OSINT Resources for Usernames
Usernames are fundamental in online investigations for gathering information about individuals and groups. This page features free tools tailored for utilizing usernames in investigations. From tracing their origins to mapping their social connections, these tools can transform usernames into valuable insights.
đď¸ As part of OSINT Tools Tuesday, this list is also a roadmap for tutorials that will be available for paid subscribers. When available, each tool will have a link to a tutorial showing you how to use the tool, when to use it, and why. Iâll categorize these by Web Apps, GitHub projects, and Use Cases.
This page is a work in progress. In the future, I want to expand this beyond just tools and also into techniques.
Web Apps
𧰠Whatâs My Name
Whatâs My Name is likely the most popular web app for username search. It has an easy-to-use user interface and has always been free. I still use this as my go-to for quick username searches.
𧰠ID Crawl
ID Crawl has a suite of tools I often consult during an investigation. Unlike Whatâs My Name, their username search gives a visual preview of a profile, including a profile image, allowing you to do a quick analysis and screening for correct profiles.
𧰠Instant Username
Instant Username is another option similar to Whatâs My Name but emphasizes sheer speed. The UI of the tool makes results easy to scan and the categorization of profile types is very helpful.
𧰠User Search
User Search is another username search option that often has new username modules that other tools donât have yet. Organized into specific groups, you can avoid having to comb through several username results and focus on a specific area.
𧰠Analyze ID
Analyze ID is another username search option. What I like about Analyze ID is that after a search is complete, it provides a summary of all details found including all names, descriptions, images, etc.
GitHub
𧰠Sherlock
Sherlock is often considered the standard for username search in GitHub tools. It has the most stars and is referenced the most often. Similar to Whatâs My Name but in a CLI version, Sherlock is an excellent way to get started in username searching from CLI.
𧰠Maigret
Maigret is a robust fork of Sherlock, covering 2300 sites for thorough searches. It parses profile pages, extracting personal info and links to other profiles. With recursive search capabilities, it expands investigations dynamically. Users can refine searches by countries and categories. Known for its accuracy, it minimizes false positives.
𧰠Excalibur
Excalibur is a powerful OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) tool designed to assist in collecting and analyzing social media profiles. It checks if a Twitter username is archived and fetches profiles from various social media platforms, including Product Hunt, Medium, and Mastodon.
𧰠Social Analyzer
If you want to expand your technical OSINT skills, consider setting up and configuring Social Analyzer. Itâs a CLI tool, a web app, and an API. The web app version includes a network graph analyzer and other impressive features.