IntelTechniques

OSINT Techniques

Resources for Uncovering Online Information - 11th Edition (2024)

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47 chapters | 276,000 words | 590 pages | Paperback & Digital

It is time to look at OSINT in a different way. For many years, and within previous editions of this book, we have relied on external resources to supply our search tools, virtual environments, and investigation techniques. We have seen this protocol fail us when services shut down, websites disappear, and custom resources are dismantled due to outside pressures. This book aims to correct our dilemma. We will take control of our investigative resources and become self-reliant. There will be no more need for online search tools; we will make and host our own locally. We will no longer seek pre-built virtual machines; we will create and configure our own. The new OSINT professional must be self-sustaining and possess their own tools and resources. You will become a more proficient subject matter expert who will be armed with the knowledge and readiness to articulate the sources of your findings.

This new 11th edition contains hundreds of pages which have been updated to keep your OSINT investigative methods fresh. It also includes new online and offline search tools and a new Debian Linux OSINT virtual machine. Brand-new search methods for Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube, and others ensure you have the latest techniques within your online investigation arsenal. An entire section is devoted to Methodology, Workflow, Documentation, and Ethics which provides a clear game plan for your next active investigation. All digital files are included via download. Today, we start over.

11th Edition Changes & Summary

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If you have the 10th edition of this book, you may want to know what has changed in this 11th edition. The previous edition of this book was originally written in late 2022. In mid 2024, I was asked to update this book, as it is required reading for numerous college courses, university degrees, and government training academies. I never want stale or inaccurate information being presented within training programs, so I created this special revision. I estimate that 20% of the content is brand new, 20% has been updated to reflect changes throughout 2024, and the remaining 60% is recycled from the from the previous edition. Much of the tenth edition content was still applicable and only needed minor updates to reflect changes since 2022. If you have read the previous edition, you will find most of those overall strategies within this book. However, I have added many new OSINT methods which complement the original text in order to cater to those who always need accurate information. I also removed a lot of outdated content which was no longer applicable. I believe there is much new value within this updated text.

This edition presents several new chapters unavailable within previous versions and incorporates the previously-available digital supplement guides about virtual machines and data breaches, leaks, and logs.

All purchases include free download of updated custom search tools; updated Linux scripts to build your own virtual machines; detailed cheat-sheets to simplify each process; and a single Linux command to build a complete OSINT VM with every tool in the entire book. You can find your custom login link and credentials on the 7th page of each book, which provides permanent online access to all files. The outline is below.

Introduction

SECTION I: OSINT Virtual Machines

CHAPTER 01: Why Virtual Machines?
CHAPTER 02: macOS Host Optimization
CHAPTER 03: macOS VM Software
CHAPTER 04: Linux Host Optimization
CHAPTER 05: Linux VM Software
CHAPTER 06: Windows Host Optimization
CHAPTER 07: Windows VM Software
CHAPTER 08: OSINT VM Operating Systems
CHAPTER 09: OSINT VM Web Browsers
CHAPTER 10: OSINT VM Applications
CHAPTER 11: OSINT VM Scripts
CHAPTER 12: OSINT VM APIs
CHAPTER 13: OSINT VM Maintenance
CHAPTER 14: OSINT VM Automated Build
CHAPTER 15: Android Virtualization
CHAPTER 16: Custom Search Tools

SECTION II: OSINT Resources & Techniques

CHAPTER 17: Search Engines
CHAPTER 18: Social Networks: Facebook
CHAPTER 19: Social Networks: X (Twitter)
CHAPTER 20: Social Networks: Instagram
CHAPTER 21: Social Networks: TikTok
CHAPTER 22: Online Communities
CHAPTER 23: Email Addresses
CHAPTER 24: Usernames
CHAPTER 25: People Search Engines
CHAPTER 26: Telephone Numbers
CHAPTER 27: Online Maps
CHAPTER 28: Documents
CHAPTER 29: Images
CHAPTER 30: Videos
CHAPTER 31: Broadcast Streams
CHAPTER 32: Domain Names
CHAPTER 33: IP Addresses
CHAPTER 34: Government & Business Records
CHAPTER 35: Virtual Currencies

SECTION III: Leaks, Breaches, Logs, & Ransomware

CHAPTER 36: Investigative Benefits
CHAPTER 37: Hardware Configuration
CHAPTER 38: Software Configuration
CHAPTER 39: Terminal Commands
CHAPTER 40: Data Leaks
CHAPTER 41: Data Breaches
CHAPTER 42: Stealer Logs
CHAPTER 43: Ransomware
CHAPTER 44: Scripts, Databases, & Backups

SECTION IV: OSINT Methodology

CHAPTER 45: Methodology & Workflow
CHAPTER 46: Documentation & Reporting
CHAPTER 47: Policy, Ethics, & Development

CONCLUSION