Mastering OSINT and Cyber Threat Intelligence: Free Courses and Essential Skills

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Introduction

In today’s rapidly evolving cyber threat landscape, Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) and Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) are critical skills for security professionals. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced analyst, leveraging free training resources can enhance your ability to gather intelligence, detect threats, and secure systems. This article highlights key courses, tools, and techniques to build expertise in OSINT and CTI.

Learning Objectives

  • Understand the fundamentals of OSINT and its applications in cybersecurity.
  • Learn how to use OSINT tools like Maltego for cybercrime investigations.
  • Explore free training resources to develop threat intelligence skills.

1. Fundamentals of OSINT

Course Link: Security Blue Team – OSINT Fundamentals

Key OSINT Command (Linux):

theHarvester -d example.com -b google

What It Does:

This command uses theHarvester, an OSINT tool, to scrape emails, subdomains, and IPs associated with a target domain (example.com) from Google.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Install `theHarvester` via Kali Linux or GitHub:

git clone https://github.com/laramies/theHarvester.git 
cd theHarvester 
pip install -r requirements.txt

2. Run the command above, replacing `example.com` with your target.

3. Analyze results for reconnaissance data.

2. Dark Web Investigations

Course Link: Security Blue Team – Dark Web Operations

Tor Network Access (Linux/Windows):

torify curl https://example.onion

What It Does:

This command routes a `curl` request through the Tor network to access `.onion` sites anonymously.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Install Tor:

  • Linux: `sudo apt install tor`
  • Windows: Download from Tor Project
  1. Use `torify` (Linux) or configure `curl` with a Tor proxy (Windows).

3. Access hidden services securely.

3. Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) Basics

Course Link: arcX – CTI 101

Threat Intelligence Query (Python):

import requests 
url = "https://otx.alienvault.com/api/v1/indicators/domain/example.com" 
response = requests.get(url) 
print(response.json())

What It Does:

This Python script queries AlienVault’s OTX for threat intelligence on a domain.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Install `requests`:

pip install requests

2. Replace `example.com` with your target domain.

  1. Analyze JSON output for malware, attacks, and IoCs.

4. Maltego for Cyber Investigations

Course Link: Maltego – Cybercrime Investigations

Maltego Transform (CLI Alternative):

maltego -d "example.com" -t DomainToIP

What It Does:

This simulates a Maltego transform, mapping a domain to its IP addresses.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Install Maltego (free Community Edition).

  1. Run transforms via GUI or CLI (if available).

3. Visualize relationships between entities (IPs, emails, domains).

5. OSINT Workshop (Hands-On Practice)

Workshop Link: Cyber Institute – OSINT Workshop

Recon-ng Framework (Linux):

recon-ng -m recon/domains-hosts/bing_domain_web -o DOMAIN=example.com

What It Does:

This Recon-ng module scrapes Bing for subdomains of example.com.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Install Recon-ng:

git clone https://github.com/lanmaster53/recon-ng.git 
cd recon-ng 
pip install -r REQUIREMENTS

2. Load the module and execute.

3. Export results for further analysis.

What Undercode Say

  • Key Takeaway 1: Free OSINT and CTI courses provide foundational knowledge for cybersecurity professionals.
  • Key Takeaway 2: Hands-on tools like Maltego, theHarvester, and Recon-ng enhance real-world threat detection.

Analysis:

The increasing sophistication of cyber threats demands proactive intelligence gathering. By mastering OSINT and CTI, professionals can identify vulnerabilities, track threat actors, and mitigate risks before exploitation. The listed courses and tools offer a cost-effective way to upskill, making cybersecurity more accessible.

Prediction

As cyber threats grow, OSINT and CTI will become mandatory skills for SOC analysts, penetration testers, and threat hunters. Automation and AI will further integrate with OSINT tools, streamlining intelligence collection and analysis. Professionals who invest in these skills now will lead the next wave of cyber defense.

Note: Always use OSINT ethically and comply with legal regulations.

IT/Security Reporter URL:

Reported By: Dharamveer Prasad – Hackers Feeds
Extra Hub: Undercode MoN
Basic Verification: Pass ✅

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