Our weekly hack for those in the field doing the work & digging up critical intel.
The ability to uncover information on the internet is the primary skill of an online investigator. There are hundreds of thousands of surface, deep, and dark websites, but which are most pertinent to your unique case? Do you know how to utilize Google to its full potential? With new social media platforms coming online at a rapid pace, capturing leads and evidence in social media networks is more complex than ever. Do you know the latest tools of the trade?
Hg’s OSINT Tips of the week provides you with the latest intel how to be most effective in our tradecraft. We are always looking for new tools, so don’t hesitate to let us know if you have one you’d like reviewed in a future post!
Enjoy!
This week, our Timely Tips provide a few risk monitoring tools used for people searching and scanning social media platforms. Come on, it’s time to dig in.
ZabaSearch: zabasearch.com
ZabaSearch is a people search engine, owned by Intelius, that provides address, phone number, and birth year data. ZabaSearch obtains the information from public records and does not maintain a database from which to remove records. However, it is possible to block your information from being displayed in their searches. View ZabaSearch’s policy at zabasearch.com/block_records/.
Socialert: socialert.net
Socialert is a social network monitoring tool that can assist in tracking hashtags, accounts, keywords, and mentions. The site offers a Try Now feature that gives you a peek into the power of this tool. Multiple versions offer everything from hashtag analytics to historical reports, and even live tracking. If you’re needing to monitor campaigns on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or monitor brand or influencer activity, this may be just the tool.
Gab: gab.com
This social network prides itself on being the free speech alternative to Twitter. As the platform is not moderated, it has become an attractive place for anti-Semitic groups or lone wolves such as synagogue shooter Robert Bowers and the alt-right. An account is not required to search using Gab.com/search.
Have an OSINT tip for us? Contact us, and we will consider reviewing it in future posts!
Like what you’re reading? Check out Hg’s monthly webinars!
Throughout the year, Hetherington Group offers monthly live webinars on current investigative tactics involving social networks, search engines, due diligence, the dark web, and other related topics. Participants should have some basic experience of the topic, as all programs are offered at an intermediate level, unless otherwise noted.
