From first usernames to full-stack contributions.
From beginner-friendly handle hunting to AI-assisted tool-building, this episode covers everything from Issue 84 and 85 of The OSINT Newsletter.
In the seventh episode of the rebooted OSINT Podcast, host @jakecreps breaks down two back-to-back issues: one focused on the fundamentals of username OSINT for new investigators, and another on how to use AI to improve and contribute to open-source OSINT tools.
Highlights include:
🧠 Username OSINT That Goes Beyond Tools – how to search, pivot, and build identity profiles using nothing but usernames and logic.
🔡 Generating Variants – predictable patterns, heuristics, and how to use AI to automate your variant lists.
🕵️ Pivoting Like a Pro – following digital breadcrumbs from handle → profile → email → employer → full identity.
⚙️ Contributing to Free OSINT Tools Using AI – fixing bugs, adding features, and building interfaces directly in VS Code.
⚡ OPSEC and AI – why your prompts can be subpoenaed, and how to protect your workflow.
🛰️ Tools to Try Now – BF Database Search, GeoVLM, and WebRecon for real-world recon and geolocation.
🌏 OSINT Tips for China – Justen Charters’ method for tracking Chinese infrastructure companies overseas.
💬 OSINT for Bad – understanding how open data can be weaponised, and why ethical tradecraft matters more than ever.
Each segment builds on the last — showing how curiosity, caution, and a few lines of AI-assisted code can take your investigations to the next level.
