NeedleStack

Alligator in the Boat

19 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Integrating security into our daily lives can feel overwhelming. From password management to encryption, it’s easy to feel frustrated. Robert Vamosi...

Navigating the Ransomware Negotiation

05 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, hosts Robert Vamosi and AJ Nash engage with cybersecurity expert John DiMaggio to explore the complexities of ransomware negotiation....

Best Practices For Open-Source Investigations

18 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In this special 100th episode of Needlestack, hosts Robert Vamosi and AJ Nash celebrate the milestone with former NeedleStack host, Matt Ashburn, disc...

Exploring the Dark Web: Myths and Realities

05 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

NeedleStack hosts, AJ Nash and Robert Vamosi engage with Roman Sannikov a seasoned expert in cyber threat intelligence, to explore the complexities of...

Navigating China's Strategic Landscape

21 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of NeedleStack, hosts AJ Nash and Robert Vamosi engage with John Costello, a director at Wirescreen, to discuss the complexities of Ch...

Is Mass Surveillance Helping or Hindering Intelligence?

07 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, the hosts discuss the implications of surveillance technology and AI on intelligence, journalism, and civil liberties. They explore t...

Robert and AJ Talk about Tradecraft

11 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Needlestack, hosts AJ Nash and Robert Vamosi delve into the complexities of disappearing online, drawing insights from their experi...

The Rise of Citizen OSINT, and What to Do About It

26 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, hosts Robert Vamosi and AJ Nash engage with Neil Ysart, a seasoned expert in cyber investigations and open source intelligence (OSINT...

What is Cyber HUMINT?

12 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Michael DeBolt joins Robert Vamosi and AJ Nash to dive into the world of Cyber HUMINT — the application of traditional human intell...

Dealing with AI Slop in OSINT Investigations

29 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, AJ Nash and Robert Vamosi discuss the challenges posed by misinformation and the rise of AI-generated content. They explore the evolu...

What is GEOINT in OSINT?

15 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of NeedleStack, hosts AJ Nash and Robert Vamosi engage with James Villenueve, a geospatial intelligence expert, to explore the world o...

Ransomware’s Collateral Damage

01 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Jason Baker from the Guidepoint Research & Intelligence Team (GRIT) shares his background and provides insights into ransomware attribution, the c...

Identifying fraud in financial services

17 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How can Intelligence benefit financial sectors? It can address challenges like sanctions, data privacy, and cryptocurrency. Teresa Walsh highlights th...

Adding Agentic AI to Analysis

03 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Ultimately, GenAI has the potential to create jobs in areas like data science and cybersecurity, but only if it is integrated responsibly. However, th...

Hacker Summer Camp 2025

20 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Robert and AJ went to Hacker Summer Camp. What’s that? It’s a week of conferences such as Black Hat USA, BSidesLV, the Dianna Initiative, Squadcom...

Intelligence tradecraft in the digital age

06 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From street cop to OSINT expert, Nico Dekens aka “the Dutch OSINT Guy” shares his incredible journey and insights. Discover the evolution of OSINT...

Using OSINT to protect celebrities and athletes

23 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes, when a Hollywood actor stars in a blockbuster film or a hit TV show, or when an athlete wins the Super Bowl, their personal problems begin ...

An OSINT investigator’s toolkit

09 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

There are OSINT tools that mirror or provide workarounds for hidden social media posts. Join us as we talk with an investigator who really knows his w...

AI as an insider threat

25 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

AJ and Robert explore the shadowy side of AI — how some users are becoming addicted, confiding in it like a personal therapist and then gaining conf...

Adventures in OSINT Red Teaming

11 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Anna discusses her career trajectory from corporate security and financial crimes to becoming the CEO of Pine Risk Management. She shares her experien...

How culture can inform OSINT investigations

28 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

An OSINT Arabic instructor and geopolitical risk expert joins the show to discuss what can get lost in translation when performing OSINT investigation...

Ransomware gangs and OSINT

14 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Ransomware groups continue to generate significant profits, frequently relying on recycled or leaked code—leading researchers to describe them as “...

Using AI in OSINT investigations

30 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Discover how AI is revolutionizing OSINT, from speeding up data collection to generating comprehensive reports, while also addressing the challenges a...

Entering infosec as an outsider! Tips from a librarian turned cyber analyst

16 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A librarian and an OSINT analyst may have more in common than you realize. That’s how Tracy Maleeff found her way into cyber and made a name as Info...

What is counterintelligence?

02 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From government to private enterprise, counterintelligence can unlock big benefits in cybersecurity. We sit down with a counterintelligence profession...

"We’re back, and we’re your new hosts"

19 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Meet the new hosts of NeedleStack. Robert Vamosi is a CISSP and award-winning journalist. AJ Nash has two decades of experience in the Intelligence co...

Using OSINT to investigate organized animal crime

13 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Jacob Lloyd, head of investigations at Animal Welfare Investigations Project, has been putting OSINT skills to use to stop organized animal crime — ...

Investigating influence operations

05 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

From influence operations and Telegram to using marketing tools for OSINT insights, our guest gives pro tips on OSINT and cyber investigations for pro...

Is Telegram the place for cyber investigators?

25 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we sit down with cyber threat analyst and SANS OSINT instructor, Steven Harris. Steven discusses how Telegram is a must-use channel f...

OSINT for executive protection

18 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Alex Lozano of Cybergy joins us to discuss how he uses OSINT and social media to protect executive clients, resources for his cyber students at Univer...

Word up: learning foreign languages for OSINT with Skip Schiphorst

11 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Language can limit or expand your worldview. That’s important to remember in OSINT where what you’re able to find and analyze can greatly affect t...

OSINT after dark with MJ Banias

14 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

MJ Banias discusses how one man’s late-night OpSec fail is an OSINTer’s treasure. If that’s too salacious for you, we also talk about how awesom...

Securing high-risk communities

07 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Journalists, academics and NGOs face unprecedented levels of threats in real life and in the digital world. With limited resources, they often lack se...

Demystifying dark web research for enterprise and law enforcement

30 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

An analysts from DarkOwl joins us to discuss dark web research and all its facets. From AI and other trends on the dark web, to operational security, ...

Breaking in: how to use OSINT for pen testing

16 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How can I get in? Steve Stasiukonis knows the power OSINT brings to this crucial pen testing question. From uncovering who to pose as, what to wear an...

Lockbit and the stories behind ransomware with Jon DiMaggio

19 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We go behind the scenes with Jon DiMaggio of Ransomware Diaries. As the chief security strategist at Analyst 1, Jon has conducted in-depth investigati...

Legal and OSINT: hunting down the bullsh*t

12 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Bullsh*t Hunting creators Justin Seitz and Some Lawyer share their tips on how OSINT and legal investigation tactics can benefit one another. They tal...

Security research: humans in the loop with John Hammond

05 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Cybersecurity is rife with technological solutions, but as security researcher John Hammond knows all too well, it’s people that make the difference...

What’s up with OSINTUp?

13 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Do you wish you had more training opportunities or just chances to flex your OSINT skills? We’re hosting a big event this month where we’ll talk w...

OSINT training in 2024

06 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There are many paths to OSINT — one of them is through training programs and online resources! Aubrey and Shannon break down what’s available, wha...

Digital investigation techniques with Craig Silverman

05 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Propublica reporter and author of the Digital Investigations newsletter, Craig Silverman joins the podcast to discuss disinformation trends on social ...

OPSEC on the internet’s dark side with Sam Bent

28 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

DefCon speaker and host of DoingFedTime on YouTube, Sam Bent joins the podcast to shine light on operational security concerns on the dark web. The re...

Social media intelligence gathering with Ritu Gill

14 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Ritu Gill, or @OSINTtechniques as she’s known online, joins the podcast to give tips for social media intelligence gathering. What are the little-kn...

Training law enforcement on trafficking with Griffin Glynn

17 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The chief investigations officer of the National Child Protection Task Force shares the tools and methods he trains law enforcement on, how he protect...

The myths and misconceptions of child protection

10 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jessica Smith, president and founder of ClickSafe intelligence and special investigations lead with the National Child Protection Task Force, joins th...

Can AI identify AI?

03 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We discuss recent Bellingcat reports on whether AI has the capability to reliably identify AI. The reporter and fellow shares his research on AI for O...

OSINT by day and night

26 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We talk to an OSINT professional about what he learned when he applied his daytime skills to a moonlighting hobby. On YouTube, Gary Ruddell shares 3-m...

How AI is disrupting OSINT for better or worse

29 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Producers Aubrey and Shannon review the latest articles and research on using AI in OSINT. Should you consider using AI chatbots in research now or in...

Keeping up with AI and social media

22 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How can researchers keep up with all the changes in the OSINT landscape? From AI to constantly shifting social media platforms, Neil Spencer from Life...

AI-enhanced technology for frictionless borders

15 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As analysts assess how AI could improve their workflow, Babel Street is presenting technology that can help border agents better name-match terrorist ...

The ethical use of AI in open-source investigations

03 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Everyone is talking about using AI for OSINT, but what are the ethical considerations before you fire up your first chat? Before you start feeding a m...

Leveraging generative AI for OSINT

25 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Wondering how to incorporate AI into your OSINT framework? We asked the CEO and founder of the popular training organization, OSINT Combine. Key takea...

LifeRaft: What security teams need to know about ChatGPT

18 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We’re handing the mic over to our friends at Talking Threat Intelligence, a podcast by LifeRaft today. On the show, they had our very own Daniel Ben...

Maritime OSINT deep dive with Rae Baker

13 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We sit down with the author of the new OSINT reference book Deep Dive: Exploring the Real-world Value of Open Source Intelligence, Rae Baker. Baker is...

GEOINT for funsies with JoseMonkey

06 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Not his real name, but there’s real fun to be had learning how JoseMonkey geolocates videos on his wildly popular TikTok channel. Hear the tools, te...

USGIF GEOINT Symposium acronym spectacular

31 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We attended USGIF’s GEOINT Symposium so you don’t have to (but you should – it’s great). NeedleStack producers Aubrey and Shannon break down t...

The good and bad of geotags

16 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, our guest brings more than 30 years of experience from the Department of Defense to the conversation. James A. Samuel, Jr. is now in ...

The future of GEOINT

09 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As commercial satellites increase and technology advances, what does the future of geospatial intelligence look like? We ask our guest to explain the ...

Hard-to-hear OSINT truths

11 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Abbi Dobbertin of Fivecast and Adam Huenke join the podcast to talk hot takes. As tradecraft and training leads, respectively, and years of OSINT prac...

The youths and their TikTok: a SOCMINT symposium recap

04 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Producers Shannon and Aubrey attend the 2023 Symposium on Open Source, Social Media and National Security. They discuss highlights, panel topics and a...

What if we taught OSINT to high schoolers?

28 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week, a high school criminology teacher joins the podcast to discuss how teaching open-source research helped engage his students during distant ...

Think like an investigator

07 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Our guest is a former FBI investigator and current university professor who has tips for practitioners in every industry. From the protocol before you...

Take-home tips for OSINT Curious researchers

28 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A founding member of the OSINT Curious Project joins us to give practical tips and advice for researchers. We discuss tools, tradecraft and trends wit...

Networking your way to better OSINT

21 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The president of the OSMOSIS Association and host of OSINT Cocktail, Cynthia Navarro, joins the podcast to discuss how creating a community of open-so...

How OSINT is changing in federal government

14 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The times they are a’changing. Open-source intelligence was once the lesser celebrated branch and now makes up the bulk of analytical reporting. Our...

OSINT’s journey from academia to decision-makers

07 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The director of the soon-to-open Open-Source Intelligence Laboratory of University of Albany joins the podcast to discuss the definition of OSINT and ...

Is your digital fingerprint following you into 2023?

31 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s a new year and as researchers work to hit their goals, we want to revisit some of our most important advice for securely investigating online. ...

The Best of Season 1

24 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Watch when Jack Rhysider of Darknet Diaries shares his amazement at what hackers will do “for a free burrito,” or the moment Rob Fuller, a read te...

Book club: This Is How They Tell Me The World Ends

13 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Our second book club episode features essential reading for threat intelligence. New York Times reporter, Nicole Perloth, gives a history of the zero-...

Book club: We Are Bellingcat

06 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This special edition of NeedleStack features a must-read for open-source researchers, We Are Bellingcat by Eliot Higgins. Our producer Shannon discuss...

Practical OSINT tips from the field

15 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, an expert OSINT practitioner from both government and private sector practices joins to share hands-on tips from in the field. He als...

Subverting censorship through tech

08 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Authoritarian regimes create propaganda and disinformation, in part, by blocking citizens’ access to traditional news sources. In this episode, co-f...

How to perform a fact-check: from start to finish

18 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Nick Hardinges from the Reuters fact-checking team joins the podcast to walk us through how to go about debunking information online, from deciding wh...

Verifying what you see in the media

11 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Social media and traditional media overlap now more than ever, with social media providing an opportunity to reach and resonate with new audiences –...

Why Russian disinformation is so effective

04 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Fact-checkers’ biggest nemesis is the proliferation of disinformation in the digital age. Chris Paul joins the episode to talk about Russian propaga...

Where Woodward meets Holmes: OSINT and investigative journalism

27 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The intersection of open-source information, disinformation, social media and journalism has spawned a new breed of investigator. Meet Brecht Castel, ...

The AI tracking alt-social media

20 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Mis- and disinformation abound on social media. But as violating users are deplatformed from mainstream sites, they’ve become hyper-concentrated on ...

Autopsy of a story: the art and science of fact-checking

13 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Fact-checking can be seen as the undoing of a story, tearing apart the salacious tidbits to get at the bloody — or perhaps just boring — truth. In...

Pro tips for intel team “care and feeding”

31 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

From a love of Tom Clancy novels to military intelligence to “the ivory tower” of industry analysts, Rick Holland’s road to Digital Shadow’s C...

Using OSINT to identify weaknesses

09 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

OSINT is a powerful tool to identify vulnerabilities in your organization. But with all the information out there, how do you zero-in on the data you ...

Intelligence sharing for the greater good

02 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

After spending 22 years in the U.S. Air Force building the branch’s cyber presence worldwide and reshaping its cyber curriculum, Lance Taylor now ap...

Information is not intelligence

26 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Without the right appreciation for intelligence, organizations may be hiring themselves into a problem. Vice President of Intelligence at ZeroFox A.J....

Red team, blue team, stopping hack fiends

12 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In episode 20 we interview Rob Fuller, the red team and CTI director for a major U.S. airline. Rob discusses how red teams can better leverage CTI, th...

Your dark web questions answered

14 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this listeners live episode, Matt answers questions from the audience that have come up over our dark web episodes. Get sage advice on safely acces...

Dear Darknet Diaries: dark web stories with Jack Rhysider

07 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The surprising identity behind some of the internet’s most nefarious hacks and why sometimes criminals are more willing to talk than victims of a cr...

The Silk Road and other dark destinations with Eileen Ormsby

31 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Eileen Ormsby has chatted with drug lords, been threatened by purported hitmen and written books about The Silk Road. Her investigative journalism led...

Dark web research tips for the OSINT-curious

24 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Michael James of the OSINT Curious Project joins the podcast to give expert tips on conducting dark web research. From GitHub tools to Discord resourc...

Investigating financial crimes on the dark web

17 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, podcast contributor Adam Huenke discusses how to investigate financial crimes on the dark web. How do stolen credit card numbers affe...

Follow the money: how cryptocurrency shines a light in the dark web

10 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

There’s a (false) assumption that cryptocurrency is inherently anonymous, concealing the identity of those who use it. But in fact, crypto has been ...

Ready to turn out the light? An intro to the dark web

03 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, host Matt Ashburn, and co-host Jeff Phillips, break down everything you needed to know about the dark web. From how it works and why ...

Listeners live April 2022

13 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Needlestack hosts answered live questions from our listeners in this special episode. From use cases in different industries to world news to tools to...

OSINT’s crucial role in CTI

05 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week the team is joined by threat intelligence researcher Adam Huenke to go over the importance of open-source intelligence to CTI research. From...

How OSINT informs executive protection

29 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It takes a team of people to provide protection to executives and one of their most important tools for offering the best protection is OSINT. Whether...

Where trust and safety meets OSINT

22 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Trust and safety is a constantly growing and evolving field. In this episode, we cover the basics of the industry and the role of OSINT in minimizing ...

How law enforcement is using OSINT

15 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The latest episode in our OSINT use case tour covers how open-source can be applied to law enforcement. The popular use of social media has made it so...

OSINT in a tense world

08 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Open-source intelligence (OSINT) has been playing out on the world stage in a big way over the past few weeks. Social media platforms like TikTok have...

Listeners live February 2022

15 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In our first listeners live episode, Matt and Jeff take questions from our live audience. They cover resources that can be useful in finding the best ...

Know thyself, disguise thyself

08 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Disguising your digital fingerprint is imperative to the results of online research. This episode, the hosts dive into the tools that can help investi...

Hidden dangers of the digital fingerprint

01 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

You’re conducting your research. It seems like it’s going successfully. But unbeknownst to you, the subject of your research is onto you, knows yo...

VPNs, Incognito, free Wi-Fi, oh my!

25 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In an effort to conceal their identity, online researchers may turn to the solutions they know: VPNs, Inocgnito Mode and free Wi-Fi. While these solut...