____________ is the collection of intelligence through public sources.

• A. Open Source Intelligence (OSINT)
• B. Human Intelligence (HUMINT)
• C. Signals Intelligence (SIGINT)
• D. Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT)

Answer: (A)

Open Source Intelligence is the collection of intelligence from publicly available sources. This means gathering information that anyone can access—newspapers, magazines, government reports, academic studies, broadcast transcripts, and online content—and then analyzing it to extract relevant insights. The key idea is that the sources are public and legal to use, which sets OSINT apart from intelligence methods that depend on confidential or restricted data.

This approach contrasts with HUMINT, which relies on information from people through interviews, debriefings, or clandestine contacts; SIGINT, which involves intercepting communications and electronic signals; and GEOINT, which focuses on geospatial imagery and data. OSINT can stand alone or be integrated with these other disciplines to provide context, corroboration, and a fuller picture, all derived from information that is accessible to the public.