From AFIO's The Intelligencer Association of Former Intelligence Officers Journal of U.S. Intelligence Studies 6723 Whittier Avenue, Suite 200 Volume 18 • Number 2 • $15 single copy price Winter/Spring 2011 McLean, Virginia 22101 © 2011 AFIO - Association of Former Intelligence Officers, All Rights Reserved. Web: www.afio.com, E-mail: [email protected] (1899-1902), U.S. military planners had to rely on intelligence reports that were little more than copied encyclopedia articles.4 During both world wars books and newspapers were examined for valuable infor- mation by Military Intelligence. In their dash across France, General Patton’s troops used Michelin maps collected from petrol stations. Publically available Guide to maps are good examples of OSINT, still used today for geospatial understanding. Open Source Intelligence In the wake of the Second World War, the gov- ernment realized that a more formalized process A Growing Window into the World was necessary to gather information, including that which was publically available. Thus, when the Cen- tral Intelligence Agency (CIA) was founded in 1947, R. A. Norton, Ph.D. it assumed primary responsibility for OSINT as well as HUMINT collection. Huge amounts of publically Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) utilizes available information were gathered by CIA’s Foreign information that is openly available to all. The world Broadcast Information Service and Foreign Document overflows with information – facts and figures, writing Division. During the Cold War, the Office of Strategic and descriptions, pictures, videos and audio record- Research gained information about foreign nuclear ings. Some of it is secured (or “classified”). Most is not capabilities from public statements by foreign offi- but is disorganized and thereby hard to find. OSINT cials and published reports by scientists (focused collection attempts to find nuggets of information, particularly on the USSR and China but also on other which can then be collated, synthesized, and analyzed. countries like France).5 During this same period the What does the latest Chinese stealth fighter plane look Office of Economic Research exploited public infor- like? This was discovered through OSINT. What did mation concerning OPEC oil production, Soviet grain Ayman al-Zawahiri, Osama Bin Laden’s deputy say production, and the strength of foreign currencies about Al-Qaida’s intentions? Again, this is learned and foreign company acquisitions.6 Developments in through OSINT. the Soviet space program were also monitored by CIA Properly used, OSINT becomes the foundation and United States Air Force via technical literature.7 upon which the other types of Intelligence (HUMINT, IMINT, SIGINT, and MASINT) rest.1 OSINT comple- ments traditional methods of gathering Intelligence burg Campaign is provided by The Gettysburg Campaign – A Study in Command by Edwin B. Coddington, Charles Scribner’s providing context and confirmation. Sons, 1968. The author points out that utilization of Northern OSINT is ancient, used since before biblical newspapers by Southern Commanders caused problems due to times. In revolutionary America George Washington2 the sometimes unreliable information [deliberately or inadver- tently] provided (pg. 19). Vetting and validation of OSINT reli- kept abreast of British troop strengths and move- ability continues to be a challenge to this day. ments through spies that among other things gath- 4. Encyclopedia articles are but one early example of OSINT. ered newspapers, publically available information Military planners were severely hampered by the lack of intelli- gence throughout the Philippine War. Detailed accounts of the and pamphlets. During the Gettysburg Campaign in problems can be found in The Philippine War: 1899-1902, by Brian 1863 General Lee’s Intelligence officers monitored McAllister Linn (University Press of Kansas, 2000). northern troop movements through the accounts of 5. See: The U.S. Intelligence Community by Stafford T. Thomas 3 (University Press of America, 1983) for a contemporary review Northern newspapers. During the Philippine War of the Cold War intelligence apparatus, which included in its priorities the collection of technical documents and foreign publications by the Office of Strategic Research (pg 58-60). 1. A quick description of the various INTs, including OSINT 6. A review of OSINT collection and utilization history during is available at: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/additional- the Cold War era can be found in Jeffrey T. Richelson’s interest- publications/the-work-of-a-nation/work-of-the-cia.html. ing volumes, The U.S. Intelligence Community, Fourth Edition, 2. George Washington is considered by historians to have (Chapter 12) (Westview Press, 1999) and The Wizards of Langley been “America’s First Military Intelligence Director.” For – Inside the CIA’s Directorate of Science and Technology (Westview further information see: https://www.cia.gov/news-information/ Press, 2002) . featured-story-archive/2007-featured-story-archive/george-washington. 7. One of the best reviews of OSINT history and current use html. is Stephen C. Mercado’s article, Sailing the Sea of OSINT in the 3. A fascinating account of intelligence-related problems Information Age, available at https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for- experienced by both the North and South during the Gettys- the-study-of-intelligence/csi-publications/csi-studies/studies/vol48no3/ Winter/Spring 2011 Intelligencer: Journal of U.S. Intelligence Studies Page 65 The need for more complete information on analyst is large commercial search engines, such as more subjects was identified by the 9-11 Commission. Google or Yahoo, to name but two. Search engines Part of the 2004 reorganization of the Intelligence increase access efficiencies through indexing and Community included the establishment of an Open search algorithms that can process rapidly millions Source Center at CIA.8 A similar capability exists at the of pages of data and documents. Search engines can Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA),9 where military- be very specific, focusing on specific countries or relevant OSINT is produced for decision makers in domains, published books, or specialized scientific the Department of Defense. literature. An experienced OSINT analyst knows With the myriad of today’s technical collec- where the best information is likely to be found. Large tion capabilities reasonable questions to ask are, scale or limited searches can be made using specific “Why OSINT?” and “Why now?” The answer is quite strategies so that only the most relevant information straight-forward, as OSINT’s characteristics include is extracted. Then the “analytic process” begins. the speed with which it can be collected; the available In the analysis process the analyst identifies quantity, quality and clarity of information; its ease of “findings” (i.e., facts that he knows and can verify) use; and the comparative low cost of its collection.10 and gaps (things he knows he does not know). For Information is expanding exponentially. Much of it is example, with the Zawahiri statement, the analyst on the Worldwide Web. Without efficient means for can locate the video and confirm the information as retrieval and organization, much of it would remain accurate. While he knows some characteristics of the undiscovered. Search strategies and software are new Chinese stealth fighter from the photograph, being developed by the Intelligence Community to gaps in knowledge remain of the technical specifica- make open source information discovery easier and tions and aerodynamic capabilities. Both findings its organization more efficient. and gaps are used to determine requirements for OSINT is challenging because of its volume and additional collection, perhaps through other INTs. because each piece of information must be verified or In the case of the stealth fighter, a requirement might “vetted,” often in unique ways. Vetting is important be to obtain specific information about the aircraft’s for any Intelligence process. If a newspaper or cable wings, which could in turn provide indications about news source reports that an individual said some- its aerodynamic capabilities. These requirements thing, how does the OSINT analyst know that the might be fulfilled through OSINT, or overhead IMINT, reported statement is accurate? The newspaper may be or SIGINT, or HUMINT. controlled by a repressive government or aligned with OSINT is often used in conjunction with other a political party. Deception techniques are common. INTS. Information from multiple sources and means Our adversaries know we are watching and listening are synthesized by all-source analysts, who take the and often try to fool us with spurious information, sum of the different types of information to construct which can spread quickly throughout the Internet. a comprehensive answer to the requirement and in a In the case of OSINT analysis, multiple independent timely and accurate manner. The process is repetitive, sources providing the same or confirmatory reports since with each new finding and gap new questions are a requirement for validating the information. arise. This is a never ending process as new information is Good OSINT analysts are problem solvers who continually collected. possess specific technical knowledge, such as spe- One of the most important tools for the OSINT cialized language skills, cultural, and/or scientific expertise as well as cognitive skills.11 OSINT analysts article05.html. who monitor native