How Hackers Collect Info on Your Business Before They Attack

You don’t need to be breached to be exposed.

Before a single phishing email is sent or a vulnerability is exploited, cybercriminals are already working—silently gathering data about your business from the open internet. It’s called Open-Source Intelligence, or OSINT, one of the most overlooked stages of the attack cycle.

The worst part? You’re probably helping them—without even realizing it.

What Is OSINT?

OSINT is the practice of collecting information from publicly accessible sources to build a profile on a target. It’s not hacking in the traditional sense—there’s no network access, stolen passwords, or brute-force attempts—just careful mining of data your business has already made public.

According to CrowdStrike, “One of the most common reasons cybercriminals leverage OSINT is for social engineering purposes. They will often gather personal information of potential victims via social media profiles or other online activity to create a profile of the individual that can then be used to customize phishing attacks. It can also be used for detection evasion, by reviewing publicly disclosed intelligence, threat actors know where organizations may put up defense lines and look for alternate methods of attacks.”

OSINT is often the first phase of a cyberattack—used to identify weak points, impersonate employees, or plan more targeted threats. It’s legal, quiet, and surprisingly effective.

Where Hackers Look First

Attackers don’t need to dig deep. According to Systems Support,  “Job postings, social media profiles, outdated web pages—these can all paint a detailed picture of your organization for someone who wants to do harm”. They use basic tools to uncover valuable data:

• LinkedIn Profiles

Job titles, team structures, project names, and internal tools are often disclosed in bios or posts. A single employee might accidentally reveal who manages systems or what software stack you use.

• Company Websites

“Meet the Team” pages, case studies, blog posts, and career sections offer a goldmine of info—names, departments, technologies, and sometimes direct email addresses.

• Job Postings

Hiring ads often include detailed references to platforms, tools, and internal processes. For attackers, that’s a blueprint to exploit.

• Domain WHOIS Records

Unless you’ve masked your domain registration, WHOIS data can expose admin names, emails, phone numbers, and hosting providers.

• Outdated or Unsecured Software Listings

System Support explains that unpatched third-party tools, exposed changelogs, or public GitHub repositories can reveal critical details that open the door to attack vectors.

What They’re Actually Learning

So, what does all this information tell an attacker? A lot more than you’d think:

• Your Organizational Structure

Knowing who’s in leadership, IT, or HR helps tailor spear-phishing campaigns and impersonation attempts.

• Your Technology Stack and Weak Spots

Job listings that mention specific CRMs, cloud platforms, or coding languages give clues about what systems you use—and how to target them.

• Who Has Access to What

Team pages, project bios, and social media posts help hackers identify potential high-access targets, like admins or operations staff.

How Small Businesses Make It Worse

Systems Support warns “ Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are particularly vulnerable to OSINT-based threats. Unlike large enterprises, SMBs often lack dedicated security teams or regular information audits, making it easier for attackers to exploit freely available data.”

It’s not about any one data point—it’s the pattern they build from multiple sources. Think of it like digital reconnaissance.

Most SMBs don’t realize they’re giving away valuable intelligence. However, unintentional exposure is common in smaller companies due to looser content controls and a lack of formal review processes.

Here’s how businesses make OSINT easier for attackers:

• Oversharing Online

Posting team wins, tool updates or organizational announcements without security vetting often reveal sensitive internal info.

• Outdated Web Content

Old blog posts, dead links, and unmaintained “About Us” pages can unintentionally expose internal changes or former systems still tied to your domain.

• No Domain Privacy

WHOIS data is often overlooked but easily fixed. If you haven’t enabled privacy protection, your registration info is just a quick lookup away.

• No Oversight on Employee Activity

Without guidance, employees post freely about projects and tools—especially on platforms like LinkedIn and GitHub.

How to Protect What’s Public

Forbes and Systems Support offer helpful tips to protect your small business online. You don’t need to shut down your website or scrub your LinkedIn presence. But you do need a plan for managing what’s exposed.

Here’s where to start:

  1. Conduct an OSINT Audit

Regularly review what’s publicly available about your team, tech stack, and domain. Look at your site through an attacker’s eyes.

 2. Review Before You Post

Set up a lightweight content review process. Before anything goes live—job ads, blog posts, team updates—ask: What could this reveal?

  3. Enable Domain Privacy & Remove Unused Subdomains

Protect WHOIS data and remove inactive portals or staging environments that are still public-facing.

 4. Monitor Your Digital Footprint

Use tools or services to track mentions of your company, employees, and email domains across forums, breached databases, and open directories.

 5. Train Your Team

Teach employees to think critically about what they share online. Awareness is your first line of defence.

Be Vigilant with Your Public Digital Footprint to Stay Protected

Cyberattacks rarely start with code—they begin with information.

Hackers don’t guess. They plan. And what they know about your business often comes from what you’ve already put online. By understanding and managing your public footprint, you make it more difficult for attackers to build a successful strategy. OSINT may be legal—but you don’t have to make it easy.

Resources

Baker, Kurt, What Is OSINT Open Source Intelligence? | CrowdStrike, 17 January, 2025 www.crowdstrike.com/en-us/cybersecurity-101/threat-intelligence/open-source-intelligence-osint.

MacFee, William and Systems Support Corporation. “The Danger in Plain Sight.” The Danger in Plain Sight, pp. 03–12. octanecdn.com/systemsupportcom/systemsupportcom_163482437.pdf.

Schwenk, Jochen. “Council Post: Fortifying Businesses Against Modern Information Threats.”

Forbes, 13 February. 2024,

www.forbes.com/councils/forbesbusinesscouncil/2024/02/13/fortifying-businesses-againstmodern-information-threats.