Nihad Hassan

Bellingcat’s latest guide shows how OSINT can bring clarity in conflict areas where access on the ground is limited. It highlights methods investigators can use to verify information when unreliable narratives dominate. The guide demonstrates how to apply OSINT methods in isolated conflict settings with limited access, particularly for: ✅ Analyzing weapon imagery ✅ Tracking looted or surrendered weapons ✅ Identifying drones and their usage in conflict zones 🔍 Takeaway: Even in highly restricted, misinformation-heavy environments with internet shutdowns and ethnic violence, OSINT remains viable if you adapt your toolkit. You don’t need direct access to the conflict zone; instead, you can extract credible insights by combining basic verification methods (like reverse image search) with domain-specific databases and local social media monitoring. Read the post here: https://lnkd.in/gHeWGym8 by Makepeace Sitlhou Want tips like this in your inbox? Subscribe to the 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐎𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐓 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲 5 𝐑𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐩 – it's FREE. 📩 Subscribe: https://lnkd.in/ghhZwpZ8

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The OSINT-RDT Team of CTG is dedicated to educating Threat, Security, Intelligence, and Investigative Professionals (TSIIPs) on open-source software to support their investigations. This week, our spotlight is on MeVer, a free application that allows users to help expose online disinformation and manipulated images by checking for media tampering and analyzing metadata. TSIIPs can leverage the tool’s additional features, such as GPS Geolocation, to help validate information and detect forgery attempts. Explore how it can elevate your investigative toolkit in our latest report! #OSINT #Toolkit #CTG #Tuesday #Mever #Intelligence #Validation https://lnkd.in/gRUag7wz

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𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐲𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧! At Hawk Eye Forensic, CHFI (Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator) students aren't just learning theory — they're getting real-world, hands-on experience with industry-standard digital forensic tools. This week’s session featured practical training on tools like: Cellebrite UFED Mobile Forensic Express FTK Imager Passware Kit Forensic Oxygen Forensic Detective From mobile data extraction to encrypted file analysis, students are learning how to collect, preserve, and analyze digital evidence — just like professionals in the field. Why does this matter? Because the cybercrime landscape is evolving fast — and the only way to stay ahead is to train with the tools used by law enforcement and cyber forensic experts worldwide. 🎓 We're proud to shape the next generation of cyber forensic professionals, equipped not only with knowledge, but with real, hands-on skills. #CHFI #Digitalforensics #Cybersecurity #Hawkeyeforensic #Practicaltraining #Cybercrime #Forensictechnology #Studentsuccess #LinkedInlearning #Cybercareers #CHFItraining

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Cyber5W made their Intro to DFIR (C5W-100) course FREE! It covers: - Digital Forensics Concepts - Working with Virtual Hard Disk - Evidence Acquisition under Windows - Working with FTK Imager - Computer Data Representation - Working with Files - File System and Data Carving - Working with Time Zones and Dates - Working with Autopsy - Writing Forensic Reports Info about the price change: https://lnkd.in/gHvHEgYD Link to the course: https://lnkd.in/gXR2sq2c #DFIR #DigitalForensics #IncidentResponse

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🔍 OSINT Browser Extensions #OSINT Tools Browser extensions can supercharge your OSINT investigations, streamlining data collection, regex searches, and historical website analysis. ✍️ This OSINT tip was created by Joshua Richards—follow him to learn more about OSINT. Here’s a breakdown of some must-have extensions for investigators: 🌐 Shodan A search engine for internet-connected devices. This extension quickly reveals a website’s hosting details, IP address, and open ports—helpful for infrastructure analysis. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eZCe_hzY 🖼️ Bellingcat Filename Finder This tool finds filenames of images uploaded to Google reviews and maps, often exposing the original date of capture—useful for verifying visual evidence. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eA3bi2Cb 📊 Instant Data Scraper (Web Robots) Need to extract data from tables or YouTube comments? This extension automates scraping, making data collection more efficient. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/e3xN2aZ6 🔍 Chrome Regex Search Go beyond CTRL+F! Use regex searches to find patterns and extract specific text from web pages with precision. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/emScmQw7 📜 Web Archives Quickly check if a website has been archived across 8+ different sources. View saved versions of sites instantly. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eRC4t_qW ❗ Join the UK OSINT Community free: https://osint.uk/join 🔜 Follow for more #OSINT tips and tools in future posts!

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📢 Next at the Australian OSINT Symposium: Daniel Anlezark “Exploring the Utilisation of OSINT in Human Rights and Accountability for International Crimes” Dan has spent over a decade using open-source intelligence (#OSINT) and user-generated content (UGC) to advance human rights and strengthen accountability for international crimes. A former United Nations investigator and member of the International Criminal Court’s List of Experts, Dan’s work has supported evidence-based justice efforts and been featured by the BBC, The Guardian, DW, SBS World News Australia, and more. At the Symposium, Dan will share how OSINT is being used in human rights investigations, the role it plays in pursuing accountability, and how its use is expanding across the international justice field. This is a session for anyone who wants to see how OSINT can be a powerful tool for truth, justice, and positive change. To join Dan and our other fantastic speakers, get your tickets to Australian OSINT Symposium 18-19 September, Sydney and online today! https://lnkd.in/gGcgZX4 #OSINTSymposium #AOS2025 #InternationalJustice #OpenSourceIntelligence #AustralianOSINTSymposium #ICC

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An interesting OSINT perspective from our colleagues down under. The Australian Strategic Policy Institute piece explores the institutional role OSINT should play in the Australian national security. Is centralization of OSINT the answer? Comment below! https://lnkd.in/eQVcD_HR #osint #opensourceintelligence #intelligence #intelligencecommunity #fvey #nationalsecurity #austrialia

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🔐Yoni ‍.’s recent post has a couple of great OSINT tips for Gmail-based investigations. Google ignores dots in Gmail addresses, so: johnsmith@gmail.com john.smith@gmail.com j.o.h.nsmith@gmail.com …all route to the same inbox. But here’s the real OSINT tip: you can quickly check if an email is linked to a Google account using Google Calendar. Paste this URL while logged into your account: calendar dot google dot com/calendar/u/0/embed?src=youremail@example dot com If the address is active, the bolded email appears in the bottom left. If not, it just says “Google Calendar.” That makes it a fast, non-intrusive way to validate burner accounts, aliases, or identities during an investigation. Read more on Forensic OSINT: https://lnkd.in/eufvsNf3 And check out the full newsletter here: https://lnkd.in/eDpbgTgJ

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🚨 Chinese Virtual Espionage Operation Exposed The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) has uncovered a long-running Chinese intelligence campaign targeting job seekers through fake consultancy websites. 🔍 During their investigation, carried out by Max L. and Maria Riofrio, OSINT Industries was used to link email accounts on fake domains — such as hannah.s@appr[.]info — to freelance platform profiles and suspicious infrastructure patterns. That single email led to uncovering broader overlaps in domain registration, server use, and recruitment tactics — all hallmarks of covert influence operations. This is what our platform was built for: pivoting from one datapoint — an email, a phone number, a username — to entire networks in seconds. 🧠 The investigation has now linked: • 5+ fake firms with ties to mainland China • A coordinated infrastructure campaign dating back to 2021 • Job ads posted across Craigslist, Guru, and Devex to target high-value individuals ⚠️ This case shows how state-backed actors are blurring the lines between influence, espionage, and digital fraud — and why open source intelligence tooling is now essential for counterintelligence, journalism, and national security. 👉 Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/e_kG8s-D

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A significant portion of websites run on WordPress. That's good news for investigators, as there are some really useful OSINT techniques for WP sites. Here's a rundown of how to find author accounts, extract images, files, and plugins — and maybe even find something before its been published: https://lnkd.in/gsaGHPDp

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🕵️‍♂️ Sock Puppets in OSINT – more than just fake accounts. They are research identities crafted to protect investigators, journalists, and security professionals while gathering intelligence online. 🔑 In this guide, we cover: ✔️ What sock puppets are ✔️ Why they matter in investigations ✔️ How to build credible and ethical research accounts ✔️ Best practices for OPSEC & compliance 📌 Remember: Sock puppets are tools for ethical OSINT and investigations only. 🛑 Link in Comment!

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NSA and Others Provide Guidance to Counter China State-Sponsored Actors Targeting Critical Infrastructure Organizations August 27, 2025, National Security Agency https://lnkd.in/dYYVdZcd FORT MEADE, Md. – The National Security Agency (NSA) and other U.S. and foreign organizations are releasing a joint Cybersecurity Advisory to expose advanced persistent threat (APT) actors sponsored by the Chinese government targeting telecommunications, government, transportation, lodging, and military infrastructure networks globally and outline appropriate mitigation guidance. The malicious activity outlined in the advisory partially overlaps with cybersecurity industry reporting on Chinese state-sponsored threat actors referred to by names such as Salt Typhoon. These activities have been linked to multiple China-based entities—including Sichuan Juxinhe Network Technology Co. Ltd., Beijing Huanyu Tianqiong Information Technology Co., Ltd., and Sichuan Zhixin Ruijie Network Technology Co., Ltd.—which provide cyber products and services to China’s Ministry of State Security and People’s Liberation Army. The CSA, “Countering Chinese State-Sponsored Actors Compromise of Networks Worldwide to Feed Global Espionage System,” details specific tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) these actors have been found using for initial exploitation, persistence, collection, and exfiltration. Indicators of compromise (IOCs) and common vulnerabilities and exposures (CVEs) exploited by the APT actors are also detailed. Countering Chinese State-Sponsored Actors Compromise of Networks Worldwide to Feed Global Espionage System:https://lnkd.in/dmwF8Ncx

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Nuclei's OSINT templates are categorized so you can cut through the noise and find the info you really need! Categories: archived, art, blog, business, coding, dating, finance, gaming, health, hobby, images, misc, music, news, political, search, shopping, social, tech, video and more!

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Get the PORP package here 🔗 https://tcm.rocks/porp-li Planning to take the PORP (Practical OSINT Research Professional) certification exam? Here are some tips to increase your odds of passing the exam: 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗢𝗦𝗜𝗡𝗧 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲. This is kind of unavoidable, as the PORP exam reflects the content presented in this course. Go through it, revisit the parts that tripped you up, and most importantly, keep lots of notes. 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗢𝗦𝗜𝗡𝗧 𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗱𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆. Know the tools but also know the methodology that makes them so effective. A solid research methodology is a key ally in mastering OSINT. 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁. Participate in OSINT challenges, and continuously seek out opportunities to put your skills to the test. (P.S. We sometimes post OSINT challenges to socials, so keep following us!) 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴. Use the limited time window you have to take the exam strategically. And when it comes to presenting your findings, your report should be structured, concise, and professional. 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝘂𝗽 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗺. Passing the PORP isn't about memorization; it comes down to skill. Practice consistently, perfect your research abilities, and focus on high-quality report writing. Good luck! 

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U don’t need to know every #osint database or tool—you just need to know where to look. keeping this bookmarked: https://lnkd.in/gUVKgFrk One elegant, searchable map of the OSINT universe—tools, databases, and platforms categorized by function. Props to the creator behind MetaOSINT for making criminal investigations, journalistic work, and research more efficient. A real gem for anyone working with open sources. #OSINT #Investigation #DataTools #MetaOSINT #DigitalInvestigations

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🔍 In our latest #ForensicFundamentals, we explore the different roles of a forensic expert witness and how to choose the right one for your case.   Forensic experts may serve as: -party appointed experts -single joint experts (SJE) -shadow experts -experts issuing determinations -advisory role experts.   No matter the role, the expert’s independence and objectivity are paramount. Their opinions must be based on the evidence, not the position of the party instructing them.   Learn more: https://lnkd.in/e6PP_-aD

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