> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://pnpt.adot8.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://pnpt.adot8.com/osint-fundamentals/osint-explained.md).

# OSINT Explained

## Overview

**Open Source Intelligence (OSINT)** is a methodology for collecting and analyzing publicly available information to used in an intelligence context. The sources can be from social media, websites, news articles, etc.

## Intelligence Lifecycle

<figure><img src="/files/Yn6foO5XrwIU7QiV5hM8" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

### Planning and Direction

* Who are we going to target?
* What are we going to target?
* Why are we going to target them?
* When are we going to do it?

### Collection

* Start gathering information
* Gather **Metadata** from an image
* Gather names from an organization

### Processing and Exploitation

* Take the gathered data and interpret/process it

### Analysis and Production

* Analyze the data and put it into a readable form
* Make ties between each data point and provide why they connect

### Dissemination and Integration

* Present the found information to the client and make sure they can understand it

{% hint style="info" %}
The cycle is never ending and doesn't need to be done in any particular order
{% endhint %}