Get your machine set up for OSINT

I recently bought a new laptop and it prompted me to consider the tools I use and how I’d set up my machine. I decided to use it as an opportunity for a bit of spring cleaning, and to ask people how they get set up for OSINT. I put out a public call to the community to share their suggestions, and reached out to some investigators I know.

Not surprisingly, there are a variety of approaches to setting a machine up for investigations. Some investigators wipe everything from their machine and install a minimum number of applications, aside from essentials like a virtual machine and VPN. They prefer to access tools as needed from a dedicated browser. Others run most of their tools from the command line.

There isn't one perfect setup. As such, this guide doesn’t cover every use case, and there are other options that might work better for some people. It’s also geared towards investigators who don’t write or run their own code or tools. Maybe it confirms that you already know most of the popular tools. Or it helps you set up or tweak your setup.

For each category, I suggest free tools and highlight open-source options. There are often multiple options for the same thing in a category, so it comes down to personal preference. But in some cases you may want to install multiple tools that perform the same function, as some may return unique results. I also cite a few paid options when relevant. (None of them are paid placements.)

This guide strictly focuses on local installations and browser extensions. Web-based tools that don't require local setup were excluded. Think of this as a starter pack for an OSINT machine/browser. If you’re looking for specific tools, you can always run a search in OSINT Navigator, our free app to help you find the right tool for the job.

A final, important note: tools don’t make you an investigator or OSINTer. One of the questions I asked people was if there are tools they can’t live without. I got a great response from Justin Seitz, the cofounder of Hunchly and Permanent Record Research:

Another person, who asked to remain nameless, said the one tool they can’t live without was “A physical library card.”

I’m grateful to everyone who took time to share information about their setup, including: Rick Berdos, Aryama Bhattacharjee, Derek Bowler, Nicole Hurey, Gisela Pérez de Acha, Gaëtan Gras, Paul Griffiths, Jan Kock, Joshua Richards, Saad Sarraj, Justin Seitz, Dean Sterling Jones, Benjamin Strick.