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As we move through 2026, the Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) landscape is maturing fast, with new tools and platforms reshaping how security teams monitor risk.
While we get that the tools and licenses your organization standardizes on will always be your core stack, keeping an eye on what’s new, and understanding where it actually adds value, can give you a real edge.
In this post, we’ll look at the OSINT tools security professionals should have on their radar for 2026.
Network and Device Discovery
Shodan remains one of the most important OSINT tools for mapping internet‑facing infrastructure in 2026. It indexes exposed services, IoT and OT devices, and misconfigured systems across the public internet, letting analysts quickly see the organization’s footprint from an attacker’s perspective and prioritize high‑risk exposures.
As a search engine for Internet-connected devices, it allows users to:
- Discover vulnerable systems and open ports
- Filter results based on location, operating system, or device type
- Identify potential security risks in IoT devices
Other tools to consider in this category include:
DNSDumpster is a free domain research tool that uncovers subdomains, DNS records, and associated IPs, making it easy to discover forgotten or shadow assets before attackers do. It also visualizes domain relationships, helping security teams understand how their infrastructure is exposed externally.
Metadata Extraction and Document Analysis
Metagoofil remains a handy open‑source tool for extracting metadata from public documents like PDFs and Office files. In 2026 it’s best viewed as a classic utility. It can quickly surface usernames, internal paths, software versions, and other details that help analysts build an organization’s digital footprint during reconnaissance.
Security analysts can use Metagoofil to:
- Investigate various document types (.pdf, .doc, .ppt, .xls, etc.)
- Gather valuable intelligence from publicly accessible files
- Enhance their reconnaissance capabilities before penetration testing
Other tools to consider in this category include:
ExifTool has become a go‑to for metadata and file forensics, supporting images, video, audio, and documents. Analysts use it to extract timestamps, geolocation, device details, and edit history, all critical signals when validating evidence or checking whether media has been tampered with.
Advanced Search Techniques
While not a standalone tool, mastering advanced search techniques using platforms like Google Dorks is crucial for security analysts. These techniques allow for:
- Uncovering sensitive information inadvertently exposed on public websites
- Finding confidential documents and unsecured databases
- Enhancing the overall effectiveness of OSINT investigations
People, Brand & Social Media Intelligence
Point tools are powerful, but by 2026 the real challenge is operationalizing OSINT, meaning turning noisy, open‑source data into timely, contextual intelligence for security operations. Here are a few platforms to know in this category:
Liferaft brings together threat monitoring from social media and the surface, deep, and dark web into a single platform designed for corporate and physical security teams, with rich geospatial views and identity resolution that help analysts connect online chatter to real‑world people, locations, and events. It excels at turning noisy open‑source data into actionable, location‑aware alerts that GSOCs and security leaders can operationalize across executive protection, event security, and broader enterprise risk.
AlertMedia is best at pairing risk intelligence with emergency communication and mass notification, enabling organizations not only to detect threats but also to rapidly reach and protect their people.
Skopenow is best at automating OSINT investigations, collecting and analyzing online data to verify identities, and building investigative intelligence around people and organizations.
Misinformation, Deepfakes & Content Authenticity
HyperVerge continues to be a strong example of applied AI for detecting deepfakes and identity fraud in 2026. Its models help security and fraud teams flag synthetic faces and manipulated video in KYC and remote onboarding workflows, reducing the risk of account takeover and impersonation.
Intel’s FakeCatcher showcases the future of real‑time deepfake detection by analyzing subtle biological signals in video rather than just pixels. While it’s more research‑grade than everyday analyst tooling, it highlights how fast detection capabilities are evolving and why security teams need a strategy for evaluating synthetic media.
In addition to vendors like HyperVerge and FakeCatcher, a growing ecosystem of AI‑driven tools (Pindrop Pulse, etc.) now targets audio and video deepfakes specifically, helping organizations spot synthetic voices in call centers, verify recorded statements, and cryptographically log authentic media at capture time. This makes deepfake‑aware processes increasingly achievable for mainstream security teams.
The efficacy of open source intelligence hinges on the selection of appropriate tools and their seamless integration into daily workflows. Combining core OSINT techniques with advanced platforms, such as solutions like Liferaft that consolidate and operationalize external data, you are able to transform raw signals into meaningful intelligence, and it is this transition that empowers teams to move toward proactive, intelligence-led strategic decisions.