Before I Hack, I Already Know You

People assume that hacking starts with brute-force attacks, malware, or network exploitation.

That’s not how I do it.

Before I ever send a phishing email, spoof a phone call, or touch an external system, I already know everything I need to compromise the organization.

• I know who works there and who has privileged access.
• I know what security tools they use and where they’re vulnerable.
• I know which vendors they trust and who I can impersonate.

I don’t need exploits when your own data is the key to your downfall.

This is Organizational OSINT—the intelligence gathering process that attackers use before an attack even begins. And in this post, I’ll show you exactly how it works.

Phase 1: Mapping the Target – The OSINT Attack Lifecycle

A Red Team engagement always starts with reconnaissance.

My job isn’t to randomly attack a company—it’s to build an attack plan based on real-world intelligence. That starts with OSINT (Open-Source Intelligence).

Unlike traditional technical OSINT (scanning subdomains, IP ranges, and leaked credentials), organizational OSINT focuses on how a company operates.

Where I Look First: The OSINT Data Funnel

With this information, I can build a highly targeted attack plan that bypasses traditional security controls.

Phase 2: Pretext Development – Crafting the Perfect Attack Narrative

Once I know who works there, what tools they use, and how the business operates, I start building an attack pretext.

Example 1: The IT Security Spoof

• I find a job listing that requires experience with Okta & Splunk.
• I check LinkedIn and see employees mentioning a recent SIEM upgrade.
• I send phishing emails posing as Splunk Security asking users to confirm their login credentials.

Result? Employees log into a fake portal, handing me their credentials.

Example 2: Vendor Trust Exploitation

• I find press releases mentioning a partnership with a third-party vendor.
• I see financial reports listing that vendor as a trusted supplier.
• I spoof an email from that vendor’s domain, requesting access to an “urgent security update.”

Result? Employees trust the request and send login credentials directly to me.

Example 3: Help Desk Social Engineering

• I find conference presentations where the IT team discusses their MFA setup.
• I see an employee on Reddit complaining about frequent MFA push notifications.
• I call the help desk, impersonating IT support, and ask them to approve an MFA push.

Result? The help desk approves the request, and I gain network access.

Phase 3: Exploiting Organizational Blind Spots

Once I have initial access, I don’t stop there. OSINT continues to help every step of the way.

Lateral Movement via Cloud Misconfigurations

• I check regulatory filings and security talks to confirm the company recently migrated to AWS.
• I scan AWS S3 buckets and find one left publicly exposed.
• I access stored credentials inside the bucket.

Result? Now I have admin access to their cloud environment.

Targeting Remote Employees for VPN Access

• I check LinkedIn and see an executive is currently traveling.
• I spoof an email from IT stating their VPN session has expired and needs to be reset.
• They log in to my fake VPN portal, handing over their credentials.

Result? Now I have direct access to their internal network.

Abusing Vendor Portals for Privileged Access

• I find a third-party supplier with weak security controls.
• I register for their customer portal using an employee’s publicly available details.
• I use that portal to request privileged access to the target organization.

Result? The request is approved automatically.

Phase 4: Post-Exploitation & Maintaining Persistence

Now that I have access, the goal is to stay inside undetected.

• I monitor internal Slack & Teams conversations to gather intelligence on incident response.
• I scan employee calendars for high-profile meetings or security audits.
• I exfiltrate sensitive financial & employee data—all without triggering alerts.

By the time the security team realizes what’s happening, it’s too late.

How Organizations Can Defend Against My OSINT Attacks

Want to stop this before it happens? Reduce your OSINT footprint.

• OSINT Audits – Regularly assess what your organization is exposing publicly.
• Employee Social Media Policies – Train employees on what NOT to share.
• Vendor Security Reviews – Audit third-party relationships for OSINT vulnerabilities.
• OSINT-Based Red Team Testing – Simulate real-world attacks before an actual adversary does.

📌 Schedule an OSINT Risk Assessment with Lares

Final Thoughts: If You’re Not Thinking About OSINT, Attackers Are

The companies I target aren’t insecure because of weak passwords or misconfigurations.

They’re vulnerable because they publicly expose the intelligence I need to break in.

📌 Test your organization’s OSINT exposure before an attacker does.