Employing a social media monitoring tool as an OSINT platform for Intelligence, Defence & Security

This whitepaper discusses how social media monitoring tools can be applied as powerful and cost effective Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) platforms; and how they can support collection and analysis of relevant and targeted information relating to counter-terrorism, criminal and political open sources. The use of such tools has wide application and benefits for a number of industries, including; Government and Defence Intelligence agencies, Law Enforcement, Commercial Risk Management companies, Private Security Companies (PMCs) and Non-Government Organisations (NGOs).

Over the last 6 months of 2013 a proof of concept exercise was undertaken. This exercise was conducted by a counterterrorism and OSINT expert to test the application of Talkwalker as an OSINT platform in the role of supporting the intelligence cycle and to provide a monitoring function as an Early Warning System (EWS). The capabilities and findings are discussed within this paper.

Author: Paul Brelsford