What is OSINT?
OSINT is intelligence built from public sources. Learn what it is, what it is for and where its limits are.
Definition
Open-source intelligence (OSINT) means collecting and analysing information that anyone can legally access: websites, public records, DNS data, social profiles, news and images.
What it is used for
Security teams map their own exposure, journalists verify sources, analysts do due diligence and researchers check claims. The skill is less about tools and more about asking a precise question.
What it is not
OSINT does not break into accounts or private databases. A result is a lead to verify, not proof: public data can be old, wrong or planted.
NextDomains and DNSUse public sources only, for lawful purposes. Verify every finding independently.