What type of evidence collection utilizes information from publicly available sources?

Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) involves gathering and analyzing information from publicly available sources. These sources can include a wide range of materials, such as news articles, social media posts, websites, government reports, academic publications, and any other information that is accessible to the general public. The primary advantage of OSINT is that it can be collected without the ethical and legal concerns associated with other types of intelligence gathering, such as surveillance or interception of communications. This form of intelligence plays a critical role in situational awareness and can support various aspects of national security and law enforcement by providing context and insight into potential threats.

The other types of intelligence listed, such as Human Intelligence (HUMINT), Signals Intelligence (SIGINT), and Imagery Intelligence (IMINT), rely on different methods for information collection. HUMINT is based on interpersonal communications and human sources, SIGINT involves the interception of signals and electronic communications, and IMINT focuses on analyzing visual information from satellites or aerial platforms. Each of these types serves distinct purposes and may require more specialized skills or legal parameters compared to OSINT, which is based on information that is freely available to the public.