This Newsletter was distributed to the mailing list on 29 August 2024.
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Hello,
Madalin here!
In this newsletter, I will introduce four Artificial Intelligence tools that can be used to assist with OSINT investigations.
- GeoSpy
- Picarta.ai
- Lenso.ai
- Usersearch.ai
1. GEOSPY
GeoSpy is an advanced hybrid system that combines cutting-edge geospatial localization technologies with sophisticated heuristic-based expert systems in order to predict the origin location of a photo.
You can upload an image of a landscape, street, interior or even a satellite image and GeoSpy will use it's capabilities to display the location of the image.
A description of the uploaded image is provided, that either justifies or suggests why GeoSpy selected the location.
Like all AI tools, GeoSpy can be deceived. On testing with 3 photos, I found that it might place too much reliance on an attribute that the AI does not analyse correctly.
This photo was taken in Chamonix, France with the Post Office in the background. It was located by GeoSpy to be in Switzerland because of the "Hotel Onix in Zermatt". It gets worse, there is no Hotel Onix in Zermatt.
Score: 2/10
With the next image, I was really impressed with the accuracy of the result.
This photo was taken in a residential suburb of Buenos Aires, Argentina. GeoSpy geolocated it to the precise part of a small neighbourhood, based on the architecture of the residential buildings!
Score 10/10
For the third image, the result is potentially very misleading.
Geospy thinks the photo was taken from a balcony overlooking the town of Scilla, Italy. The iconic castle of Ruffo is visible in the distance.
In fact, to find the exact location, you have to cross the Strait of Messina and head south down the east coast of Sicily to Aci Costello.
I expected GeoSpy to nail this one precisely.
Score: 3/10.
What I found so interesting is the the photo where I expected GeoSpy might struggle, it was really good, and the two with sufficient attributes to make a precise location, it was surprisingly poor.
GeoSpy will improve as its education progresses.
I suggest you should always corroborate a location provided by GeoSpy.
2. PICARTA.AI
Another AI resource which detects the image location. Although it's fairly similar to GeoSpy, this resource focuses much more on street images, having the capability more refined. Create an account to get 3 free searches each day.
You can upload any image you located of a street and the AI will try and detect the location, offering various results it thinks it might be.
The big differences with GeoSpy is that Picarta
1. allows you to apply a probable area with the Specify Location capability (when logged in).
2. provides a list of possible locations with a % probability of the accuracy. Use the 3 images from above to test and see how different the results are from GeoSpy.
3. LENSO.AI
Lenso.ai is a very unique reverse image search resource, as it is using it's AI to process this, making it also a very good alternative for this.
Just like other reverse image search resource, we can search for duplicate or similar images.
A unique and really appreciated capability of this resource, however, is the filtering with words & URLs taking the reverse image search process to a next level as this allows us to refine & better control our search.
4. USERSEARCH.AI
This freemium resource combines the process of searching usernames, email addresses, phone numbers and more with new capabilities that AI provides such as offering more descriptive details on the gathered data.
The capability of the username search is completely free to use, having more than 3000 online platforms available to process, this rivals even the command lines!
An account is required to use the capability.
These 4 AI resources have been added respectively to modules 3 and 4 of the 8 Module OSINT Course. In the Live Online Training they are explained and demonstrated, with more detail than provided in this introduction.
UPCOMING OSINT TRAINING
The OSINT Course
The 8 module Online OSINT Training Course covers all the salient matters of OSINT investigations.
The course is for beginners, returners, self taught investigators and lapsed practitioners.
Next course starts Wednesday, 11 September
Module 1 - LEGISLATION & OPERATIONAL SECURITY
Wednesday 11 September 2024 at 9:00 BST - Duration: 4 Hours
Module 2 - SEARCH ENGINES & ADVANCED SEARCHES
Wednesday 18 September 2024 at 9:00 BST - Duration: 4 Hours
Module 3 - DIGITAL FILES & IMAGES
Wednesday 25 September 2024 at 9:00 BST - Duration: 4 Hours
Module 4 - EMAILS, PHONE NUMBERS & MESSENGER APPS
Wednesday 02 October 2024 at 9:00 BST - Duration: 4 Hours
Module 5 - SMP PART 1 - LINKEDIN, INSTAGRAM, XCOM & THREADS
Wednesday 09 October 2024 at 9:00 BST - Duration: 4 Hours
Module 6 - SMP PART 2 - FACEBOOK, TIKTOK, SNAPCHAT, YOUTUBE
Wednesday 16 October 2024 at 9:00 BST - Duration: 4 Hours
Module 7 - BLOGS, FORUMS & ONLINE MARKETPLACES
Wednesday 23 October 2024 at 9:00 BST - Duration: 4 Hours
Module 8 - ONLINE DATABASES
Wednesday 30 October 2024 at 9:00 GMT - Duration: 4 Hours
Each Live Online Training is about 3 hours.
For each module, we provide extensive slide by slide notes, so you do not spend any time taking notes and you can focus on the live demonstrations.
Also, at the end of each module, you can request a video recording of the Live Online Training.
Please contact Adelina about this course and the 3 module Social Media & Online Marketplaces course starting on 9 October.
training@axeten.com