ToolkitOSINT

Practical documentation · Authorized use only

Maigret

Maigret checks username availability and public references across many sites. Use it only for documented investigative purposes, with legal/privacy review and a clear rule for handling false positives and personal data.

OSINTReconUsernamesPython

Start safely and get useful results

Best for

  • • Authorized identity exposure review
  • • Brand or account research

Not for

  • • Personal targeting
  • • Identity attribution from username matches alone

Before you run anything

  • • Document the authorized target, time window, success criteria, data-handling rules, and a named stop contact before you begin.
  • • Confirm the installed version with the tool’s version or help command, then compare its documented behavior with the linked upstream project before relying on any option.

Practical workflows

Beginner

Run an authorized username check

Scenario: Review a synthetic brand username in a training exercise.

maigret example_training_handle --print-not-found --no-color

Collect a readable record of sites checked for the approved test handle.

Expected use: Expect possible matches and false positives; the same handle rarely proves a common identity.

Intermediate

Create a reviewable report

Scenario: Hand off only verified public links to an approved investigator.

maigret example_training_handle --html -o maigret-report

Generate a report in a controlled directory, then remove unneeded raw data under the retention policy.

Expected use: Verify each reported profile manually before making identity or risk assertions.

Interpret results like an analyst

  • • A matching name is a lead, not confirmation that a person or company controls the account.
  • • Date, platform context, and corroborating public evidence matter more than match count.

Common mistakes and operating tips

Avoid

  • • Treating username reuse as identity proof.
  • • Keeping broad personal-data reports after the legitimate purpose ends.

Operational discipline

  • • Treat command output as evidence, not a conclusion: retain the command, version, scope, timestamp, and a redacted result in the engagement record.
  • • Start with the smallest safe scope, validate expected behavior in a lab or pilot, then expand only when the authorization and monitoring plan support it.

Verify against the current upstream

Tool behavior and release syntax can change. Treat this guide as practical operating context, then verify version-specific details against the upstream project before an assessment.

Open authoritative upstream documentation