Enhancing Digital Forensics with AI-Driven OSINT: A Proactive Approach to Cybercrime Investigation

The growing complexity and frequency of cybercrimes have surpassed the capabilities of traditional digital forensics methods. This study investigates the potential for an enhancement in digital forensics based on an integration with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) sources. A proactive approach to cybercrime investigations is proposed. AI-driven OSINT tools can collect, process, and analyze vast amounts of publicly available data from diverse sources such as social media, forums, and the dark web at incredible speeds. These tools can identify patterns, anomalies, and potential threats with unprecedented accuracy and speed by applying machine learning algorithms and natural language processing techniques. This research explores the operational dynamics of AI-driven OSINT, how it augments capabilities of forensic investigators to better anticipate and thwart cyberattacks before they escalate. This paper further provides a comprehensive review of the current challenges in digital forensics, such as the limitations in handling data and the reactive nature in traditional methods. Using very elaborate case studies, we clearly highlight the practical application of AI-driven OSINT in a variety of cybercrime scenarios which improve investigative outcomes by a significant margin.