The legality of OSINT is dependent on how it is used. The U.S. Code defines the legal use of open source intelligence as “... intelligence that is produced from publicly available information and is collected, exploited, and disseminated in a timely manner to an appropriate audience for the purpose of addressing a specific intelligence requirement.” When OSINT is used for purposes such as “doxing” (unveiling publicly available information of anonymous internet users) someone, it can be illegal. There can also be legal issues with managing vulnerable information if managed improperly. If, for example, an organization accidentally leaked an employee’s credentials on a public storage bucket, it is up to an OSINT analyst to alert the organization accordingly to ensure fast remediation. Without remediation, consequences will ensue.