OSINT GUIDE

What the Internet Knows About You (And How Hackers Use It)

OSINT (Open-Source Intelligence) is the art of gathering information from public sources — such as social media, websites, search engines, government databases, forums, and even the dark web. Ethical hackers, cybersecurity experts, and even cybercriminals use OSINT for various purposes.

1. What is OSINT?

OSINT is not hacking. It involves collecting publicly available data about a target. This can include names, phone numbers, emails, photos, online activity, and old accounts.

2. What Information Can Be Found About You?

• ✔ Full name, age, and city
• ✔ Social media handles
• ✔ Email addresses and phone numbers
• ✔ Leaked passwords from breaches
• ✔ Location data from posts/photos
• ✔ Old deleted social media traces

3. How Hackers Use OSINT

• ✔ Targeted phishing & scams
• ✔ Account takeover attempts
• ✔ Password guessing using patterns
• ✔ Impersonation attacks
• ✔ Mapping company infrastructure

4. How to Perform a Self-OSINT Check

Anyone can check their digital footprint:

• ✔ Google your name + city
• ✔ Search your email in breach databases
• ✔ Review your social media privacy settings
• ✔ Search your phone number online

5. How to Reduce Your Online Footprint

• ✔ Delete old unused accounts
• ✔ Remove personal details from public bios
• ✔ Change leaked passwords
• ✔ Use separate emails for different purposes
• ✔ Disable location sharing in posts

6. Why OSINT Matters for Companies

A company’s entire infrastructure can be mapped through OSINT:

• ✔ Employee details
• ✔ Emails & leaked credential sets
• ✔ Technologies used (CMS, frameworks)
• ✔ Subdomains & exposed endpoints
• ✔ Open storage buckets