What is Evidencia - Centralized Whistleblowing & Case Management platform?

La solution SaaS centralisée pour la gestion des cas d'investigation, le lancement d'alertes et la conformité.

OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) refers to any information that is legally accessible to the public: search engines, social networks, official registries, online press, professional directories, and web archives. It requires no illegal surveillance and no access to confidential databases.

What is OSINT used for in an internal investigation?

OSINT serves as a first layer of information before any technical collection or interview. It helps verify the materiality of facts behind an alert, identify peripheral actors and hidden links (associates, front men, professional relationships), and anticipate the reputational or legal risks of an investigation.

Does OSINT replace eDiscovery or interviews?

No. OSINT does not replace eDiscovery (email analysis) or stakeholder interviews. It works as an exploratory phase that helps ask the right questions, better target eDiscovery searches, and cross-check statements against objective, verifiable facts.

Is OSINT compliant with GDPR?

Yes, provided it follows a strict framework: the principle of proportionality, source documentation, and no misuse of purpose. Checking a public LinkedIn profile to verify a career path is lawful; mass-scraping personal data with automated tools without a legal basis is not.

What are the limits of OSINT?

OSINT does not always prove intent — it documents facts that must be cross-checked with other sources to carry evidentiary weight. It does not bypass privacy rights, and it ages quickly: any information collected must be timestamped and captured (screenshot, PDF export) at the moment of discovery to ensure traceability.

OSINT: What is the role of open-source intelligence in an internal investigation?

Before eDiscovery or interviews, OSINT helps verify facts, map hidden networks and anticipate risk in an internal investigation — all within a strict GDPR framework.

Julien Mascaro• CEO d'Evidencia et ancien enquêteur interne

September 1, 2026

4 min read

Enquêtrice conduisant une recherche OSINT de nuit, écrans affichant un profil en ligne et une cartographie de réseau de relations

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