Homework 3: Open-source intelligence
Each student is assigned a photo as a starting point and has to find facts about what is shown on the image and other information about the photo. Some of these photos are taken in Estonia.
Helpful tools
- Google search (tips)
- Exiftool
- Wayback Machine
- OSINT framework
- Google maps
- TinEye
- Map Switcher - a Google Chrome extension
- Google image search / any other image search tool
- Google translate
- Estonian weather observations (find a similar tool for the detected location)
Hints that may help to find information: date when the photo was taken, filename in metadata, reverse image search, information on signs, wayback machine, google search of probable locations.
Homework task
Each student is assigned an image according to the pseudonym they are given for the courses homepage. Use Owncloud's download button to guarantee that metadata is not removed. Once you have logged in to courses.cs.ut.ee you can see your pseudonym by clicking on your name on the top-right corner and then choosing "My data".
Use one of these download buttons to get the photo with the original metadata.
The homework task is to find as much information as possible about photo. This includes the place/object the image was taken, but also about other relevant information (for example file metadata). The main questions are listed in the end of this page. However, not all of the questions can be answered as different photos contain different amounts of information. For example, for some files identifying the origin may be tricky and for some files no public source is available.
Documenting the process gives a significant amount of points. You will have to describe how you found the information and which tools were used.
If you can easily find the information for the image assigned to you and find it too easy, write down your solution and pick another image.
Try to find the following information and write down the answers:
- Where was the photo taken?
- Find the name of location shown on the photo.
- Find GPS coordinates for the place shown on the photo. Finding exact location may not be possible for all photos.
- What was the approximate location of the camera?
- Describe how you identified the location.
- Find the place in Google Street View and take a screenshot as a proof. If street view is not available, find another picture from the same place. If that is also not possible, take a screenshot of the satellite view from Google Maps or Google Earth.
- Find background information about the place and/or the subject/item captured on the photograph? Describe how you found the information.
- Any relevant web site?
- Which device was used to take the photo? (not available for some photos)
- How expensive is / was the camera when the photo was taken?
- Is the photographer likely to be a professional?
- Can you deduce anything else based on that kind of information?
- When was the photo taken?
- What was the temperature in that area during that time? Is it plausible for the given photo?
- Did you find anything else that is noteworthy?
- What did you find?
- How did you find it?
- Try to find the original source of the photo.
- Find the URL of the original source.
- Find the author of the photo.
Submission form
In case the answer consists of multiple files, submit a zip container. The textual answer should be submitted in PDF format. Good documentation of the process gives a significant amount of points.
Deadline: 25. March 2024