A four-day train-the-trainer course on the use of Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) and criminal investigations has started in Vinnytsia for academic staff and students of Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs.

The course is based on the principle of “training for trainers” and is focused not only on training participants, but also on preparing them for further teaching and knowledge transfer to others. The event is the next stage of cooperation between KhNUIA and the European Union Advisory Mission (EUAM) within the framework of the international technical assistance project “Operational Support to Strategic Advice on Civilian Security Sector Reform in Ukraine”.

The course was attended by KhNUIA 22 representatives, including the academic staff of the departments and research laboratories of the Educational and Research Institutes №№ 1-5, as well as cadets of the Educational and Research Institutes №№ 2, 3 and 4.

The speakers were EUAM Senior OSINT Advisors Juan Carlos Arias Lopez and Theo Mandocchi.

During the training, the trainers reviewed various concepts of OSINT, the process of collecting, analyzing and using information from open sources, its application in cybersecurity, law enforcement and investigations, its difference from other types of intelligence, and described the main resources for collecting information, including analyzing various Internet resources, open databases, and the Dark Web.

EUAM representatives also compared the concepts of information/data/analytical intelligence product, highlighted the advantages and disadvantages of OSINT, and elaborated on the preparation for OSINT, such as identifying the objectives and key issues of the investigation, and using appropriate OSINT tools. The speakers emphasized the importance of protecting yourself on the Internet when searching for information from open sources, shared information on ways to protect personal data, create special accounts for OSINT investigations, search through anonymous search engines such as DuckDuckGo, etc.

In addition, the speakers familiarized the participants with the main functions and capabilities of the OSINT INDUSTRIES platform, including the algorithm for searching and verifying information, and further actions to clarify it. They conducted a practical exercise to demonstrate the platform's capabilities using various search queries and presented other practical cases to help participants better understand effective methods of working with open sources of information.

At the end of the event, EUAM representatives emphasized the importance of legal aspects of conducting research, stressing that the right approach to digital security allows OSINT researchers to work effectively while minimizing risks to themselves.

During the training, the participants actively participated in practical exercises, asked questions to the trainers, discussed and shared their experience of using OSINT in training, education and professional activities. https://univd.edu.ua/uk/news/22784