OSINT Checklist for Investigative Processes

This document is a checklist designed for Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) investigations, ensuring thoroughness, legality, and ethical compliance. It begins with a preparation phase that includes defining objectives, clarifying the target, and setting the scope regarding time frame, geography, and data types. Legal and ethical compliance is emphasized, with references to GDPR, CCPA, and other relevant laws. The checklist outlines necessary tools and resources, including various search engines and databases. The data collection phase is detailed, covering methods for gathering information about people, organizations, events, and technical systems. The analysis phase focuses on correlation and credibility assessment, while the reporting phase emphasizes documentation and secure sharing of findings. Finally, the checklist addresses post-investigation actions, including reviewing the process, data retention, and monitoring ongoing targets. Additional considerations for training and operational security are also provided, highlighting the importance of verifying findings with multiple sources.