OSINT (Open-Source Intelligence): Meaning and Definition

OSINT, or Open-Source Intelligence, is intelligence derived from publicly available information — forums, breach indexes, paste sites, social media, code commits, news articles, and corporate filings. OSINT analysts correlate these scattered signals into actor profiles, campaign timelines, and indicators of compromise tied to a specific organisation. In threat-intelligence programs OSINT provides early warning of attacks, leaks, and reputational risks before they appear on enterprise sensors, giving security and risk teams time to act decisively rather than reactively.