What is OSINT and why is it so important for the CIA and NSA?
American intelligence agencies, such as the CIA and NSA, are facing new challenges in the field of big data. A huge amount of information in open sources, including social networks, mobile operators ' databases, and navigators, requires new approaches to analysis and processing.
Last October, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence of the United States hired an experienced analyst, Jason Barrett, to set up the process of collecting intelligence on public resources (OSINT - Open Source Intelligence). Its task is to develop a national OSINT strategy that will focus on coordinating all structures and creating new analysis tools. The strategy is expected to be implemented in the coming months.
The CIA has already developed an AI-based program similar to ChatGPT. It automatically analyzes huge amounts of data and highlights the most important information. The neural network can also create short summaries of the content found. It is already available to thousands of intelligence officers.
The main problem with OSINT is sifting out useful data from the huge amount of available information.
Since the 1990s, government organizations have warned that over time, the United States risks falling behind in OSINT. Priority has traditionally been given to private resources. According to Senator Mark Warner, government agencies "have an attitude that information should be obtained secretly," and it is not easy to overcome this belief.
OSINT is particularly useful for exploring closed authoritarian systems like the Chinese one.
American intelligence agencies have already achieved concrete results using this method. For example, to identify companies and individuals involved in human rights violations in Xinjiang and then impose sanctions, they analyzed open information from commercial registers, tender documents, and satellite images of the region. Using similar methods, State Department analysts identified the manufacturers of equipment for the Chinese spy balloon detected over the territory of the United States.
However, there are still problems with the coordination and exchange of information between different agencies. Currently, organizations collect data separately, without a common classification system or access.
The rules for collecting and sharing intelligence vary from agency to agency, as does the very definition of OSINT. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence is already revising definitions and guidelines for dealing with commercial data.
There are also internal restrictions in state structures. For example, in the CIA, Russian analysts cannot use Telegram on their official computers and are forced to leave the building to access this popular messenger in our country.
The potentially invasive nature of the collection of Americans personal data from commercial sources is also a matter of concern. In response to a request from Senator Ron Wyden, the US National Security Agency admitted that it buys information from private companies. This data may include information about citizens mobile devices. However, the NSA assured that it does not track the geolocation of phones inside the country.
Despite the difficulties, Western experts are convinced that progress in the field of OSINT is vital in the modern digital world. Missed opportunities in the use of open sources can cost the United States very much.
American intelligence agencies, such as the CIA and NSA, are facing new challenges in the field of big data. A huge amount of information in open sources, including social networks, mobile operators ' databases, and navigators, requires new approaches to analysis and processing.
Last October, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence of the United States hired an experienced analyst, Jason Barrett, to set up the process of collecting intelligence on public resources (OSINT - Open Source Intelligence). Its task is to develop a national OSINT strategy that will focus on coordinating all structures and creating new analysis tools. The strategy is expected to be implemented in the coming months.
The CIA has already developed an AI-based program similar to ChatGPT. It automatically analyzes huge amounts of data and highlights the most important information. The neural network can also create short summaries of the content found. It is already available to thousands of intelligence officers.
The main problem with OSINT is sifting out useful data from the huge amount of available information.
Since the 1990s, government organizations have warned that over time, the United States risks falling behind in OSINT. Priority has traditionally been given to private resources. According to Senator Mark Warner, government agencies "have an attitude that information should be obtained secretly," and it is not easy to overcome this belief.
OSINT is particularly useful for exploring closed authoritarian systems like the Chinese one.
American intelligence agencies have already achieved concrete results using this method. For example, to identify companies and individuals involved in human rights violations in Xinjiang and then impose sanctions, they analyzed open information from commercial registers, tender documents, and satellite images of the region. Using similar methods, State Department analysts identified the manufacturers of equipment for the Chinese spy balloon detected over the territory of the United States.
However, there are still problems with the coordination and exchange of information between different agencies. Currently, organizations collect data separately, without a common classification system or access.
The rules for collecting and sharing intelligence vary from agency to agency, as does the very definition of OSINT. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence is already revising definitions and guidelines for dealing with commercial data.
There are also internal restrictions in state structures. For example, in the CIA, Russian analysts cannot use Telegram on their official computers and are forced to leave the building to access this popular messenger in our country.
The potentially invasive nature of the collection of Americans personal data from commercial sources is also a matter of concern. In response to a request from Senator Ron Wyden, the US National Security Agency admitted that it buys information from private companies. This data may include information about citizens mobile devices. However, the NSA assured that it does not track the geolocation of phones inside the country.
Despite the difficulties, Western experts are convinced that progress in the field of OSINT is vital in the modern digital world. Missed opportunities in the use of open sources can cost the United States very much.
