OSINT
Military abbreviation · Military Term
| Stands for | Open-source intelligence |
|---|---|
| Categories | Military |
OSINT stands for Open-source intelligence, a military term abbreviation also used in technology.
Intelligence derived from publicly available information, such as news reports, social media, commercial satellite images, flight trackers and public records. Analysts verify it carefully because public material can be faked.
Example: OSINT researchers geolocated the video to a village near the front line within hours.
Usage notes
OSINT has grown dramatically with smartphones and social media, and groups such as Bellingcat have used it to track military units and investigate attacks. Militaries and intelligence agencies now treat it as a formal discipline. Pronounced "OH-sint."
Related abbreviations
More military term abbreviations
- OP – Observation post
- OPCON – Operational control
- OPLAN – Operation plan
- OPORD – Operation order
- OPSEC – Operations security
- OPTEMPO – Operational tempo
- OSUT – One Station Unit Training
- OTH – Other than honorable
- OTS – Officer Training School
- PCS – Permanent change of station
- PFT – Physical Fitness Test
- PID – Positive identification