The landscape of criminal investigations has undergone a fundamental transformation over the past 15 years. As criminal enterprises increasingly operate across both physical and cyber-domains, law enforcement agencies must adapt their methodologies to effectively counter these evolving threats and challenges. In this climate, open-source Intelligence (OSINT) has emerged as a...
While there are a number of great learning resources online, when it comes to structured and comprehensive ways to deepen your knowledge in a given area, it’s difficult to beat a good old book—especially in the vast and at times bewildering discipline of OSINT. But when there are...
In the current era of hyperconnectivity, the digital footprints left by individuals and organizations are a critical intelligence source for security professionals. As publicly available data has swelled and evolved, social media intelligence (SOCMINT) has emerged as a go-to discipline for transforming vast amounts of raw data into actionable intelligene....
OSINT investigations are a lot like unraveling a web. Investigators pull on different threads to reveal the bigger picture. But this process isn’t one-sided. Just as investigators gather data on their targets, those suspects can also acquire information on them—if they’re not careful. And in the world...
In today's digital landscape, the open-source data API has become an indispensable tool in helping developers, product teams, and analysts build effective, data-driven products and processes. By providing access to a wide range of data types from open sources, such APIs can simplify the development process and add...
Every dataset tells a story—but one that’s often incomplete. While a powerful resource, raw data can only take us so far before the blind spots start showing. Whether it’s tracking cyber threats, streamlining hiring processes, or verifying identities, organizations across the board are discovering that context is...
Social media has become a double-edged sword. While it connects billions of users worldwide, it also presents a growing risk landscape. Phishing scams, misinformation campaigns, and brand impersonation are just a few of the cyber threats that thrive on social platforms. Yet the same data that makes social media a...
At a time when our lives are becoming ever more integrated with the online realm, dating apps have become a new norm. And their stellar rise in popularity is hardly to be wondered at. After all, a lot of people simply don’t have large enough social circles—or a...
The corporate world is well aware of the manifold risks that M&A and other investment deals can pose. This is reflected in the immense growth of the commercial due diligence market, which currently has an astonishing growth rate of 9.5% and is set to hit a volume...
API solutions are indispensable for various intelligence platforms and investigations. The seamless operability that comes with API integration means that all kinds of workflows and processes can be streamlined, collaboration becomes natural and effortless, many routine tasks just vanish, and the productivity of the whole organization soars. Our new article...
In today’s climate, background checks have become a staple of verification, and open-source intelligence has risen to the fore as an indispensable element of this widespread practice. Anyone who’s applied for a job may be aware of basic screening checks. But, in fact, the world of background checks...
To the uninitiated, background checks may appear to be straightforward things. But the truth is they come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from the basic checks employers might run off from a CV to profoundly enhanced checks reaching into the recesses of the Dark Web for more serious matters....
Intelligence work is a multifaceted thing. To anyone acquainted with the field, this will be obvious from the many -INT terms that seek to categorize the various sides of the discipline. And this article is all about one of these in particular—HUMINT (Human Intelligence)—and the tools out there...
It’s a pillar of the modern intelligence cycle, taken very seriously by the national security departments of leading global powers, and is entering the mainstream in various ways. But what exactly is OSINT (open-source intelligence) in 2025? The truth is that open-source intelligence encompasses a lot, but don’t...
It’s time for our quarterly OSINT product updates where we bring everyone up to speed on what we’ve added to our functionality over the last few months. And so far, the first quarter of 2024 has been hugely productive, seeing us introduce some major new features connected to...
Digital money carries great user convenience, but for financial institutions presents a perpetual security issue. With bank details being sold in huge quantities on the Dark Web and innumerable social engineering scams doing the rounds, protecting banks and consumers against fraud is a serious challenge. At the same time, cryptocurrencies...
Every year, Social Links takes part in various conferences, exhibitions, and educational programs, at different locations all around the globe. We’re happy to count ourselves among the global OSINT and cybersecurity communities, which are continually evolving in an open and engaging atmosphere. These events are important to us as...
💡Want to download OSINT trends for 2023 in high resolution? Enjoy the graphic version of our trends list, with concise descriptions of each and a layout that’s super easy on the eye. To get your very own PDF copy, simply fill out our short contact form and we’ll...
Welcome to our first OSINT digest of the year! With fraudsters finding ever-new ways of getting our data, it’s no surprise that cybercrime is showing an uptrend. The beginning of the year has shown us that the threat is growing, so staying informed is still the most essential tool...
The OSINT landscape never sits still. But with so many developments afoot it’s not always easy to have a clear picture of how, where, and why open-source intelligence is proving itself invaluable. So, we’ve been busy putting together a series of whitepapers to help everyone who’s interested...
We wanted to start the New Year with a piece for anyone who has resolved to sink their teeth into the OSINT sphere in 2023. So, welcome to our pick of the 6 best Social Links articles for getting up to speed with the open-source intelligence sphere! Here, we’ll...
