Guide to OSINT Tools
- Reto Zeidler
- May 28
- 10 min read
Open-source intelligence tools (OSINT) are software solutions designed to assist in the collection and analysis of information from publicly accessible sources. These sources include company websites, social media posts, news articles, government databases, forums, and more.
Originally, these tools began as simple search techniques but have since developed into advanced platforms capable of monitoring a wide range of data, from social media trends and geolocation information to dark web content.
Some of the key OSINT software use cases include:
Scanning social media for certain keywords or accounts
Analyzing brand mentions and public sentiment
Finding contact information and email addresses
Mapping out connections between people or companies
Checking if websites are using particular technologies
Verifying the use of specific technologies by websites
Looking for security vulnerabilities
Searching through historical versions of websites
Detecting phishing campaigns and scam websites
Note, OSINT tools are only as good as the public, open data they can access.
The top 15 OSINT tools (2025)
1. Shodan.io
Best for: Discovery of internet devices and monitoring network security
Intended for: Security teams, IT administrators, and researchers
Shodan is a search engine dedicated to Internet-connected devices, encompassing everything from servers and webcams to industrial control systems and IoT devices.
Shodan conducts weekly scans of the entire Internet to identify devices, map the services they are running, and detect potential security vulnerabilities, unlike traditional search engines that index only websites.
It can even identify devices that most people are unaware are connected to the Internet.
For instance, it can locate industrial control systems in power plants, unsecured security cameras, or exposed databases.
Organizations utilize it to monitor their network exposure and ensure their devices are not inadvertently exposed to the Internet. Researchers use it to gain insights into global technology trends.
Top features:
Global device and service discovery
Network exposure monitoring
Real-time alerts for new devices
Vulnerability detection
IP enrichment and intelligence
Price:
Free: Limited searches
Professional plans: $69-$1,099/month
Enterprise: Custom pricing
2. Maltego
Best for: Cybercrime investigations and fraud detection
Who is it for: Cybersecurity teams, fraud investigators, and law enforcement agencies
Maltego is a sophisticated investigative tool designed to visualize connections among individuals, organizations, and online data points.
It is utilized by cybersecurity teams and fraud analysts to examine suspicious activities and comprehensively map the attack surface of a target.
For instance, analysts can input a suspicious email address into the tool during the investigation of a potential cybercrime.
Maltego will then automatically uncover all associated social media accounts, websites, other email addresses, and business registrations linked to that target.
The platform integrates search capabilities across social media, dark web sources, and public databases with visual link analysis.
Consider it as creating an interactive map of connections that would be impossible to discern when examining data separately, which is essential for understanding the full network behind a threat.
Top features:
Cross-platform activity monitoring (social media, dark web, public records)
Connection mapping between accounts, domains, and business entities
Visual investigation graphs
Anonymous investigation mode
Team collaboration workspace
Price:
Community Edition: Free (limited features)
Professional: Custom pricing (up to 5 users)
Organization: Custom pricing (unlimited users)
3. Intelligence X
Best for: Comprehensive search of online data, including the darknet, data leaks, and historical content
Intended users: Intelligence analysts, cybersecurity researchers, and corporate investigators
Intelligence X is a search engine designed to locate and archive data from public sources, the dark web, and historical records.
It operates using specific identifiers such as email addresses, domains, cryptocurrency addresses, and phone numbers to retrieve information.
The platform also maintains historical archives of this data, akin to the Wayback Machine, but encompassing a broader range of content.
Why might this tool be beneficial for your OSINT requirements?
It can simultaneously search across multiple challenging-to-access sources and uncover information typically hidden from conventional search engines.
For instance, it can assist in tracking cryptocurrency transactions, monitoring dark web mentions, or investigating data breaches by searching through historical data leaks.
Top features:
Advanced selector-based search system
Dark web and data leak monitoring
Historical data archive access
Real-time data processing
Automated alert system
Price:
Free: Limited searches/day
Enterprise: €2,500-20,000/year
Custom plans available for larger organizations
4. Crimewall by Social Links
Best for: Comprehensive OSINT investigations, from data gathering to final reporting
Intended for: Law enforcement agencies, cybersecurity teams, and corporate investigators
Crimewall by Social Links is an investigative tool that aggregates data from over 500 open sources, including social media, messaging applications, blockchains, and dark web content. It enables users to visualize connections, collaborate with team members, and generate reports, all within a single platform.
This OSINT tool also provides automated data processing and versatile visualization options. For instance, you can automatically collect all pertinent social media profiles, dark web mentions, and blockchain transactions.
Subsequently, you can visualize their connections using graphs, tables, maps, etc., and collaborate on the analysis in real time.
Top features:
500+ data source integrations (social media, messengers, dark web)
Three visualization modes (graph, table, map)
Machine learning data analysis
Team collaboration workspace
Automated monitoring and alerts
Price:
Custom pricing (contact for demo)
5. Liferaft
Best for: Physical security threat monitoring and early risk detection
Who is it for: Security teams at organizations looking to protect their assets and people
Liferaft is a threat intelligence tool that detects physical security risks and threats before they materialize.
It monitors social media, blogs, forums, deep web, and dark web sources to identify potential risks to business operations, facilities, or personnel.
For example, imagine someone planning a protest near your company's location or discussing potential threats to your executives. Liferaft will detect and alert you to these risks.
Its key feature is geographical awareness—the platform can visualize your physical assets (like offices or warehouses) on a map and correlate nearby threats.
It also provides real-time alerts about relevant events like demonstrations, natural disasters, or criminal activities that could impact your operations.
Top features:
Real-time threat monitoring across public sources and the dark web
Geographic threat visualization and mapping
Asset and facility security monitoring
Automated risk alerts and notifications
Identity resolution for threat actors
Price:
Custom pricing (contact for demo)
6. SEON
Best for: Digital footprint analysis and fraud prevention through OSINT
Who is it for: Financial services, gaming companies, and online businesses
SEON is a fraud prevention tool that constructs comprehensive digital profiles of users by evaluating their email addresses, phone numbers, and IP addresses.
SEON assesses an individual's entire online presence, including their social media accounts, digital activities, and device behaviors, to determine their legitimacy or potential for fraud.
Without requiring official documents, SEON can analyze over 100 digital and social signals to identify suspicious patterns.
For instance, if someone registers with an email address lacking social media presence or employs device settings commonly linked to fraudulent activities, SEON can flag this for review or automatically block the account.
Top features:
Digital footprint analysis across 50+ platforms
Real-time device fingerprinting
Social media presence verification
Behavioral pattern detection
Custom fraud detection rules
Price:
Trial: 500 checks/month
Starter: Custom pricing with additional features
Premium: Enterprise-level with unlimited checks
7. Paliscope
Best for: Online evidence collection and digital investigation analysis
Who is it for: Law enforcement agencies, investigators, and corporate security teams
Paliscope is a sophisticated investigation tool designed to analyze digital evidence from a variety of online sources.
It meticulously documents the exact time and manner in which digital evidence is collected, ensuring its admissibility in legal proceedings.
When an investigator identifies significant information online, such as a social media post or message, Paliscope automatically records this data.
For instance, it logs who captured the information and when, and verifies that it remains unaltered since the time of collection.
The platform integrates advanced search capabilities with AI analysis, encompassing data sources like Telegram exports, social media content, and various document formats.
Key Features:
Secure evidence collection browser
Multi-format data analysis (text, image, audio)
AI-powered entity recognition
Chain of custody tracking
Automated investigation reporting
Price:
Community: Free (for verified investigative organizations)
Professional: $3,995/year
Advanced: Custom pricing
8. Spiderfoot
Best for: Automated OSINT data collection and correlation
Who is it for: Cybersecurity teams, IT security researchers, and professional penetration testers
SpiderFoot is an open-source intelligence automation tool designed to gather comprehensive information on various targets, including IP addresses, domains, email addresses, and usernames.
It boasts an ecosystem of over 200 modules capable of querying data from a wide range of sources, from social media platforms to the dark web.
Its correlation engine is adept at automatically identifying relationships between disparate pieces of information.
For instance, when analyzing a domain, SpiderFoot can autonomously map all associated IP addresses, email accounts, and social media profiles, and even detect data breaches related to the target.
Essentially, it integrates the functionality of over 200 distinct OSINT tools into a single platform.
Top features:
Over 200 OSINT modules for data collection
Visual correlation of discovered information
Built-in web interface and command line options
Integration with major threat intelligence platforms
Automated scanning and monitoring capabilities
Price:
Open source: Free (self-hosted)
SpiderFoot HX: Commercial version with additional features
9. Hunchly
Best for: Documentation of web investigations and evidence collection
Intended for: Investigators, journalists, and researchers
Hunchly is an automated web investigation tool that records all activities during online research.
Unlike traditional OSINT tools that actively search for information, Hunchly operates in the background as you browse.
It automatically captures every webpage visited, complete with timestamps and digital signatures to verify authenticity.
This is essential for tracking information that may be deleted later or for legally substantiating how specific information was discovered.
Top features:
Automatic webpage capture and timestamping
Evidence preservation with digital signatures
Organized case management system
Court-ready report generation
Local or cloud storage options
Price:
Classic (local storage): $109.99/year
Cloud version: $199.99/year or $19.99/month
Free 30-day trial available
10. Babel Street
Best for: Multi-language threat intelligence and identity investigation
Who is it for: Government agencies, security teams, and compliance departments
Babel Street’s OSINT tool effectively analyzes content in over 200 languages to access identity information and identify potential threats.
Leveraging artificial intelligence, it uncovers connections within multilingual data sourced from social media, the deep web, and public records.
This capability is particularly valuable for constructing a comprehensive intelligence framework, taking into account cultural and linguistic differences in the recording of names and identities.
The tool is capable of processing information from more than 220 countries and conducting 700 million daily watchlist checks.
These features make Babel an excellent tool for companies with international operations.
Top features:
Multi-language analysis across 200+ languages
AI-powered identity matching and verification
Global data source integration
Automated threat detection and monitoring
Cross-language network analysis
Price:
Custom enterprise pricing (contact for demo)
11. Recon-ng
Best for: Information gathering and penetration testing
Who is it for: Security professionals and penetration testers
Recon-ng is another powerful free tool.
It’s an open-source framework that helps security teams gather initial intelligence about their targets. It works similarly to other security testing tools.
For example, you can use it to find all websites owned by a company, discover email addresses of employees, or map out an organization's online presence.
Instead of being a single-purpose tool, it provides a platform where different modules can be added to extend its capabilities.
To illustrate, when researching a company, you can load modules to find all their domains, gather contact information, discover corporate social media accounts, etc.
Top features:
Modular framework with marketplace
Built-in database for findings
Command-line interface
Multiple reporting formats
API key management system
Price:
Free (open source)
12. PimEyes
Best for: Face-based reverse image search and online photo monitoring
Who is it for: Individuals and organizations wanting to track where their photos appear online for identity protection and copyright monitoring
PimEyes is a facial recognition search engine that finds where a person's face appears across the internet.
It uses AI to find photos containing the same face, even in different contexts or backgrounds.
For example, it can find photos of a person even if they have a different hairstyle, are in a different location, or the photo has been modified.
The platform also offers monitoring capabilities to alert users when new photos of a face appear online.
It can be useful for both individuals and organizations when it comes to tracking and removing unwanted photos.
Top features:
AI-powered facial recognition search
Real-time monitoring and alerts
Photo removal assistance
PDF/CSV report generation
Deep search and safe search capabilities
Price:
Open Plus: $29.99/month
PROtect: $39.99/month
Advanced: $299.99/month
13. OpenSanctions
Best for: Sanctions and politically exposed persons (PEP) screening and investigation
Who is it for: Financial institutions, investigators, and compliance teams
OpenSanctions consolidates data from 245 global sources about sanctioned entities, politically exposed persons, and entities of criminal interest.
It creates a de-duplicated dataset by combining official sanctions lists, PEP data, and watchlists from around the world.
You can use OpenSanctipns to investigate both people and companies.
It provides access to information from multiple sanctions programs, regulatory watchlists, and politically exposed persons databases.
Top features:
Global sanctions list consolidation
Politically exposed persons database
Criminal watchlist monitoring
Entity relationship mapping
Regular data updates
Price:
Free for non-commercial use
Commercial licensing available
API access with a pay-as-you-go option
14. Google Dorks
Best for: Advanced Google search techniques for finding sensitive or hidden information
Who is it for: Security researchers, penetration testers, and investigators looking to discover exposed information through search engines
Google Dorks, also called Google hacking, are advanced search techniques that use special commands to give more specific results. In other words, information that might not be easily visible through normal browsing. Such as exposed server configurations, subdomains, sensitive documents, or vulnerable systems.
For example, with the search query site:example.com filetype:pdf confidential, you could find PDF files containing the word "confidential" on a specific website.
All you need to do is type it in a search engine (Google, Bing, or others) and add the target domain.
Instead of just typing in regular keywords, Google Dorks combine commands like "filetype:", "inurl:", "intitle:", or "site:" to narrow down searches and find hidden information.
Here are some of the key search operators and their features:
Operator | Description | Example |
filetype: | Sucht nach bestimmten Dateitypen | filetype:pdf "vertraulich" |
inurl: | Findet Ergebnisse mit bestimmten Wörtern in der URL | inurl:admin |
intitle: | Sucht nach Seiten mit bestimmten Begriffen im Titel | intitle:"index of" |
site: | Schränkt die Suche auf eine bestimmte Domain ein | site:ihrefirma.de |
intext: | Findet Seiten mit bestimmtem Text im Inhalt | intext:"sql error" |
cache: | Zeigt die zwischengespeicherte Version einer Seite | cache:www.ihrefirma.de |
These techniques were originally created by security researchers to find weaknesses in public systems.
However, cybercriminals now use them to find sensitive data from companies, like usernames, passwords, or confidential documents.
Other OSINT tools
Check out these OSINT tools for some specific needs you might have.
Built with: This tool lets you find out what tech, frameworks, CMS, and other stuff websites are using.
Email Hippo: Use this service to verify email addresses, boost your email deliverability, and guard against fraud by checking email syntax, domain validity, and if the mailbox exists.
PhoneInfoga: An open-source tool that digs up info on phone numbers, like carrier details, where they’re located, and any online traces.
Have I Been Pwnd?: This free service lets you see if your email addresses or passwords have been exposed in any data breaches.
RocketReach: A platform to help you find emails, phone numbers, and social media profiles for people and businesses, mainly for lead generation.
For more OSINT tools for different purposes, check out Osint Framework. It’s a site that organizes links to various online OSINT tools and resources.
Comments