Academy
TermThreat intelligence

Open-source intelligence

(OSINT)

Producing intelligence from information collected from publicly available sources such as websites, registration databases, social media and code repositories.

Flow

  1. 1The question is defined
  2. 2Sources are searched
  3. 3The result is verified
Related families
StealC
MITRE ATT&CK
T1593 · Search Open Websites/Domains
Sources
3 sources
01

Overview

Attackers and defenders use the same open sources. MITRE ATT&CK lists searching open websites and domain registration records among an attacker’s reconnaissance techniques. MITRE ATT&CK

On the defensive side, open sources help to understand who registered malicious domains, when, and which infrastructure they are linked to. MITRE ATT&CK

02

How it works

  1. 1

    The question is defined

    Which domain, person or infrastructure is being investigated.

  2. 2

    Sources are searched

    Domain registrations, certificate records, code repositories. MITRE ATT&CK

  3. 3

    The result is verified

    It is compared across multiple sources and recorded.

03

Real-world examples

Distribution via GitHub

StealC profile

Check Point uncovered a network of GitHub repositories, boosted with fake stars, that distributed malware, using repository and account relationships in open sources. Check Point Research

04

How to detect it

  • Monitor new domain and certificate registrations carrying your organisation’s name and brand. MITRE ATT&CK
05

What to do

  • Regularly review the information that employees and systems leave exposed. MITRE ATT&CK
06

MITRE ATT&CK

07

Related families and terms

08

Sources

  1. 1Search Open Websites/Domains (T1593) · MITRE ATT&CK
  2. 2Search Open Technical Databases (T1596) · MITRE ATT&CK
  3. 3Stargazers Ghost Network · Check Point Research, 2024
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