THE THREATS OF OSINT TOOLS AND WAYS TO MITIGATE THE CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR APPLICATION FOR THE ORGANIZATION

Abstract

This article examines strategies aimed to mitigate the negative effects of cyberattacks through the use of open-source intelligence (OSINT) tools. Accepting the fact that it is impossible to completely prevent the collection of data about organizations through a significant number of information sources, including open sources (media, news, forums, social media and almost everything published on the Internet), organizations need to be prepared to prevent or counteract the consequences of using this information with malicious intent. A key element of this readiness is to focus on proper staff training and awareness-raising initiatives that include both rules for handling information, such as what information should not be posted on social media, shared with colleagues in verbal conversations or correspondence, and an overview of modern social engineering tactics that use publicly available information to manipulate the organization's employees. The organization's management should also ensure the creation of reliable internal communication channels dedicated to information security issues. In addition, the article emphasizes the importance of monitoring the information space as a proactive measure aimed at countering potential cyber threats. In addition, the benefits associated with the implementation of network segmentation and effective management of user rights, such as the Principe of least privilege (PoLP) – the principle of providing access to resources, where each process, user or program should have access only to the information and resources that are minimally necessary for the successful completion of their work tasks, within the organization were investigated. The mentioned aspects should be considered in a comprehensive manner, which will ensure a multifaceted approach to ensuring the organization's resilience in the face of constantly evolving cyber threats.