Who is Ritu Gill?

Ritu Gill, also known as OSINT Techniques, is a Co-founder of Forensic OSINT, a powerful web capture tool designed for Analysts, Researchers, Law Enforcement, and Private Investigators. This tool has gained significant popularity in recent months.

Ritu has 17 years of experience working with Law Enforcement and OSINT, including 12 years with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Criminology from Kwantlen Polytechnic University.

She is actively involved in the OSINT community, serves as an instructor of OSINT courses, and works as an Open Source Intelligence Analyst. Additionally, Ritu was previously an advisory board member for The OSINT Curious Project.

Ritu Gill Questions & Answers (Q&A)

How to become an OSINT Analyst?

OSINT is getting popular and many people are trying to break into the field. Where to start?

To become an OSINT analyst, start by learning the fundamentals of open source intelligence, including commonly used tools, techniques, ethical considerations and importantly the mindset. Use resources like blog posts, books, and webinars to gain knowledge. Get involved in Trace Labs CTF events.

Another tip is to find job postings for OSINT roles, review the required qualifications, and actively work towards acquiring that experience.

There are many ways to get into OSINT but those are a couple of ways to start.

The First OSINT Techniques

You've mentioned in your appearance on The Pivot podcast is what started your passion for OSINT was that you found yourself creating your own techniques for finding information and sharing it with your team.

Do you remember one of the first techniques (whether large or small) that you discovered?

One of the first things I discovered was the ability to manipulate URLs to expand profile photos or social media images, allowing me to see the details in images more clearly. I quickly realised that this technique could be applied across many platforms, so it's something I always look for and use in my OSINT research.

Maintaining OSINT Skills

For many OSINT practitioners, keeping their skills sharp can be a challenge, especially when not actively working on cases.

From my own personal experience, unless I'm working on a real-life case, I find my OSINT skills tend to drop off. Has this ever happened to you, and if so, how did you get back into the zone?

Both in my day job and my side gig, revolve around OSINT. This keeps me constantly engaged with the OSINT community, tools, and techniques. However, I can't always keep up with everything. When I find myself falling behind, I set aside time to catch up by reading and exploring what I missed. Sometimes this involves checking out what I missed in the OSINT communities on social media platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter. Other times to stay updated with OSINT, I read various OSINT newsletters and I also write an OSINT newsletter that comes out every Friday, it can be signed up for at forensicosint.com/newsletter

The Most-Loved Features of Forensic OSINT

The Forensic OSINT application has received numerous updates throughout its development, which has increased its capabilities drastically. Examples of such are the recent addition of Facebook Marketplace Capture and Google Reviews Capture.

Which added feature do you find people are using the most, and why?

People are using Forensic OSINT to capture their online evidence to ensure it stands up in court. Based on feedback, our extension is being used in various ways. Users frequently capture Facebook Marketplace posts, Google reviews, general website content, and download videos. These features help users secure comprehensive and reliable evidence for their investigations.

The Future of OSINT: Artificial Intelligence

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to reshape various industries, its potential impact on OSINT tools and techniques is a topic of great interest. 

With the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), do you see any potential in integrating this technology into your platform?

Yes, we will be integrating AI into Forensic OSINT in numerous ways such as analysing images and summarising pages to help the investigator find the information they are looking for. We also have some very innovative ways we plan to use AI, but you will have to wait to see those updates as they are a work in progress.

OSINT Workflow and Time-Saving Techniques

Efficient workflows are important in OSINT investigations. 

Investigations can often take a lot of time and mental effort. Can you walk me through your typical OSINT workflow and how Forensic OSINT saves digital detectives precious time?

My typical OSINT workflow involves the following steps:

Define the investigation's objective. Understand the specific information needed and the end goals of the investigation.

Identify known information (e.g., names, emails, phone numbers).

Collect data using various tools and techniques, such as social media platforms, public databases, and news websites. This step may involve pivoting from one piece of data to uncover more information.

Analyse the collected data to identify patterns, connections, and insights.

Document findings and compile them into a report. This step is critical for presenting the investigation results clearly and concisely. Forensic OSINT is invaluable here, allowing efficient capture and saving of web content.

How does Forensic OSINT help to save OSINT Investigators Time? 

Forensic OSINT captures and saves web pages, images, and downloads videos.

It allows for organised storage of captured content, making it easy to retrieve and reference later.

Forensic OSINT includes features like auto-expanding comments on social media posts, and data extraction from various platforms, such as quickly locating a Facebook User ID which expedites the data collection process.

By simplifying the process of capturing and organising data, Forensic OSINT helps investigators focus more on analysis and less on administrative tasks, enhancing overall efficiency and productivity.

The Importance of Timely Information Capture

When it comes to online information, the ability to capture and preserve data quickly is important.

Have you ever heard of any stories where important information has been lost? If so, what happened?

Yes, several times. An investigator might be working on a case, reviewing important information from a target's Facebook or Instagram posts. They spend hours going through the content without saving any of it. When they return to work the next morning, they find that the target has removed some of the crucial posts that hadn't been captured yet. This can have serious consequences for the investigation. It's a lesson learned the hard way about the importance of promptly saving online content.

A scenario like this underscores the importance of tools like Forensic OSINT. By capturing and saving online content, investigators can ensure they have a reliable record of important information, even if the source becomes unavailable.

If it wasn't captured, it simply didn't happen—you need the proof.

Future Developments in Forensic OSINT

As the OSINT landscape continues to evolve, so too must the tools that support it. 

With OSINT rapidly evolving, some tools end up becoming obsolete. What should people be excited about in the next 6 months regarding Forensic OSINT’s Features and capabilities?

The AI integration ideas we have in the works will be exciting. Especially as we work to launch our On-Premise backend infrastructure for storing all captures investigators take. But in the end, what investigators really want to continue to see is the ability to easily capture sites in a way that can be easily presented in court. As sites change, we will quickly adapt to ensure we always stay in step with the changes.

The Influence of Criminology on OSINT Practice

Ritu's background in criminology provides a unique perspective on OSINT. She shares how her education has shaped her approach to the field.

How has your background in criminology influenced your approach to OSINT, and what aspects of your education do you find most valuable in your current work?

My background in Criminology has influenced my approach to OSINT. Critical thinking, thorough research, and strong writing skills are the most valuable aspects of my education that I apply in my current work. 

These skills help me analyze and interpret data effectively, ensuring that my OSINT investigations are both comprehensive and accurate.

Unexpected Applications of OSINT

OSINT techniques have found applications far beyond traditional investigative fields. What's the most surprising or unexpected way you've seen OSINT techniques applied outside of traditional investigation fields?

It’s great to see OSINT4Good initiatives like Trace Labs' missing persons events, especially when they lead to positive outcomes for families. The families of missing persons are incredibly important, and these efforts can make a significant difference.

Additionally, the general public often uses their research skills to answer everyday questions. For example, parents might investigate a potential babysitter's background, or someone might look into a new roommate's online presence to learn more about them. These activities are essentially open source research being applied outside of traditional investigation fields.

Regional Differences in OSINT Practices

OSINT practices can vary significantly across different countries and regions. Could you share some insights on how OSINT techniques and tools differ across various countries or regions, based on your international experience?

Each region and country offers different sources of information, search engines, and levels of public content availability.

For instance, in the United States, extensive public records are accessible, whereas Canadian public records are more limited.

Therefore, it's important to know where you are conducting your OSINT research. For example, if your target lives in Russia, they may use a different social media platform than traditional platforms used like Facebook.

When I was teaching in Bangladesh and India, I needed to research the content available in those countries. I had to ask myself which platforms are commonly used in these regions.

Conclusion

Ritu Gill’s emphasis on efficient data capture, preservation, and analysis, coupled with the integration of artificial intelligence and other unique technologies, points to a future where OSINT tools become increasingly advanced and widely applicable. Gill's experiences highlight the key need for practitioners to remain adaptable, continuously updating their skills to keep up with the constantly changing technology. As OSINT Techniques find applications beyond traditional investigative work, from missing persons cases to everyday decision-making, it's clear that the field's influence will continue to expand.

This evolution underscores the growing importance of open-source intelligence in our information-rich world, suggesting that the skills and approaches Gill discusses will become increasingly valuable across various professions and even in daily life. The future of OSINT, as shown by Gill's expertise, is one of constant innovation, global reach, and broad relevance in our digital world.