OSINT Basics

For CTF Competitions

What is OSINT?

Open Source INTelligence

OSINT is using freely available websites on the internet to find information.

Methods

Image Metadata

• Additional Data
• Can contain Location/Time/Device Information
• Often Wiped
• Stored in an EXIF section
• View extended data with exiftool
• Pic2Map for GPS locations

Reverse Image Searching

• TinEye
• Google Images

Google Dorking

• filetype:___
• Use quotes for exact matching

Wayback Machine

• Older versions of documents
• Dead Links

Artificial Intelligence

• ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Meta, Copilot
• Verify Results

clip.apples.leap

• 3 Word Combination
• Probably What3Words

More Resources

OSINTframework

Awesome-OSINT