SpiderFoot is an open-source OSINT automation tool designed to gather public information about domains, IPs, email addresses, and organizations. It automates dozens of data sources and modules so you can quickly build a comprehensive footprint of a target without manual scraping and juggling multiple tools. SpiderFoot is useful for threat intelligence, attack surface discovery, red team recon, and security assessments. (hackerhaven.io)
What SpiderFoot can do (at a glance)
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Enumerate DNS records, subdomains, and WHOIS details.
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Pull leaked credentials and breach data where available.
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Search social media signals and correlate identities.
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Discover infrastructure exposed on the internet (IP ranges, open services).
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Export findings in JSON, CSV or visual formats for further analysis.
These capabilities make SpiderFoot an efficient first step for mapping an organization’s public attack surface.
Quick setup (local/web UI)
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Install or pull the repo — SpiderFoot can be run locally (CLI) or via its web UI. If you prefer an all-in-one web interface, run the server locally and open the dashboard (commonly
http://127.0.0.1:5001). (InfoSec Train) -
Create a new scan — From the web UI click New Scan, enter the target (domain, IP, or organization name) and give it a descriptive label. (InfoSec Train)
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Choose a scan profile — Profiles let you balance speed vs coverage:
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All: every module (slowest, most exhaustive).
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Footprint: public footprinting modules only.
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Investigate: adds malicious indicator checks.
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Passive: avoids active probes (safer/legal for some scenarios). (InfoSec Train)
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Select modules and API keys — Configure modules you want (WHOIS, DNS, Shodan, HaveIBeenPwned, social lookups). Add API keys for services that require them to improve results.
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Run the scan and monitor — Start the scan and monitor progress in the dashboard; results stream in and are categorized by type.
Interpreting results
SpiderFoot groups findings by categories (domains, IPs, breaches, social handles, etc.). Important tips:
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Prioritize high-confidence findings first (verified WHOIS, confirmed domain-to-IP mappings).
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Correlate data — use timestamps, overlapping infrastructure, and repeated identifiers to join otherwise separate results.
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Export for analysis — JSON or CSV exports let you feed results into other tools (SIEMs, graphing tools, Maltego) for deeper investigation.
Typical use cases
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Attack surface discovery: Quickly discover subdomains, exposed services and third-party assets.
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Phishing defense: Identify spoofable domains and leaked credentials that support targeted phishing simulations.
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Threat intelligence: Map infrastructure and linked identities used by suspicious actors.
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Pre engagement recon: Save time during red team or pen test engagements by automating initial discovery.
Best practices & safety
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Use passive mode for legal safety when you don’t have authorization; active probing can trigger logging or be considered unauthorized access.
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Respect robots.txt and API terms for external services and rate limits.
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Limit sensitive exports — treat scan results containing personal data or breached credentials as sensitive: store securely and follow privacy rules and company policy.
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Enrich, don’t replace — SpiderFoot is powerful, but combine its findings with human analysis and other OSINT tools (Maltego, Shodan, Recon-ng) for the full picture. (hackerhaven.io)
Example quick workflow (practical)
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Start SpiderFoot UI → New Scan → target
example.com. -
Choose Footprint profile + enable WHOIS, DNS, subdomain discovery, certificate transparency modules.
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Run scan; export JSON.
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Load JSON into a graph tool or spreadsheet to group subdomains, IP ownership, and open ports.
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Manually validate top-risk findings and document remediation recommendations.
For hands-on walkthroughs and UI screenshots, community guides and tutorials demonstrate exact clicks and module names. (InfoSec Train)