OSINT-y Goodness, №4 — Phys.org
A physics publication is an unlikely place to find solid cybersecurity reporting, but just wait until you get a load of Phys.org! Phys.org is a part of the Science X Network, which is owned by Omicron Technology Limited and it works out of the Isle of Man in the United Kingdom. Fun fact about Science X, it was “founded in March 2004 by two PhD students motivated by the void in hard science news designed for informed and educated readers.” Other publications in the Science X world include Medical Xpress and Tech Xplore.
So, let’s get right down to it. You can access the Security part of the Phys.org website here: https://phys.org/technology-news/security/.
The Security page of the Phys.org website is just filled with articles and it kind of busy looking. There is a search function at the top of the page. This site also relies heavily on ranking and popularity of articles, which you can search by those parameters as well. The one thing I caution about looking for popular or highly-ranked articles, is that you could miss good information that wasn’t popular or received a lot of up-votes. It can be a good way to gauge what most people are seeing, but don’t overlook the less popular stories for they may contain information that is going unseen!
The Cybersecurity reporting by Phys.org is vast and comprehensive. I like their articles and I have found that they often have a different viewpoint or take on things that is different than I’ve seen other places — and that’s a good thing. Their site provides a combination of articles written by their staff and articles from research groups or universities.
Of course, Phys.org has news items about other topics. See their website for the subtopics under their broad headings of Nanotechnology, Physics, Earth, Astronomy & Space, Technology, Chemistry, Biology, and Other Sciences. They have very broad coverage of science and technology. This blog post is only focusing on their Security news, but do go check out their other offerings.
There is no shortage of ways to dig into the Phys.org articles. You can find them on Facebook, Twitter, RSS feeds, Customizable Email Newsletter, and their Mobile Site. You can even register as a site member for further customization.
There does not appear to be any subscription options or other pay-to-view content that I could find. Therefore, there are ads on the site but they did not seem to be intrusive.
All in all, Phys.org is a good (and surprising!) OSINT resource for its variety of content and sources. These articles could help you not only find information about private companies, but also advances being made by individuals, companies, and organizations in the realm of science and cybersecurity. This is a good source to work into your news monitoring resources list.
