03 OSINT
Open Source Intelligence (OSINT)
A repeatable method to find, verify and document open-source information, and to know where the legal and ethical limits sit.
Register your interest- Duration
- 1 to 3 days
- Delivery
- On-site preferred, online possible
- Group size
- Up to ~12–15
- Languages
- Czech or English
- Location
- Across Europe (in-house)
- Investment
- Quote on request
Who this is for
Anyone can run a search; few can verify, document and defend what they find. This workshop replaces tool tourism with a repeatable OSINT method, so analysts, investigators, security, compliance, due-diligence, journalism and library teams leave with a collection workflow and a verification checklist they can use the next day.
Key takeaways
- Search the surface and deep web in a structured, repeatable way.
- Evaluate and triangulate sources to a confidence level you can state.
- Verify people, organizations, media and locations.
- Geolocate imagery and work with map data (IMINT/GEOINT basics).
- Document findings with a defensible chain of custody.
- Stay inside ethical, legal and OPSEC boundaries.
What we cover
- 01
OSINT foundations & value
What OSINT is, where it pays off, and the surface / deep / dark web landscape.
- 02
Techniques & tooling
Structured search and operators (Google dorking), public sources and free tooling.
- 03
Verification & triangulation
Source evaluation, verifying people/orgs/media/locations, managing uncertainty.
- 04
Geolocation, IMINT & GEOINT
Imagery and map data; geolocation method on real cases.
- 05
Ethics, law & OPSEC + case
Boundaries and operational security, then a hands-on case with a verification checklist deliverable.
Inside this track
Dark Web module
Optional block on anonymity networks (Tor, I2P, VPN), moving safely, typical threats, and the role of the dark web in modern cybersecurity.
Tools we use
How it's taught
Case-based, not a tour of apps. Everyone builds a personal collection workflow and walks out with a reusable verification checklist.
About your lecturer
Jan Černý
Researcher & consultant, Competitive & Technology Intelligence
Jan Černý holds a Ph.D. in applied informatics (Prague University of Economics and Business) and a PhDr. in information science (Charles University). He has spent fifteen-plus years advising strategy, innovation and IP teams on competitive and technology intelligence, technology scouting and applied AI, and researches the same subjects academically, publishing in venues such as The Electronic Library, Review of Managerial Science, the Journal of Information Warfare and Online Information Review.
See research & publications- Ph.D., Applied Informatics, Prague University of Economics and Business
- PhDr., Information Science, Charles University
- 15+ years advising strategy, innovation and IP teams
- Peer-reviewed author in CI, OSINT, patent analytics and applied AI
- Delivered with the National Library and the Czech and Slovak Ministries of the Interior
Frequently asked questions
Is OSINT legal for corporate and professional use?
OSINT works with publicly available information and is lawful when collection respects privacy and data-protection law and platform terms. A 2023 systematic review maps the governance, ethical, legal and social implications (the 'GELSI' literature) of OSINT and AI, which is exactly the boundary the course teaches you to work within ('Open Source Intelligence and AI: A Systematic Review of the GELSI Literature', Springer, 2023).
What's the difference between the surface, deep and dark web?
The surface web is indexed by search engines; the deep web sits behind forms or authentication (databases, portals) and is perfectly legitimate; the dark web requires anonymity networks such as Tor or I2P. The course covers all three, with the dark web as an optional, safety-first module.
Does AI change how OSINT is done?
Yes. Large language models reshape information acquisition and the analyst's role, adding new prompt-engineering skills and new risks to manage (Černý, 'Implications of LLMs for OSINT', ECCWS 2024; 'Prompt engineering: tactics and techniques in open-source intelligence', Journal of Information Warfare, 2024).
How do you keep findings defensible?
Through source triangulation and a documented chain of custody, archiving, timestamps and provenance, so a finding survives scrutiny later. The course delivers a verification checklist you can standardize across your team.
Is OSINT only for investigators?
No. Security and compliance, due diligence, journalism, research and, notably, librarians are excellent OSINT practitioners, given their source-evaluation discipline (Černý, 'The Librarian: One of the Best OSINTers', UC San Diego Library, 2022).
What about OPSEC and ethics, are they covered?
Throughout, not as an afterthought. We cover operational security for the analyst and the ethical and legal limits of collection, consistent with the GELSI framework (Springer, 2023).
Sources & further reading
- Open Source Intelligence and AI: A Systematic Review of the GELSI Literature (Springer, 2023)
- Černý (2024), Implications of LLMs for OSINT (ECCWS)
- Černý (2024), Prompt engineering in open-source intelligence, Journal of Information Warfare 23(3)
Register your interest
Tell me which track fits and a bit about your team, and I'll reply within 48 hours with formats, dates and a tailored quote.
- jan@cerny.ai
- Phone
- +420 773 482 560
Typical response: within 48 hours.
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