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 2024? 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...
While it’s hard to deny the utility of open data in investigative work, how to make the most of it is not so obvious. Investigators can’t become seasoned data analysts overnight, and the effort required to process information can even be counterproductive. The place where investigative work meets...
That’s right, this is part 2 of open-source intelligence games (here is the first part if you missed it). But to recap, this two-part guide is all about learning OSINT in an entertaining way. After all, it turns out that many of the skills and techniques that make a...
Big news! Social Links has partnered with a leading provider of breached identity data, Constella Intelligence. To mark the start of this exciting partnership, we—the two companies—are getting together for the co-hosted webinar: Stealer Logs for Investigations: A New Era in OSINT. Join us on April 4, at...
When learning a new technical discipline, a major hurdle often lies in the terminology. Even if the underlying concepts aren’t that difficult to understand, the way they’re expressed can get in the way of comprehension. And OSINT, alas, does have its technical side, which can put off non-technical...
Getting to grips with open-source intelligence is a challenge, we know. With investigators needing to get their heads around so many different sub-disciplines, it’s understandable that the learning curve can be daunting. The good news is that learning can happen in many ways, and getting OSINT practice can be...
The open-source intelligence industry boom has naturally led to a confusing flood of solutions on the market. But choice can be a double-edged sword—while more options mean you have a better chance of finding the OSINT tools that best suit your needs, it also makes the actual process of...
In an era when personal data is pouring into platform upon platform, all employees of an enterprise are ultimately part of a company’s image or brand. If a company executive, for example, makes an unwise post, the consequences can be far-reaching and even lead to a stock value drop-off....
You may not be able to master a discipline like OSINT overnight, but we want to give you the things you need to do this as quickly and effectively as possible. And one of the best things you can do is watch skilled investigators in action. So, we've...
Join Social Links at a unique combined event—the Digital Investigations Conference (DIC) plus Two-Day OSINT Training Program. Taking place in Zurich between February 26 and 29, the event is an immersive four-day OSINT experience that’ll blow your mind and revolutionize your investigations. REGISTER NOW Two-Day Pre-Conference OSINT Workshop...
As more and more features of human activity get drawn into the online realm, law enforcement agencies are embracing open data analysis as an essential part of modern police work. And with so much data to work through and make sense of, OSINT tools are not just useful, they’re...
We know there’s a load of ways to develop every case and that it’s not always easy to choose the most effective one. So we’ve put together a handy little work companion—an easy-reference, one-page guide to help you progress all kinds of cases. The infographic covers...
This week, in our Center of Excellence Column, we’re sharing essential beginner tips to work in our standalone OSINT solution, SL Crimewall. From the first steps in an investigation to more advanced (but extremely powerful) features, such as custom search scripts, we provide an introduction to the very basics...
It’s OSINT digest time again, and we’re putting the magnifying glass over everything that’s happened since the last quarter in the open-source intelligence and cybersecurity spheres. In this issue, we discuss the role of OSINT in identifying the deceased, the rise of AI-driven predictive analysis and the...
At the end of another incredible year, we want to say a massive thank you to everyone who has put their trust in us and chosen our solutions. Your support means the world to us, helping us move from strength to strength in our mission to develop ever more effective...
As we’re closing the calendar year, we took this opportunity to compile our top OSINT articles with handy tips to share some insights and inspiration during the holidays. So, let’s unwrap your gift and see what’s inside: we have an open-source intelligence landscape for 2023 and beyond,...
We’re finishing the year with a serious bang. Not only have we launched our all-new, standalone OSINT solution, SL Crimewall, but we’ve also been busy bringing a bumper round of new features to SL Professional. These include three (!) completely new sources—Duolingo, Tripadvisor and WeChat—as well as...
This week in the Social Links Center of Excellence Column, we’re diving deep into increasing an organization’s cybersecurity state with OSINT. Since the benefits of open-source intelligence for cybersecurity are often discussed, we created a case study to show exactly how it’s possible. Let’s jump into...
Learning a discipline such as OSINT is not always as straightforward as learning some techniques and discovering new tools. Understanding how and when these things should be employed in a given case is crucial. This is why we publish our use cases—they give the reader a real-world context for...
