OSINT TIP: Search Private Facebook Profiles for Valuable Information.
Introduction:
The realm of open-source intelligence (OSINT) is a fascinating field that allows researchers and investigators to gather crucial information from publicly available sources. In this blog post, we delve into an intriguing aspect of OSINT — searching private Facebook profiles for valuable information. We will explore a technique that enables the retrieval of data, such as the date of birth, from locked profiles, highlighting the potential vulnerability associated with improperly secured data.
Step-by-Step Guide:
1. Accessing the Private Profile:
To begin, navigate to the Facebook profile of interest. For illustrative purposes, let’s consider the profile: https://www.facebook.com/profile/***************/
2. Querying First or Last Name:
Next, initiate a search for the person’s first or last name by appending the following URL to the profile link: https://www.facebook.com/profile/****************/search/?q=firstname
3. Retrieving Valuable Posts:
Upon executing the search, a list of posts and relevant information will be displayed. Remarkably, by employing this method, one can even uncover date-of-birth posts from profiles with stringent privacy settings.
Analyzing the Discrepancy:
It is worth noting that despite the absence of date-of-birth information in the contact info and life events sections, our search within the profile yielded interesting results. Even though this profile is set to private and not connected as a friend to the test account, we were able to access the date of birth post. It’s certainly an intriguing discovery!
Conclusion:
Open-source intelligence provides a wealth of opportunities to obtain valuable information from publicly accessible sources. However, it is vital to recognize the potential vulnerabilities associated with inadequate data protection. In the case of private Facebook profiles, our exploration showcased a method to uncover certain information, such as the date of birth, which may not be readily available through conventional means. By employing responsible and ethical practices, researchers and investigators can leverage OSINT techniques to enhance their understanding and improve their outcomes.
Disclaimer: It is crucial to respect privacy and adhere to legal and ethical guidelines when conducting OSINT investigations. This blog post serves as an informational resource and does not endorse or encourage any unauthorized access or misuse of personal information. Always conduct your research within legal boundaries and with the necessary permissions.
Reported to Facebook for this and they say this.
Hi Ashar,
We’ve received similar reports to this in the past and it resulted in this only occurring if the user's birthday privacy was set to public. Please keep in mind that while locked profiles may hide some information when viewing the profile directly, it still may surface in other areas if your privacy is explicitly set to public. As such, this does not appear to be an issue. If you can demonstrate a user with the privacy of “Only me” being disclosed please let us know.
Thanks,
Tim
Security
Bubye.
