Osintracker: Optimising Open-Source Intelligence Gathering

May 29, 2024 Intelligence & Geopolitics, Monitoring & Analysis

The logo of Osintracker (Credits: www.osintracker.com)

Geopolitical Report ISSN 2785-2598 Volume 42 Issue 18
Author: Giuliano Bifolchi

Introduction

Identifying suitable tools to support their daily routines is a core competency for Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) analysts. For analysts seeking to expedite and organise their investigations, while simultaneously facilitating efficient data analysis and review, Osintracker presents an interesting solution.

Osintracker’s intuitive design has fostered rapid adoption within the OSINT community. The platform empowers investigators to track their progress meticulously and organise findings using a practical and user-friendly methodology.

This free online tool further distinguishes itself by offering a real-time relational graph, enabling investigators to visualise connections between data points as they are collected. This innovative feature not only streamlines the investigative process but also facilitates the identification of previously unseen patterns, potentially leading to crucial breakthroughs.

Osintracker places importance on the investigator/analyst’s satisfaction by offering a user-friendly interface that is easy to navigate.

By designing menus and sections in a clear and organized manner, this online OSINT tool reduce the cognitive burden on investigators and makes it easier for them to find the sources and information without distraction. This user-friendly experience allows investigators to save time and concentrate on essential tasks.

The platform’s search functionality represents a significant advancement in OSINT gathering. Gone are the days of laborious manual searches across disparate online sources. With a few clicks, analysts can explore a vast array of online resources, including social media platforms, news outlets, and public databases. Osintracker’s advanced search algorithms ensure the delivery of highly relevant and up-to-date results, saving valuable time and effort.

Getting Started with Osintracker: Streamlined Investigation Setup

Utilising Osintracker is both intuitive and efficient. After accessing the platform, analysts start their workflow by creating a new investigation.

Osintracker then presents a curated selection of pre-configured “resource sets” specifically tailored to various investigative types. These categorised default sets, organized by data type, offer a convenient and efficient starting point.

Osintracker Resources Set — This picture shows a part of the Osintracker resources set

However, Osintracker acknowledges the diverse needs of its users and provides advanced functionalities for further customisation:

Personal Resource List Import: Experienced investigators can leverage the platform’s import capabilities to integrate their own pre-defined resource lists in a designated .csv format. This enables them to create a customised set of tools that fit their unique investigative processes.
Custom Resource Set Creation: The platform’s comprehensive wiki offers a dedicated guide for building bespoke resource sets from scratch.

By offering these functionalities, Osintracker prioritises user empowerment and facilitates the optimisation of the research process. This ensures analysts can leverage the most relevant resources throughout their investigation, leading to more efficient and effective outcomes.

After starting the investigation, analysts input a data item (e.g., email address, domain name, URL, DNS, company, person). This promotes a fluent connection between the data collected and the relevant investigative tools in the pre-defined “resource set.”

Osintracker excels in fostering in-depth analysis through detailed relationship customisation. Users can enrich data entries with crucial information, providing an additional context for deeper understanding. Once two or more data points exist, the intuitive “relationship” feature becomes available. This powerful tool allows investigators to link data by specifying the Relationship Type, Directionality, Reliability Grade, Used Source, Time and Data, Comments.

This emphasis on data relationships is a cornerstone of effective intelligence gathering. By meticulously building connections as the investigation unfolds, analysts gain a comprehensive understanding of the situation at hand. This holistic view empowers investigators to control the investigative scope and prioritise resource allocation efficiently.

We created a simulation case study to show some basic activities on Osintracker. This case study simulates an investigation into an individual named “John Doe.” As illustrated in the accompanying image, the investigation revealed that John Doe holds the position of chairman at Company X. Additionally, it was discovered that Jane Doe, identified as John Doe’s wife, serves as an investor and board member for Company Y. Interestingly, the investigation further uncovered that Jake Doe, John Doe’s brother, holds the chairman position at Company Y.

Osintracker add entity — When we add an entity on Osintracker, it is possible to select different information and data for any entity

A deeper analysis of both companies’ domains yielded a significant detail: they share the same address and phone number. Based on these findings, the case study proposes a potential scenario: a family business cantered on John Doe. This theory suggests John Doe established two companies operating as a joint venture, conveniently located at the same physical address.

Osintracker investigation relations — Relations are an essential part of OSINT investigation. Thanks to Osintracker, the analyst might elaborate and investigate relations between entities and information gathered

This simple case study shows Osintracker’s capability to uncover intricate connections and foster insightful analysis. By meticulously linking data points, the platform empowers investigators to identify patterns and plan well-founded hypotheses, ultimately leading to a more comprehensive understanding of the subject at hand.

To ensure accessibility, at the end of the investigation, our investigation results will be available for export in various formats (HTML, JPEG, JSON, CSV) within the final report, catering to different decision-maker preferences.

Osintracker investigation sample — We exported our investigation in a JPG file, which we can insert in our final report.

Conclusion

Osintracker provides powerful data visualisation tools. These tools are not mere aesthetic enhancements; they empower analysts to uncover previously unseen connections and patterns within their investigations. This advanced data visualisation capability can help to identify crucial leads and planning effective investigative strategies.

Collaboration and Sharing. By acknowledging the strength of collaboration, this tool creates an environment that encourages investigators and intelligence professionals to work together. Teams can effortlessly collaborate on projects, share findings, and exchange vital insights in real-time thanks to secure collaboration features.
Security and Privacy. In the realm of intelligence gathering, security and privacy are paramount concerns. Osintracker places a high priority on user trust by incorporating strong encryption protocols to protect sensitive information. This ensures that user information remains strictly confidential.

In conclusion, Osintracker offers a compelling solution for investigators, analysts, and researchers to enhance their daily workflow and effectively coordinate complex investigations with their colleagues.