textbooks from university courses, ask your friends in IT, GIS, intelligence, conflict studies and others what they learn and use all of that to master your niche.

Don’t try to do everything. I often tell investigators in my teams that if they chase many chickens, they will catch none. But if they plan, assess, watch and chase one chicken, they will catch it. The focus should be not on doing everything, but on getting products (like reports, twitter threads, presentations) completed.

Don’t follow concrete frameworks. One of the biggest flaws I have seen in very large organisations and departments in open source is a ritualised framework of approach to investigations whereby processes are followed by the letter. With the rapid advent of technology and ever changing tactics of threat actors, a framework developed by someone two years ago is not going to be successful in an investigation today. Of course, linear workflows and steps are great, but make sure you’re not applying an ‘if this, then that’ approach. For some of these frameworks, when a new brick wall is put in place, you need to be a bit creative to learn how to climb over it.

If you could have done something different along the way, what would it be?

I wish I learned time management earlier. Using programs such as ToDoIst to prioritise tasks, dedicate time and stop myself from spending unnecessary time on doing things such as crawling through a desert on Google Earth just to find one image that isn’t really important. I also use the Pomodoro technique a lot to ‘block’ periods of time, take breaks and reassess where I am at in my research or project.

What are some of the day to day tasks associated with your role?

There’s a number of facets to the role as a director of investigations, management is definitely one. Managing open source teams requires developing specific case knowledge, building a creative approach to investigations, and knowing how investigations can be visualised.

But more than that, it’s about getting products moved from initial research to a publication and working with teams to get those investigations maturing into final products. This means there’s a lot of ‘jumping’ into investigations teams when there’s problems and having flexibility and experience to sort those problems and help teams find solutions.

Of course, while being in management, I am still an investigator at heart and specifically driven to create mapping products with data and see them used in a bigger setting – which for many of our projects involves informing media, supporting justice and accountability measures, sanctions and combatting hostile narratives.

So whether it’s a specific geolocation using Google Earth, Sentinel or commercial satellite platforms, or whether it’s mapping data using Maphub, Gephi, or QGIS to make new findings and new trends then I am in there at the coalface chipping away at the data and translating that to give data new meaning.

What is the hardest part of your role - either specifically or more generally?

One of my core roles is the management task of ‘putting out fires’, solving problems and challenges faced by teams and coming up with solutions in open source investigations. It’s also what I enjoy the most as well, as these pressure-driven environments where challenges are faced often result in the most creative or inspiring approaches and are a breeding ground for new techniques and findings.

In your recent work on the situation in Eastern Europe, what sources have you used most often?

For Ukraine, our sources have varied. First and foremost is the footage filmed by people in Ukraine and neighbouring countries. We’re getting most of this footage from Telegram, Twitter and TikTok. Of course, much of our sourcing also comes from satellite imagery as well, so we have been heavily reliant upon good imagery from Planet, using both their daily coverage as well as high resolution imagery to identify Russian firing positions, movements and tracking Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but also imagery form Sentinel Hub, Maxar and others. Geospatial data we’re using also comes from NASA FIRMS, population data and others to give us a full picture of what’s happening in Ukraine.

The other aspect of sources come from niche points, for example, we’re tracking a lot of CCTV footage of Russian forces along roads, highways and even where they are setting up their bases and using intercepted signals. These specific sources are vital when it comes to the attribution of showing what unit was where and when.

Describe how you’d go about validating sources

For us, sources are visual. That’s where we are really relying on the evidence for almost all of the work we do – visual evidence. So in that respect, we test that source in multiple ways to put it under pressure and see if it withstands that scrutiny, such as testing the location against satellite imagery, testing the time to see when it was taken and scrutinising what is actually seen in the image or video, so that there are no assumptions, just facts.

What we’re doing through this process is creating a database of reliable and verified sources of evidence, so that further work can be done by threading those sources together in cases to further test their veracity and provenance.

One of the important aspects we also question is how information is being shared, and why is it being shared. In these geopolitical environments, and especially in conflicts, narratives are being injected into the information space to distort truths and bend information – so we question every source to identify why something might be shared, and test that source for intention.

What are some of the most common intelligence questions asked by your customers/stakeholders?

What we’ve seen among stakeholders in some areas that we’ve worked in is a misunderstanding of definitions of our workflows or products. For example, in some areas when we speak about verification of footage we’ve had stakeholders assume we’re contacting the original uploader of footage and asking them where they filmed it to verify the footage instead of geolocating the footage with satellite imagery. While that’s an understandable assumption – it is not what we do and not what we consider to be independent verification.

This same lack of definitions is also seen in the aspect of influence operations, where we have seen numerous points of misunderstanding about terms such as ‘bots’, ‘inauthentic behaviour’ and ‘disinformation’. I won’t go into those terms, but in producing reports and investigations, while it might appear to be repetitive, it is important to define those terms rather than assuming an audience has the same knowledge.

What pieces of advice would you give to practitioner who are looking at the current situation?

Don’t learn how to do something, learn how to not do something wrong. With the advent of new tools and new data coming out at a rapid pace, it’s all well and good knowing how to use it or how to do cool tricks. But this can cause big mistakes if you read and interpret the data wrong. So having that mental ‘red teaming’ of every new skill you pick up is quite important given the rapid amount of data we’re consuming as professionals in this space.

Never publicly guess. OSINT and open source techniques are becoming very popular very quick, especially over the past few years. Many experienced practitioners in the field have some level of influence and a following in the industry and can have an impact when they make a guess or an assumption about data – it’s good to remember that before publishing anything.  

Take care of your mental health and get some daily movement.

What method do you use to categorize and synthesize all the information?

Spreadsheets and a good traffic light system. It’s kind of like taking a massive bag of skittles, throwing them all over a table and then sorting into colours and looking at which one you have the most of. In a spreadsheet, I like to traffic light everything from red to green for priority, violence level, follow up and more. For some of our projects we have more than 30 columns of categories and tags.

Once that’s all in a nice spreadsheet format, and the same types of tags and markers are used, then synthesising information can be a dream. For example, doing mass geolocations on a country, and then using spreadsheet filters to filter results down to a location, time and actor is such a useful analysis of important data.

[note: this interview has not been edited]

Learn more about Tech Against Terrorism.

Learn more about the Terrorism Content Analytics Platform.

Follow Arthur on Twitter.

Connect with Arthur on LinkedIn.

Arthur, where do you work now and what exactly is it that you do?

I work at Tech Against Terrorism, a not-for-profit based in London. We’re a public-private partnership supported by the UN’s Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate (UNCTED) that works to support the tech industry in responding to terrorist exploitation of the internet, whilst respecting human rights. We prioritise work with smaller tech companies, who often do not have sufficient capacity or resources to deal with the threat they face. Our work spans across three main areas: policy, research, and OSINT. 

The OSINT team’s primary responsibility is to track and disrupt terrorist use of the internet. The intelligence that we produce helps to inform Tech Against Terrorism’s policy guidance for tech platforms & the public sector in terms of counter-terrorism response. 

Another key part of my role is the Terrorist Content Analytics Platform (TCAP). The TCAP combines human-led OSINT investigations with automated web scraping to identify and verify terrorist content on tech platforms, before sending alerts to companies to facilitate its removal. Since we launched at the end of 2020, we’ve identified more than 22,000 unique URLs containing terrorist content and sent alerts to almost 70 tech companies. On average more than 90% of flagged content is removed in the days following our alert. 

Can you tell us more about the industry that you are working in?

Tech Against Terrorism sits across a range of industries and sectors, including government, tech, security intelligence, law enforcement, academia, and international peacekeeping. The intelligence produced by our OSINT team aims to inform decisions for stakeholders in all these sectors. We do publish some of our work publicly, but most of it is produced privately for our stakeholders. 

What skills, knowledge, and background are required to work in your industry?

1. Strong knowledge of (and adherence to) best Opsec practice 
2. Ability to identify and verify information from a wide range of niche social media sites 
3. Specialist understanding of terrorist ideologies, groups, networks and their online manifestations 
4. Coding ability (R, Python etc) a big plus but not essential
   

Typical background for those working in this field would include: security intelligence, academia, government/military, risk consultancy.

In your view, what are the top skills/attributes to have for becoming successful in your area?

Communication skills (verbal and written) are key. We spend a lot of our time writing reports & delivering presentations for stakeholders – particularly the ability to distil complex findings or topics into digestible formats for different audiences. 

Problem solving ability; willingness to take on new challenges & step outside of your comfort zone. 

Where and how did you land your first job?

My first full-time position in this industry came around a year after graduating from a masters in counterterrorism: I eventually landed a job as a junior analyst at a London-based security intelligence consultancy called Risk Advisory (now called Dragonfly). The job was two-fold: I worked on an incident database called TerrorismTracker, which records all terrorist attacks and plots recorded in verified open sources globally. The other side of my role involved tracking and analysing terrorist propaganda on the internet. This was in part for the terrorism database, but my findings also fed into analytical intelligence reports for the company’s reporting service called SIAS (Security Intelligence and Analysis Service). 

Prior to getting that position I did a variety of part-time research assistant jobs (one of which was unpaid) alongside hospitality work, for around a year during and after graduating from my Masters. It was hard finding a full-time job after university and took me almost a year. But I do also think I was being quite picky. I got lucky with the Risk Advisory job in that my undergrad dissertation, which was on IS propaganda, correlated closely with the job role. I don’t remember where I first saw the job ad, but I applied online in the usual way.

Looking back at how you started and where you are today, what advice do you have for someone who wants to pursue a similar career or even transition to the field you are working in?

When I’d graduated and was struggling to find a full-time position I made a conscious effort to work on things for myself – getting articles etc out there is good self-promotion & also good ammunition for interviews. 

Also, looking back at the variety of different jobs I’ve worked I can see in retrospect how each helped me to get to the next stage in terms of skills – it’s all part of the progression. This includes work in completely different industries like hospitality during and after my degrees. 

Also, this definitely isn’t new advice – but network!

If you were to hire people in your team, what would you look for? 

Key attributes would be: investigative ability, coding skills, subject-matter expertise re. terrorism & extremism, strong writing skills

Looking at your career, is there anything you would do differently today if you had the chance to travel back in time?

If I’m honest I’ve become an OSINT specialist by accident. I got into it via my interest in terrorism and extremism, which began in my history undergrad where I focused on far-right extremism in my final year. It was only when I landed my first full-time CT job some years later when I got involved in tracking terrorists online – then it wasn’t until even later that I started using the term “OSINT” to describe the work I was doing. If I could do it again I’d have: 

1. Built up technical skills much earlier on via training etc 
2. Invested more time in learning languages

Where and how do you develop yourself professionally?

Online! There are so many free guides / materials out there for those looking to pick up new skills.

Are there any websites, books, podcasts, or anything else that you would recommend for professional development (does not have to be OSINT related)?

If you haven’t already, I’d recommend getting on Twitter. It’s a great place to keep up to date with all the latest news, analysis etc. If completely new to it, I’d suggest subscribing to (or creating) a list for OSINT-related people and accounts. 

Other more specific recommendations: 

• The Tech Against Terrorism podcast (https://open.spotify.com/show/4Er6MOI76Qyj89atXq1Yrw?si=8b36e221b4ef419b) 
• Tech Against Terrorism’s weekly digest (https://techagainstterrorism.us16.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=9958bf01daadf358ecc698af8&id=cb464fdb7d) 
• CTC Sentinel 
• The Lawfare Podcast (https://www.lawfareblog.com/topic/lawfare-podcast) 
• The World of Intelligence (Janes Podcast) https://open.spotify.com/show/00YnC7VESPyjXWUDafDnvP?si=9359f218aa974aef
• Osinttechniques.com 

[End of interview - note this interview has not been edited]

‍

Connect with Anne-Lynn on Twitter & LinkedIn.

To learn more about her current employer, visit HENSOLDT Analytics.

Anne-Lynn, where do you work now and what exactly is it that you do?

I am currently employed by HENSOLDT Analytics, a global leader in OSINT, artificial intelligence, automatic speech recognition and media monitoring & analysis. Essentially, HENSOLDT Analytics offers one complete OSINT media monitoring solution. It is my job to use and improve this software for our various intelligence analyses. In this capacity, I analyse ongoing conflicts, crises, and other topics (e.g., migration, election monitoring, etc.).

Can you tell us more about the industry that you are working in?

Open-source intelligence is increasingly combined with a lot of other intelligence technologies such as geospatial intelligence, measurement and signature intelligence, human intelligence, and signal intelligence. Furthermore, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and big data analytics have opened new horizons for OSINT which weren’t previously available.

Intelligence analysts, including myself, are now in the position to identify trends, interpret aggregate data, and investigate certain narratives/situations via in-depth research and analysis. 

While I have specialised in counterterrorism and conflict analysis, actionable OSINT is also a very valuable tool for politics, natural disaster management, critical infrastructure protection, business intelligence or public health surveillance. Hence, it is imperative to keep up with this ever-evolving landscape. 

What skills, knowledge, and background are required to work in your industry?

I think what helped me greatly is that I had worked in counterterrorism research and analysis before, and as an analyst for the law enforcement sector. It also helped that I had some of my research published, which illustrated my experience and skill sets to potential employers. Then, the “usual” is required: sharp analysis skills, report drafting, project management, OSINT training experience, etc. 

I hold two master’s degrees: (1) MA in Genocide Studies, Uppsala University, and (2) MSC in Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Oxford. During my MSc at the University of Oxford, I specialised in counterterrorism and radicalisation research. The latter included a focus on online radicalisation in youths. This has helped me to stand my ground in interview situations, even when I had just finished university.

In your view, what are the top skills/attributes to have for becoming successful in your area?

I believe that you should bring two characteristics to the table:

(1) be a fast learner;

(2) be curious - just for the sake of it. The first allows you to catch up to speed quickly, and the latter will help you to keep up with all kinds of inventions/tools/developments.

Where and how did you land your first job?

Despite having completed several internships, it took me almost a year to land my first job within the industry that aligned with my studies. In the meantime, I worked in marketing. This way, I could gather new skills but also finance my job search.

I eventually landed a job with the criminal police in Berlin, as an OSINT analyst. I supported their ongoing investigations and built up the OSINT research section within the department. It was a great first opportunity.

Looking back at how you started and where you are today, what advice do you have for someone who wants to pursue a similar career or even transition to the field you are working in?

1. Make sure to advance your skill set even if you are not yet employed. You can either complete online courses, or even just recreate OSINT searches published on YouTube. Learn how to tell stories with data – what you found/analysed is useless unless you are able to break it down into digestible storylines, backed up by data.

2. If possible, publish online. It has helped me a great deal to get my name out there, even though it is a lot of work. There are some journals that will allow recent graduates to publish parts of their thesis, or op-eds. In addition, I made sure to grow my LinkedIn network, and connect with experts from the field that I wanted to get into. 

3. Learn to be less apologetic and stand your ground. I was only able to succeed at interviews after I stopped being super polite and accommodating. This may be a specifically female experience – but who knows.

If you were to hire people in your team, what would you look for? 

I’d be interested in hiring curious people who believe in life-long learning, and could potentially come up with new, creative approaches to problem-solving. At the end of the day, most skills can be taught.

Looking at your career, is there anything you would do differently today if you had the chance to travel back in time?

If I could go back in time, I would look for paid internships. They exist – these days even more so than five to six years ago. Being an unpaid intern can be a horrendous experience – unless you are eligible to apply for funding or scholarships.

Furthermore, I would have started networking earlier than I did. It really is the only way forward. 

Where and how do you develop yourself professionally?

I love asking experts directly, if I cannot solve an issue by myself. I also love Coursera – particularly for up-skilling in GIS and geospatial analysis. 

Are there any websites, books, podcasts, or anything else that you would recommend for professional development (does not have to be OSINT related)?

When I had just left university, I learned best by reading books. I used the OSINT Framework as a point of reference. These days, I love the OSINTcurious project, and pretty much all webinars by BBC Monitoring. 

[End of interview]

Note: this interview has not been edited.

‍