SYSTEMATIC INVESTIGATIONS

Develop a structured, repeatable approach to investigating individuals across social media and open-source platforms, from initial selectors through to full profiles.

PRACTICAL SELECTOR TECHNIQUES

Pivot from usernames, emails, and phone numbers and learn how to discover contact information when you're starting from scratch.

REAL - WORLD CASE STUDIES

Apply your skills to practical scenarios including building a pattern of life, mapping social networks, and conducting a full digital footprint assessment

ABOUT THIS COURSE

This intermediate-level course equips you with the skills to conduct comprehensive investigations into individuals using social media and open-source data.

You'll learn systematic approaches to identify, collect, and analyze information about people across multiple platforms whilst maintaining appropriate operational security.

The course emphasizes practical tradecraft, legal considerations, and structured methodologies you can apply immediately in your work.

ESTIMATED TIME TO COMPLETE

This course takes approximately 6–8 hours to complete. The course is entirely self-paced, allowing you to progress through the modules at a speed that suits your schedule.

WHO THIS COURSE IS FOR

This course is designed for OSINT practitioners, investigators, law enforcement officers, intelligence analysts, and security professionals who want to develop systematic approaches to researching individuals.

It is suitable for those with foundational OSINT knowledge who are ready to specialise in people-focused investigations and social media collection techniques.

PREREQUISITES

Completion of OSINT Primer or equivalent foundational OSINT experience is recommended.

You should be comfortable with basic search techniques, browser configuration, attribution awareness and core OSINT concepts before starting this course.

WHAT'S NEXT?

Once you've completed this course, consider these pathways to expand your capabilities:

Image and Video Analysis builds on your collection skills by teaching you to extract intelligence from visual media, including geolocation and verification techniques essential for corroborating your findings.

Website OSINT extends your investigation capability from individuals to organizations, useful when your subject has business affiliations or corporate connections.

COURSE CURRICULUM

    1. Course Introduction and Learning Pathway

    2. Pre-course Survey

    3. OPSEC for POI Investigations

    4. Tailoring your OPSEC

    5. Quiz: OPSEC for POI Investigations

    1. Introduction to Online Personas

    2. Developing an Online Persona

    3. Supporting an Online Persona with Images

    4. Creating a Persona's Online Presence

    5. Considerations for Working with Online Personas

    6. Quiz: Tools and Techniques for Online Personas

    1. Searching Social Media Without Accounts

    2. Advanced Google Dorking for Social Platforms

    3. Quiz: Using Search Engines for Social Media

    1. Username Correlation and Enumeration

    2. Email Address Investigation Techniques

    3. Person Search Engines

    4. Phone Number Investigation Techniques

    5. Breach Data Investigation Techniques

    6. Sanctions and Watchlists

    7. Filling in the Gaps - Starting with Limited Information

    8. Quiz: Starting with Contact Information (Selectors)

    1. Facebook Investigation Techniques (without personas)

    2. Facebook Investigation Techniques Using the Interface, GraphQL and Dev Tools

    3. Investigating with Instagram

    4. X (Twitter) Searching Without Accounts

    5. X (Twitter) Searching With Accounts

    6. Searching TikTok

    7. YouTube Investigation Methods

    8. Quiz: Social Media Platform Collection

    1. LinkedIn for Researching People

    2. Reddit Investigations

    3. Alternative Forums, Message Boards and Platforms

    4. Investigating with Discord

    5. Understanding and Investigating Telegram

    6. What is Vkontakte?

    7. Quiz: Forums and Online Communities

COURSE SNAPSHOT

  • $499.00
  • 47 lessons
  • 4.5 hours of video content