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SpiderFoot

Open-source tool that automatically gathers public information about a target to map its internet exposure.

GitHub Download v4.0
Stars
24.2k
Forks
4k
Licence
MIT
Language
Python
Last update
7 months ago
Type
App

What it is

SpiderFoot is an open-source intelligence (OSINT) automation tool. It connects to many data sources and runs modules that feed each other to collect and analyze information about a target such as a domain, IP address, or email address. It has a web interface and can also be run from the command line.

  • Enumerate subdomains and hosts for a domain you own
  • Check whether your IP addresses or domains appear in blacklists or threat feeds
  • Look for exposed S3, Azure, or DigitalOcean storage buckets tied to your organization
  • Export scan results as CSV, JSON, or GEXF, or query the SQLite back-end

Great for

  • Security professionals doing reconnaissance during penetration tests or red team exercises
  • Organizations checking what they have exposed on the internet
  • Threat intelligence researchers who want to query many data sources in one place
  • People who want to use free or low-cost OSINT sources, since most modules do not require API keys

Not ideal for

  • People who need a fully managed, cloud-hosted service; the README points to SpiderFoot HX for that
  • Anyone without authorization to investigate the targets they enter, since the tool gathers data on people and systems
  • Beginners with no networking or security background, as results need interpretation
Step-by-step guide: how to use SpiderFootInstall, first run, examples, tips and FAQs
SpiderFoot alternativesMaigret vs SpiderFootSpiderFoot vs Web CheckHetty vs SpiderFoot

How to get it

  1. 1

    Clone and build from source

    You'll need: Python 3.7+ · pip3

    Clone the development build from git

    git clone https://github.com/smicallef/spiderfoot.git

    Install Python libraries

    pip3 install -r requirements.txt

    Start the web server

    python3 ./sf.py -l 127.0.0.1:5001
  2. 2

    Run it

    • Install Python 3.7 or newer and pip3
    • Clone the repository and change into the spiderfoot directory
    • Run pip3 install -r requirements.txt
    • Start the server with python3 ./sf.py -l 127.0.0.1:5001 and open that address in a browser
  3. 3

    Get the most out of it

    • Add API keys for data sources you have access to, since many modules improve with them
    • Use the YAML-configurable correlation engine, which ships with 37 pre-defined rules, to find patterns in results
    • Export results as CSV, JSON, or GEXF for further analysis or visualization
    • Use the SQLite back-end for custom queries against scan data
    • Consider the packaged v4.0 release instead of master, since the README recommends it over bleeding-edge master

Downloads

Source code (.zip)master branch · straight from GitHubRelease v4.0Release notes and sourceOfficial website & docswww.spiderfoot.net

Strengths

  • Over 200 modules covering many data sources, most without requiring API keys
  • Offers both a web interface and command-line use
  • MIT licensed and actively developed since 2012 according to the README

Trade-offs

  • Some modules need API keys, and many of those with keys are tiered or paid rather than free
  • Features like cloud hosting, multi-user collaboration, and REST API are only in the paid SpiderFoot HX version
  • The README is truncated here, so detailed setup requirements beyond the basic install are not fully covered

How it compares

ProjectStarsTypeLevelUpdatedBest for
spiderfoot (this)24.2kAppintermediate7 months agoSecurity professionals doing reconnaissance during penetration tests or red team exercises
sherlock95.4kCLIintermediate4 days agoSecurity researchers doing authorized open-source intelligence work
OSINT-Framework12.4kLearning resourcebeginner6 days agoResearchers looking for a starting point to find free public-information tools
web-check35.3kAppintermediate4 days agoDevelopers checking how a site is configured
maigret39.6kAppintermediate4 days agoInvestigators and analysts doing OSINT research on a username
hetty12.5kAppintermediate4 months agoSecurity researchers testing web applications

Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.