Аrticles 12 July 2024

Website and IP intelligence as one of the primary sources of OSINT intelligence

The author: Chris Proops, the director of Perseus Intelligence, a UK-based training provider for Intelligence Analysis, Great Britain. He is also a keynote speaker on intelligence analysis, security, defense and cyber security, as well as mis- and disinformation.

As of 2024, there are more than 1.5 billion websites on the Internet, and much of the information is freely available to the average computer network user. This data can be useful for OSINT.

The history of the development of the topic

Open-source intelligence, or OSINT, came into its own in the early 2000s as more people engaged online and the term digital identity emerged. With the rise of “putting yourself out there,” concerns around privacy and data retention came to the forefront. With the right accesses and database logins, a whole host of information is available online about individuals.

Have you ever registered to vote? Your information is on the electoral roll. Have you had a bank loan? Your information is available in credit reference. The list goes on.

Where does website data come from?

When a website is created, certain details need to be captured by the registrar, including who it is registered to and some of their contact details. Recently, the information has been cut back as to what is listed online publicly. However, you can still see if a website has changed its name, when it was registered and where it is based.

What is the benefit of website scouting?

This can be really useful for private sector companies for example, looking to establish if another company is legitimate, or, has only just created an online presence. IP geolocation can aid an intelligence analyst in identifying the true location of an online identity.

Tools for exploring web resources

If you search for IP geolocation on the Internet, you will find countless tools. Type "What's my IP address" into your browser, copy the result, and search for it using a geolocation tool. Websites capture visitors’ IP details, which is why good digital hygiene is important to limit the trace you leave.

Learn OSINT with YouControl

If you want to know more, please look at other lessons in the course “How to search for information online”. This course will give you a solid foundation in the basics of open-source intelligence, Google searching, social media and intelligence that can be gained from imagery.

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