# maigret — Username OSINT Investigation Tool

> maigret is an open-source OSINT tool that collects information about a person by username across thousands of websites. It is used by security researchers and penetration testers for reconnaissance and digital footprint analysis.

## Install

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# maigret — Username OSINT Investigation Tool

## Quick Use
```bash
pip install maigret
# Search for a username across 2500+ sites
maigret username_here
# Output results as HTML report
maigret username_here --html
```

## Introduction
maigret is a Python-based OSINT tool that searches for accounts associated with a given username across thousands of websites. It is a successor to Sherlock with a much larger site database and additional features like profile page parsing and recursive username extraction.

## What maigret Does
- Searches for a username across 2500+ websites simultaneously
- Parses found profile pages to extract additional personal information
- Generates reports in HTML, PDF, JSON, CSV, and plain text formats
- Discovers alternate usernames from found profiles and searches those recursively
- Supports proxy and Tor routing for anonymous investigations

## Architecture Overview
maigret is built in Python using asyncio and aiohttp for high-concurrency HTTP requests. It maintains a database of site definitions (URL patterns, response indicators) in a JSON-based format. The tool sends requests in parallel, analyzes responses using configurable detection methods (status codes, page content, redirects), and optionally parses profile pages using BeautifulSoup to extract structured data.

## Self-Hosting & Configuration
- Install via pip or pipx on any system with Python 3.8+
- Site database updates are pulled from the project repository automatically
- Configure proxy settings via command-line flags or environment variables
- Adjust concurrency limits for rate-limiting-sensitive targets
- Custom site definitions can be added to extend the search database

## Key Features
- Database of 2500+ sites, significantly larger than similar tools
- Recursive search: finds alternate usernames from discovered profiles
- Profile page parsing extracts names, bios, links, and other metadata
- Multiple output formats including interactive HTML reports
- Supports tags to filter searches by site category (social, coding, dating, etc.)

## Comparison with Similar Tools
- **Sherlock** — original username checker; maigret has a larger database and adds profile parsing
- **WhatsMyName** — web-based username enumeration; maigret is CLI-first with richer output
- **Holehe** — checks if an email is registered on sites; maigret focuses on usernames
- **Maltego** — commercial OSINT platform; maigret is free and CLI-focused
- **SpiderFoot** — automated OSINT scanner; maigret specializes in username-based recon

## FAQ
**Q: How many websites does maigret check?**
A: The built-in database covers over 2500 websites and is regularly updated by the community.

**Q: Can maigret be used through Tor?**
A: Yes. Use the --tor flag to route all requests through the Tor network for anonymity.

**Q: Does maigret respect rate limits?**
A: You can configure concurrency and delay settings. Some sites may still block aggressive scanning.

**Q: Is maigret legal to use?**
A: maigret queries publicly available information. Legality depends on your jurisdiction and the purpose of the investigation. Always use it responsibly and with proper authorization.

## Sources
- https://github.com/soxoj/maigret
- https://maigret.readthedocs.io

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Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/asset-afdbb32e
Author: AI Open Source