The FOSS Side of Spying: How Hackers Use OSINT

This talk is a fast-paced, practical dive into how ethical hackers and researchers gather intelligence from publicly available data using completely open-source tools. From social media profiles to exposed APIs, GitHub leaks to Shodan results—OSINT is often the first step in any real-world hacking operations.

Participants will see how tools like Spiderfoot, theHarvester, GHunt, and Recon-ng help automate and scale intelligence gathering. We’ll also explore how developers accidentally leak secrets, and how open datasets are being weaponized by both attackers and defenders.

The session will highlight real-world examples, demo use cases, and give actionable insights for developers, students, and open-source contributors on how to protect their digital footprint.

• A clear understanding of what OSINT is and why it matters

• Overview of powerful open-source OSINT tools and frameworks

• Real-world examples of how open data leads to compromise

• How FOSS plays a critical role in both offense and defense

• Practical tips to reduce your own or your project’s OSINT exposure