n the cyber-security field, the term OST refers to software apps, libraries, and exploits that possess offensive hacking capabilities and have been released as either free downloads or under an open source license.

It has been reported that Paul Litvak, a security researcher for cyber-security firm Intezer Labs, has compiled data on 129 open source offensive hacking tools and searched through malware samples and cyber-security reports to discover how widespread was the adoption of OST projects among hacking groups — such as low-level malware gangs, elite financial crime groups, and even nation-state sponsored APTs. The results were compiled in this interactive map.