Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) tools are an invaluable resource for companies, organizations cybersecurity researchers and students. In this article, we will explore the 15 best OSINT tools that you can use for your investigations and education purposes.
OSINT, or Open Source Intelligence, refers to the practice of gathering information from publicly available sources. In the information and digital age, there are countless tools and resources available for OSINT practitioners to use, making it easier than ever to collect and analyze information. Here are the 15 best OSINT tools that you can use for your investigations:
Maltego
Maltego is a powerful and sophisticated OSINT tool for gathering data from public sources. Developed by Paterva, Maltego OSINT allows users to quickly uncover relationships between large amounts of disparate data which can then be used to build intelligence profiles.
With Maltego OSINT, users are able to extract information from multiple online sources using simple graphic representations. This includes the ability to map out social networks, capture contact details and business data, track domain names and IP addresses, uncover digital evidence such as documents or images stored on websites, find related news articles and more.
Furthermore, by automating the process of gathering publicly available data in this way, Maltego OSINT enables users to quickly discover hidden connections that would otherwise remain undetected. Visit the official website of Maltego here.
Social Links
Social Links is a software company that develops AI-driven solutions that extract, analyze, and visualize data from open sources including social media, messengers, blockchains, and the Dark Web. Our flagship product SL Professional empowers investigators and data security professionals to reach their work objectives quicker and more effectively.
Shodan
Shodan is a search engine for the Internet of Things (IoT) devices and an OSINT tool that is used to uncover vulnerable and exposed devices connected to the Internet, otherwise known as smart devices.
Shodan was created by John Matherly in 2009 and is considered to be the world’s first computer search engine. Shodan can be used to detect security vulnerabilities on public websites, as well as provide detailed information about each web server it finds.
Shodan has become increasingly popular among cybersecurity and IT security professionals who use it for vulnerability assessment, penetration testing, and network mapping. Shodan also helps them identify insecure services such as misconfigured cloud databases, FTP servers, telnet servers, and SSH servers that are exposed on the internet without authentication or encryption.
Additionally, Shodan provides detailed technical information about each device it finds including IP address, operating system type, open ports, running software programs and associated vulnerabilities. That is why Shoden is a perfect OSINT tool out there. Visit the official website of Shodan here.
TheHarvester
TheHarvester is a powerful OSINT tool used to find information related to domains and email addresses. It can be used by security professionals, IT administrators, and hackers alike to collect information from different sources on the internet.
TheHarvester was created as an alternative for doing research on public resources such as search engines, PGP key servers, and social networks. It allows users to quickly gather large amounts of data from sites like Google, Bing, Yahoo!, Dogpile, LinkedIn, Twitter and many more.
All of the gathered data can be exported into several formats such as HTML/XML or even saved as a text file. Additionally, it includes an API that allows users to customize their searches according to their specific needs. Visit the official TheHarvester page on Kali here.
Recon-ng
Recon-ng is an OSINT tool used for reconnaissance and data gathering. It is a full-featured web application that can be used to gather subsets of public information related to a target, such as usernames, names, email addresses, domain names and other relevant details.
Recon-ng has been designed to automate the process of gathering intelligence about a given target as quickly and efficiently as possible. The Recon-ng OSINT tool provides users with access to multiple resources such as Google, Bing, Twitter, Shodan and more.
The platform also allows users to interact with each resource using the same interface which simplifies the data-gathering process significantly compared to traditional methods. It enables users to quickly collect comprehensive information on a target without having to manually search multiple online sources or databases. Visit the official Recon-ng page on Kali here.
Spiderfoot
Spiderfoot is an excellent OSINT tool designed to automate the process of gathering information about a specific target. Spiderfoot enables users to have quick and easy access to a wide range of data sources.
It is capable of collecting information from over 200 sources, such as DNS records, WHOIS information and public resources like Shodan, VirusTotal, Google and others. Spiderfoot can be used for reconnaissance, investigative research and even threat hunting by allowing users to quickly identify potential threats or vulnerabilities in their environment.
The tool works by scanning the internet for publicly available data from various sources based on the user’s input query parameters. The collected data can then be mapped out into an interactive graph with various visual indicators which make it easier to interpret the gathered information.
This feature makes it much easier for security professionals to recognize trends or anomalies within their networks which can help them detect malicious activities or threats early on. Visit the official website of Spiderfoot here.
OSINT Framework
OSINT Framework is a website and information-gathering tool used by security professionals for investigative purposes. It is a collection of free and publicly available tools that can be used to conduct online investigations.
OSINT Framework provides users with an easy-to-use platform to quickly search, collect and analyze data from various sources such as social media platforms, websites, forums, blogs and more. By using this framework, security professionals are able to gather a wealth of information in order to identify potential threats or anomalies on the web.
The OSINT Framework enables users to access public records and other sources of information quickly and efficiently. It utilizes specialized search engines and databases such as Google Hacking Database (GHDB) as well as several other open-source intelligence tools such as Recon-ng, Maltego and Shodan. Visit the official website of OSINT Framework here.
Foca
Foca (Fingerprinting Organizations with Collected Archives) is an OSINT tool used by cybersecurity professionals to collect data from the internet. It can be used to find information on any subject, including people, companies, and other organizations. The tool gathers data from a variety of sources such as social media platforms, websites, and search engines.
The tool helps users to collect information quickly and efficiently by providing them with a set of tools for searching, collecting and analyzing the collected data. It provides users with advanced filtering options that allow them to narrow down their searches and find relevant information easily.
Foca also has features such as keyword analysis which enables users to analyze text-based content or images in order to identify patterns or trends in the collected data. Additionally, it offers other features like automated report generation which allows users to generate reports quickly without having to manually gather all the necessary data themselves. Visit the official GitHub repository of FOCA here.
Metagoofil
Metagoofil is a powerful OSINT tool used for gathering publicly available information about a particular target. It is especially useful for penetration testers, security professionals, and researchers who need to collect data from websites in order to perform reconnaissance on their targets.
Metagoofil was developed by Edge Security in 2006 as part of the framework for its security consulting services. This tool can be used to scan websites, search engines, and public document archives such as PDFs and Microsoft Office documents. It then searches for specific keywords related to the target and collects the relevant information from these sources.
With its easy-to-use interface, Metagoofil allows users to quickly find files containing sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, email addresses, IP addresses, etc., which can then be used in further attacks or research projects. Visit the official Metagoofil page on Kali here.
GHunt
GHunt is a new OSINT tool that lets users extract information from any Google Account using an email. The information that GHunt extracts include:
- Google ID
- Owner’s name
- Public photos (P)
- Phones models (P)
- Phones firmware
- Installed Softwares
- Google Maps reviews
- Possible physical location
- Possible YouTube channel
- Possible other usernames
- Events from Google Calendar
- If the account is a Hangouts Bot
- Last time the profile was edited
- Activated Google services (YouTube, Photos, Maps, News360, Hangouts, etc.)
Visit GHunt’s GitHub repository here.
Yandex Images
The Russian counterweight to America’s Google, Yandex has been extremely popular in Russia and offers users the option to search across the internet for thousands of images. This is in addition to its reverse-image functionality which is remarkably similar to Google.
A good option included within is that you could sort images category wise which can make your searches more specific and accurate.
Tip: In my personal experience; Yandex image search results are far more accurate and in-depth than Google Images. Visit Yandex here.
N2YO.com
Allowing you to track satellites from afar, N2YO is a great tool for space enthusiasts. It does so by featuring a regularly searched menu of satellites in addition to a database where you could make custom queries along the lines of parameters such as the Space Command ID, launch date, satellite name, and an international designator.
You could also set up custom alerts to know about space station events along with a live stream of the International Space Station(ISS)! Visit the official website of N2YO here.
TinEye
TinEye is the original reversed image search engine, and all you have to do is submit a proper picture to TinEye to get all the required information, like where it has come from and how it has been used.
Instead of using keyword matching, it uses a variety of approaches to complete its tasks, including picture matching, signature matching, watermark identification, and numerous other databases to match the image.
In conclusion, these 15 OSINT tools are among the best available for conducting investigations using publicly available information. Whether you are a professional investigator or a curious individual, these tools can help you gather and analyze information more efficiently and effectively. Visit the official website of TinEye here.
Have I Been Pwned
Have I Been Pwned is an online service that helps people determine if their personal data has been compromised. It works by using email addresses to track data breaches, allowing users to know whether their information has been leaked or stolen due to a hack or other incident.
Have I Been Pwned was created in 2013 by Troy Hunt, a Microsoft Regional Director and security expert. The site provides users with detailed information about the source of any breach affecting their personal data, as well as the types of data that may have been leaked. This allows them to take appropriate steps to protect themselves from future attacks.
Have I Been Pwned or HIBP currently tracks more than 12 billion accounts across over 600 major data breaches, providing one of the most comprehensive databases for checking if your account details have been exposed online. Visit Have I Been Pwned here.
Conclusion
In conclusion, OSINT tools are an invaluable resource for anyone looking to stay ahead of the curve in the world of digital intelligence. The 15 Best OSINT tools outlined in this article provide an excellent overview for any user, from the novice to the professional, to get started. By using these tools and understanding their functions, users can empower themselves to become better researchers and find valuable data more quickly.
