FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT AXETEN OSINT TRAINING

Axeten provides OSINT training to organisations in the UK, Europe and worldwide. These answers cover the questions we are asked most often. For anything else, please contact us.

About the training

Who is the training for?

All OSINT practitioners: investigators in the private sector (corporate, third sector and institutional investigators, law firms and private investigators), and in Law Enforcement and wider Public Authorities. Courses are for beginners, returners and experienced practitioners, because the OSINT environment changes so frequently.

Can organisations outside the UK train with Axeten?

Yes. Axeten trains organisations in the UK, Europe and worldwide, with no jurisdictional limitations. The principles and techniques of OSINT investigations apply globally, and the courses are delivered live online. Private group training can also be delivered in other time zones.

Which course should I choose?

• New to OSINT, returning or self taught: the OSINT Practitioner Course, which covers everything in 10 modules.
• A short start: the OSINT Foundation Course, the first 2 modules of the Practitioner Course.
• Social media investigations: the SOCMINT Course, in 3 modules.
• Facebook only: the Facebook Deep Dive, which is Module 3 of the SOCMINT Course.

Does the training cover the law?

Yes. Legislation is included in the first module of the Foundation and Practitioner Courses. It covers GDPR (UK and EU). For delegates from outside GDPR jurisdictions, the privacy legislation of their jurisdiction is researched and applied to the Help Notes, with a mention in the slide deck. It is essential to comply with Privacy legislation to process a safe and lawful investigation.

How up to date is the training material?

Before each course, Axeten reviews all of the training material and applies any significant update. All review and update activity is recorded and signed off by a director.

Live online training

When do courses start?

The short courses run alongside the OSINT Practitioner Course, so each has its own start months:

Exact dates are on each course page.

What time are the live online sessions?

Live online training is delivered on Wednesdays. Each module is a 3 hour session starting at 09:00 London time. After notification of the start time for the first module in any course, the trainee is expected to log in to subsequent LOTs without notification.

What happens during a live online session?

The Live Online Training covers a lot of material. The pace is steady and at any time, the trainee can interject with a question or to seek clarification. All of the investigation modules include multiple live real-time demonstrations with real world user subjects. So that this is lawful, each trainee has to go through the GDPR compliance process before the training starts.

Which platform is used?

Live online training uses the privacy-aware BraveTalk as the default delivery application. It runs in the browser with no download required. A test login is sent in the induction email. If for any reason, the trainee cannot access BraveTalk, either Zoom or Microsoft Teams can be activated.

What equipment do I need?

No specialist equipment, just a standard desktop or laptop computer with a good internet connection and an up to date browser. A webcam and microphone are optional. Sessions can be joined from the office, from home or from a mobile device, but a desktop/laptop computer delivers the best training experience.

Can I attend anonymously?

Yes. All trainees are anonymous. The induction email explains how to log in to the live online training safely, so that anonymity is preserved.

What happens if I miss a live session?

Every session is recorded. Delegates receive the video recording and help notes after each module, at no extra charge. A trainee can also attend a missed module on a subsequent course, free of charge.

Can I defer?

Yes, in two ways:
1. An organisation can buy several places in one purchase order and use them on a later course.
2. A delegate who has started a course can suspend for any reason and continue on a later course, either from where they left off or from the start.

Distance learning

How does distance learning work?

Distance learning courses provide the help notes and video recordings of the live online training, through the Axeten Cloud. Trainees can start at any time, or alongside an open live online course, and progress at their own pace. Anyone with good computer skills and internet awareness can take a distance learning course.

Can I upgrade from distance learning to live online training?

Yes. A distance learning trainee can upgrade to the matching live online course for £70 per trainee.

Assessment and certification

How are trainees assessed?

All assessment is online with multiple choice questions.
At the end of each module, the trainee can take a Module Test.
Module Tests have between 7 & 10 questions and 30 minutes are permitted to complete the test.
Where all Module Tests are passed with a score of 70% or more, a Certificate of Achievement is awarded with CPD credits.
On request, a re-take is provided.
The trainee can elect to have the average Module Test score display on the certificate.
Where the course is failed, but the trainee has attended all of the Live Online Training events, a Certificate of Attendance is awarded.

Are distance learning trainees assessed?

Assessment is not included in distance learning courses. A distance learning trainee can be assessed by taking the DLC concurrent with a LOT or take the assessment in any subsequent LOT sequence. Both options with no additional fee.

Is the training accredited?

Yes. All courses are accredited by The CPD Group, and every course carries CPD credits. See CPD accreditation.

Prices and booking

How much does OSINT training cost?

Open live online courses cost from £99 to £499 per person:

Private group, classroom and distance learning prices are on their course pages: private groups, classroom and distance learning.

Which currencies can I pay in?

Billing is available in GBP, EUR and USD.

How do I book?

Each course page has a booking button that leads to secure online payment. See payment guidance, or contact us to sign up or ask for more information.

Your obligations as a trainee

What are my obligations as a trainee?

• Data protection: each organisation and its trainees are responsible for protecting any data processed during the training. Avoid browsers that share data with corporate interests, such as Chrome or Edge. The Brave browser is preferred.
• Copyright: the training material is for the trainee only. It may not be passed to anyone else, including people inside your organisation.
• Security: trainees and purchasing organisations must ensure that the computers and devices used during the course are not compromised, so the material is not distributed unintentionally.

Staying up to date

How can I stay up to date after the course?

• The Axeten OSINT Newsletter covers new tools, techniques and resources. Subscribe to the newsletter.
• The Life Long Learning programme is the most cost effective way to stay up to date.

Law Enforcement and wider Public Authorities

Are there courses for Law Enforcement and wider Public Authorities?

Yes. Every course is available for Law Enforcement and wider Public Authorities, at the same price. See courses for Law Enforcement and wider Public Authorities.