Since I sometimes spend hours a day doing online "IT and IT Security related" research, I was trying to find better and quick ways of locating online answers. To specific IT questions.
I had not heard of OSINT until just a few months back.
At that time I was reading a newsletter that mentioned an OSINT course by Toddington International called, "Using the Internet as an Investigative Research Tool" at
Upon researching the term OSINT a bit more, I came across another OSINT training course by Frank Bazzell at
When I logged into Forensicfocus this past week I noticed the OISINT link to OSINTInsight
I was leaning toward the Toddington "Distance learning" course at first.
Its cost is $750.
I am not sure how much the Frank Bazzell "Live training" is but he offers an online version of the course for either $399 first month + $99/month thereafter (for as long as you want to remain) or $999 for a year.
There is the DIY site at
Then there is the INFO site everyone has no doubt heard of, Lexis Nexis, who offers OSINT training. (though I don't know if it is true "open source" or if they are just trying to teach you to use their subscription based data sources).
I'd like to hear from anyone that actually uses OSINT related search tools and/or search websites, to track down people, places and/or things.
Which sources or places were good, which ones to avoid, etc.
http//jaginvestigations.com/
https://
https://
hcso1510,
The 2nd link you listed (heatherington group) was where I had heard about the Toddington International course from.
Apparently you can take it through the Toddington folks or through the Smarteracademy.com.
(seems to be the same course).
Have you taken any of the training through the sources you mentioned?
If so, how was it?
The jag investigations class was great. It was a two day and very informative. Michele is high energy, animated and will keep you on the edge of your seat wanting more and more information.
I've not had the opportunity to see anything from the heatheringtongroup.
I had the opportunity to attend a two hour class by Kirby Plessas. She is extremely intelligent, but not as high energy as Michele. In the class I sat through It seemed to be geared towards information gathering where Michele's class was more geared towards tracking individuals via social media. I'm sure Kirby could modify her class to tracking as well.
You may want to check out i-sight.com. Navigate through it and they have a webinar section. Occasionally they have some good stuff related to online investigations. You can get on a mailer and take advantage of the ones that interest you.
hcso1510,
Thank you for the insight you provided.
I (and some of my team) undertook an advanced OSINT course run by Nick Furneaux (https://
Give him a shout - He is really rather good! He's a top bloke as well.
Another option might be via fleetforensics@gmx.com / http//
Ray Massie who runs the course is also a good guy. Google him and you'll get a feel for his experience.
We use it to great effect in Private Prosecutions.
I haven't done the Toddington course, but I know a few people who have and it is an excellent grounding in the use of OSINT. Their newsletter has some great news/information for new tools and technologies.
OSINT training is still getting off the ground - most LE will have some form of formal or informal training based around their legal framework, only going externally for those using it on a regular basis.
A lot of OSINT users have picked it up as they go along - new tools tend to get shared at conferences and practicioners' meetings.
There's a few websites out there with lists of tools - for example, http//
One thing to remember is the OSINT training is generally quite localised (despite the global reach of the internet) - this is because many tools are specific to one country, e.g. http//
My company recently purchased the IntelTechniques OSINT training for every member. We all learned a lot (and I have been doing OSINT for many years). It takes about 40 hours to go through it all, but we all received unlimited access for a year. The instructor, Michael Bazzell, uploads multiple new videos monthly. He also shares a lot of his resources for free here
http//
He is active FBI and teaches their OSINT courses. He also gives you free software (open source stuff) that he has configured for optimal use. I found it to be some of the best OSINT training out there, and they make us take all of it. The ONLY non-positive thing I would say about his training is that he does not update each video, he uploads new videos. For example, I watched a video on how to identify the owners of cell phone numbers, only to watch another video explaining the new method since the other methods was shut down. Not a big deal, and maybe the archive of videos is better, but just my opinion. Otherwise, fascinating stuff.
On a LinkedIn OSINT group, someone posted two free trial videos of his
Facebook Graph Search http//
Twitter Advanced Search http//
I (and some of my team) undertook an advanced OSINT course run by Nick Furneaux (https://
twitter.com/nickfx) from csitech.co.uk. It was excellent, but is evolving all of the time, as is OSINT. Give him a shout - He is really rather good! He's a top bloke as well.
Another option might be via fleetforensics@gmx.com / http//
www.csitech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/FF-IOS-Inv-Syllabus_2.odt.pdf Ray Massie who runs the course is also a good guy. Google him and you'll get a feel for his experience.
We use it to great effect in Private Prosecutions.
Thanks, I'll certainly check these out when I get home. (Too much stuff is blocked at work otherwise I'd take a quick peek)
My company recently purchased the IntelTechniques OSINT training for every member. We all learned a lot (and I have been doing OSINT for many years). It takes about 40 hours to go through it all, but we all received unlimited access for a year. The instructor, Michael Bazzell, uploads multiple new videos monthly. He also shares a lot of his resources for free here
http//
inteltechniques.com/links.html He is active FBI and teaches their OSINT courses. He also gives you free software (open source stuff) that he has configured for optimal use. I found it to be some of the best OSINT training out there, and they make us take all of it. The ONLY non-positive thing I would say about his training is that he does not update each video, he uploads new videos. For example, I watched a video on how to identify the owners of cell phone numbers, only to watch another video explaining the new method since the other methods was shut down. Not a big deal, and maybe the archive of videos is better, but just my opinion. Otherwise, fascinating stuff.
On a LinkedIn OSINT group, someone posted two free trial videos of his
Facebook Graph Search http//
inteltechniques.com/demo-fb.html
Twitter Advanced Search http//inteltechniques.com/demo-TW.html
Glad to hear from someone involved in Mr Bazzell's program.
I was leaning toward taking that one later this year.
When I do it will be an out-of-pocket expense for me. Hence the questions.
If I calculated correctly then the cost to do 1 year of "month by month" of Frank Bazzell's OSINT is
The first month at $399, then 11 more months x $99 each month =
$1,488 for one year. Or $124/month.
To do the "one year access via a single payment" price is $999 .
So $999 / 12 months = $83.25/month.
Quite a savings, $124 vs $83.25 per month, if you are paying your own way.
I have a few questions if you don't mind.
Question 1
- If you were paying for access to Frank's website out of your own pocket, do you feel it pays for itself as far as the info it provides to you?
In teaching techniques that save you significant time and money?
Question 2
I assume there are some "BASICS (or a FOUNDATION) of conducting OSINT" training videos. Probably the "40 hours to complete" that people talk about.
Then other videos dealing with more of the "SPECIFICS of OSINT"; perhaps how to use specific search tools, specific websites, software etc.
The "monthly updates"
As far as the ongoing monthly updates to the website.
- Do you see many updates to the BASICS of conducting OSINT?
- Or are most of the updates for the SPECIFICS of OSINT, like
using new software products or using new web tools that just became available?
(Or, like the example you mentioned. How one cell phone technique no longer worked. so it was replaced by a new method).
Question 3
I know OSINT is supposed to be "open source" and most people often equate "open source" to equaling "free".
- How many of the research products, services or techniques involved have
additional out-of-pocket expenses?
Like subscriptions or membership websites?
Thanks in advance.