How Fivecast’s Automated Data Fusion Aims to Speed Intelligence Workflows

# Why analysts need automated data fusion

Brittany Mason, pre-sales engineer lead at Fivecast, says intelligence analysts face a rapidly expanding open-source data landscape that is hard to manage by hand. She points to global data growth projections: more than 230 zettabytes in 2026 and exceeding 700 zettabytes by 2030. Manual data handling increases the chance of mistakes and creates challenges for meeting regulatory requirements that demand transparent audit trails and robust governance.

# What Fivecast ONYX does

• Centralized collection and discovery across diverse public and covert sources.
• Continuous automated risk scoring to prioritize items for analyst attention.
• Integration of analyst feedback to refine AI outputs over time.

# How AI is applied and its limits

# Other Fivecast tools in the suite

Mason describes two complementary products:

• MATRIX: Continuous automated assessment to detect behavior shifts and emerging threats. Workflows are customizable and augmented by generative AI.
• LUNEX: Maps the structure of global threat networks using analyst-curated data to speed insights into the cybersecurity landscape.

Each tool is positioned to address specific parts of the intelligence cycle: discovery and collection (ONYX), behavior and trend detection (MATRIX), and network mapping (LUNEX).

# Security, compliance, and investigation controls

Fivecast states its products are built with security by design. The company aligns controls with NIST Special Publication 800-171, and implements data encryption, continuous threat monitoring, and automated recovery to support availability and resiliency. Platform features for safe investigations include secure browsing for anonymous research and built-in audit trails and standardized procedures intended to support consistency and accountability.

# Context and relevance

Mason wrote about these capabilities in an article published on Carahsoft.com and discussed them in the context of increasing agency interest in OSINT tools. The Potomac Officers Club's 2026 Intel Summit (Sept. 24) is cited as a convening where government and industry leaders will discuss how OSINT is applied to safeguard sensitive research and protect innovation.

# Practical takeaway for agencies and analysts

Agencies dealing with large volumes of public data should evaluate platforms that centralize collection, apply continuous risk scoring, and preserve human-in-the-loop review with auditability. The value claims here are operational speed, reduced manual error, and demonstrable compliance controls aligned with a recognized federal standard.