Definition
Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) is intelligence produced from publicly available information that is collected, evaluated, and analyzed for a decision-making purpose.
What counts as open source
Public news, government notices, scientific bulletins, company filings, maps, and other lawfully accessible records can support OSINT. Private messages, stolen data, and unauthorized access do not.
Discipline boundaries
OSINT is not hacking. It does not require bypassing controls. If access requires deception, intrusion, or abuse of credentials, you have left lawful OSINT.
BASE INTEL practice
Every BASE INTEL report keeps an original URL so readers can check the claim against the public source.