
Collecting Open Source Intelligence
- 210 installs
- 27.3k repo stars
- Updated August 2, 2026
- mukul975/anthropic-cybersecurity-skills
Collect OSINT on targets—domains, people, tech stack, leaks—to inform threat models, pentests, and security assessments with lawful, scoped reconnaissance.
About
Anthropic cybersecurity skill for collecting open-source intelligence: structured OSINT to map public attack surface, leaked data, and infrastructure clues that inform later appsec testing and audit planning.
- Domain and asset discovery
- Public footprint mapping
- Threat context gathering
- Lawful recon workflows
Collecting Open Source Intelligence by the numbers
- 210 all-time installs (skills.sh)
- +10 installs in the week ending Aug 4, 2026 (Skillselion tracking)
- Ranked #759 of 2,203 Security skills by installs in the Skillselion catalog
- Data as of Aug 5, 2026 (Skillselion catalog sync)
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| Installs | 210 |
|---|---|
| repo stars | ★ 27.3k |
| Last updated | August 2, 2026 |
| Repository | mukul975/anthropic-cybersecurity-skills ↗ |
What it does
Collect OSINT on targets—domains, people, tech stack, leaks—to inform threat models, pentests, and security assessments with lawful, scoped reconnaissance.
Files
Collecting Open-Source Intelligence
When to Use
Use this skill when:
- Investigating external infrastructure associated with a phishing campaign targeting your organization
- Enriching threat actor profiles with publicly observable indicators (WHOIS, ASN data, SSL certificates)
- Conducting authorized attack surface discovery to understand your organization's external exposure
Do not use this skill for active scanning against targets without explicit written authorization — OSINT collection must remain passive (no packets sent to target systems) unless scope permits active recon.
Prerequisites
- Maltego CE or commercial license for graph-based link analysis
- Shodan API key (https://shodan.io) for internet-wide device/service discovery
- OSINT Framework familiarity (https://osintframework.com) for tool selection
- SpiderFoot HX or open-source SpiderFoot for automated OSINT correlation
Workflow
Step 1: Define Collection Requirements
Establish the intelligence requirement (IR) before collecting. Document:
- Target: threat actor group, malicious domain, IP range, or organization
- Priority Intelligence Requirements (PIRs): What specific questions need answering?
- Legal authority: Passive OSINT is legal; active probing requires authorization
- Data handling: TLP classification for collected intelligence
Step 2: Passive DNS and WHOIS Investigation
# Passive DNS via SecurityTrails API
curl "https://api.securitytrails.com/v1/domain/evil-domain.com/dns/a" \
-H "apikey: YOUR_KEY"
# WHOIS history via ARIN / RIPE
whois -h whois.arin.net evil-domain.com
# Certificate transparency logs (no API key required)
curl "https://crt.sh/?q=%.evil-domain.com&output=json" | jq '.[].name_value'Certificate transparency logs reveal all subdomains for a target domain, often exposing staging, VPN, or internal infrastructure inadvertently made public.
Step 3: Shodan Infrastructure Mapping
import shodan
api = shodan.Shodan("YOUR_SHODAN_API_KEY")
# Search for specific C2 framework signatures (Cobalt Strike beacon)
results = api.search('product:"Cobalt Strike" port:443')
for r in results['matches']:
print(r['ip_str'], r['port'], r['org'], r.get('ssl', {}).get('cert', {}).get('subject', ''))
# Find infrastructure associated with a known threat actor's ASN
results = api.search('asn:AS12345 http.title:"Redirector"')Correlate Shodan results with passive DNS to build infrastructure clusters.
Step 4: Maltego Graph Analysis
In Maltego, use these built-in transforms for threat actor infrastructure mapping: 1. Start with a known malicious domain (Entity: Domain) 2. Run "To IP Address [DNS]" → identifies hosting IPs 3. Run "To Shared Hosting" → identifies co-hosted domains (potentially same threat actor) 4. Run "To DNS Name [Reverse DNS]" → identifies PTR records 5. Run "To Whois" → identifies registrant email/organization 6. Pivot on registrant email → "To Domains [Registrant Email]" → expands to all domains registered with same email
Maltego Maltego Cyber threat intelligence transforms (VirusTotal, Shodan, PassiveTotal, URLScan) extend graph coverage.
Step 5: Dark Web and Paste Site Monitoring
Use SpiderFoot HX or manual searches for:
- Paste sites (Pastebin, Ghostbin): search for leaked credentials, IOCs, malware configs
- Dark web forums: via Tor browser with appropriate operational security
- GitHub/GitLab: search for exposed credentials or organization-specific strings
# SpiderFoot CLI for automated OSINT
python sf.py -s evil-domain.com -m sfp_shodan,sfp_virustotal,sfp_passivetotal \
-o TF -R result.jsonKey Concepts
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Passive OSINT | Intelligence collection that does not send any packets to target systems — uses public databases, search engines, cached data |
| PIR | Priority Intelligence Requirement — specific question the intelligence collection must answer, preventing unfocused data gathering |
| Certificate Transparency | Public log of all SSL/TLS certificates issued by CAs, enabling discovery of subdomains via crt.sh |
| Pivoting | Using one data point (IP, email, registrant name) to discover related infrastructure or accounts |
| ASN | Autonomous System Number — block of IP addresses under a single routing policy; useful for clustering threat actor infrastructure |
| Co-hosted Domains | Multiple domains resolving to the same IP, potentially indicating shared attacker infrastructure |
Tools & Systems
- Maltego: Graph-based link analysis platform with 50+ data source transforms for IP, domain, email, and social media analysis
- Shodan: Internet-wide scanner database with 1B+ indexed devices; supports banner, port, SSL certificate, and vulnerability searches
- SpiderFoot: Automated OSINT tool with 200+ modules covering DNS, WHOIS, dark web, breach data, and social media
- Recon-ng: Python-based OSINT framework with modular design for domain, email, and social media reconnaissance
- crt.sh: Free certificate transparency search engine for subdomain and certificate discovery
- OSINT Framework (osintframework.com): Curated directory of OSINT tools organized by intelligence category
Common Pitfalls
- Leaving digital footprints: Visiting a threat actor's website or Shodan-queried IP can alert the adversary. Use Tor or VPN with a dedicated OSINT VM.
- Confirmation bias in graph analysis: Maltego graphs can create false connections. Verify each pivot independently before treating as confirmed.
- Outdated data: WHOIS privacy services and bulletproof hosting rotate frequently. Always check data timestamps — 6-month-old passive DNS may no longer be valid.
- Attribution overconfidence: Infrastructure overlap does not guarantee same threat actor. False flag operations deliberately share indicators across groups.
- Legal boundaries: Some OSINT tools perform active scans (port scanning, banner grabbing). Confirm tool behavior before use against external targets without authorization.
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API Reference: OSINT Collection Agent
Overview
Gathers open-source intelligence on target domains using Shodan, certificate transparency logs (crt.sh), RDAP WHOIS, SecurityTrails, and GitHub code search. For authorized assessments only.
Dependencies
| Package | Version | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| shodan | >=1.28 | Shodan API for internet-wide device search |
| requests | >=2.28 | HTTP API calls |
CLI Usage
python agent.py --domain example.com --shodan-key <key> --github-token <token> --output report.jsonKey Functions
search_shodan(api_key, query, max_results)
Searches Shodan for hosts matching a query string, returning IP, ports, org, OS, SSL cert subjects.
shodan_host_lookup(api_key, ip_address)
Looks up detailed information about a specific IP including open ports and known vulnerabilities.
query_crtsh(domain)
Queries certificate transparency logs via crt.sh to discover subdomains from issued SSL certificates.
whois_lookup(domain)
Performs WHOIS lookup using RDAP protocol, returning registration status, nameservers, and event dates.
query_securitytrails(api_key, domain)
Queries SecurityTrails API for current DNS records, historical DNS data, and Alexa ranking.
search_github_exposure(query, github_token)
Searches GitHub for exposed credentials, API keys, or sensitive data related to the target domain.
generate_osint_report(domain, subdomains, shodan_results, whois_data, github_results)
Consolidates all gathered OSINT into a structured JSON report.
External APIs Used
| API | Endpoint | Auth | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shodan | api.shodan.io | API key | Internet-wide device search |
| crt.sh | https://crt.sh/?q=...&output=json | None | Certificate transparency |
| RDAP | https://rdap.org/domain/ | None | WHOIS lookup |
| SecurityTrails | https://api.securitytrails.com/v1/ | API key | DNS history |
| GitHub | https://api.github.com/search/code | Token | Code search for exposures |
#!/usr/bin/env python3
# For authorized penetration testing and lab environments only
"""OSINT Collection Agent - Gathers open-source intelligence on targets using Shodan and crt.sh."""
import json
import logging
import argparse
from datetime import datetime
import requests
import shodan
logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO, format="%(asctime)s [%(levelname)s] %(message)s")
logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
def search_shodan(api_key, query, max_results=100):
"""Search Shodan for hosts matching a query."""
api = shodan.Shodan(api_key)
results = api.search(query, limit=max_results)
hosts = []
for match in results["matches"]:
hosts.append({
"ip": match["ip_str"],
"port": match["port"],
"org": match.get("org", ""),
"os": match.get("os", ""),
"hostnames": match.get("hostnames", []),
"product": match.get("product", ""),
"version": match.get("version", ""),
"country": match.get("location", {}).get("country_name", ""),
"ssl_subject": match.get("ssl", {}).get("cert", {}).get("subject", {}),
})
logger.info("Shodan returned %d results for query: %s", len(hosts), query)
return hosts
def shodan_host_lookup(api_key, ip_address):
"""Lookup a specific host on Shodan for detailed information."""
api = shodan.Shodan(api_key)
host = api.host(ip_address)
return {
"ip": host["ip_str"],
"org": host.get("org", ""),
"os": host.get("os", ""),
"ports": host.get("ports", []),
"vulns": host.get("vulns", []),
"hostnames": host.get("hostnames", []),
"country": host.get("country_name", ""),
"city": host.get("city", ""),
"asn": host.get("asn", ""),
}
def query_crtsh(domain):
"""Query certificate transparency logs via crt.sh for subdomain discovery."""
url = f"https://crt.sh/?q=%.{domain}&output=json"
resp = requests.get(url, timeout=30)
if resp.status_code != 200:
logger.warning("crt.sh query failed for %s: %d", domain, resp.status_code)
return []
entries = resp.json()
subdomains = set()
for entry in entries:
name_value = entry.get("name_value", "")
for name in name_value.split("\n"):
name = name.strip().lower()
if name and "*" not in name:
subdomains.add(name)
logger.info("crt.sh found %d unique subdomains for %s", len(subdomains), domain)
return sorted(subdomains)
def whois_lookup(domain):
"""Perform WHOIS lookup via RDAP (Registration Data Access Protocol)."""
url = f"https://rdap.org/domain/{domain}"
resp = requests.get(url, timeout=30)
if resp.status_code == 200:
data = resp.json()
return {
"domain": domain,
"status": data.get("status", []),
"nameservers": [ns.get("ldhName", "") for ns in data.get("nameservers", [])],
"events": [
{"action": e["eventAction"], "date": e["eventDate"]}
for e in data.get("events", [])
],
}
return {"domain": domain, "error": resp.status_code}
def query_securitytrails(api_key, domain):
"""Query SecurityTrails API for DNS history."""
url = f"https://api.securitytrails.com/v1/domain/{domain}"
headers = {"apikey": api_key}
resp = requests.get(url, headers=headers, timeout=30)
if resp.status_code == 200:
data = resp.json()
return {
"domain": domain,
"current_dns": data.get("current_dns", {}),
"alexa_rank": data.get("alexa_rank"),
"hostname": data.get("hostname"),
}
return {"domain": domain, "error": resp.status_code}
def search_github_exposure(query, github_token=None):
"""Search GitHub for exposed credentials or sensitive data."""
headers = {"Accept": "application/vnd.github.v3+json"}
if github_token:
headers["Authorization"] = f"token {github_token}"
url = "https://api.github.com/search/code"
resp = requests.get(url, headers=headers, params={"q": query, "per_page": 20}, timeout=30)
if resp.status_code == 200:
items = resp.json().get("items", [])
results = []
for item in items:
results.append({
"repo": item["repository"]["full_name"],
"path": item["path"],
"url": item["html_url"],
})
logger.info("GitHub search found %d results for: %s", len(results), query)
return results
return []
def generate_osint_report(domain, subdomains, shodan_results, whois_data, github_results):
"""Generate a consolidated OSINT report."""
report = {
"target": domain,
"timestamp": datetime.utcnow().isoformat(),
"subdomains": subdomains,
"subdomain_count": len(subdomains),
"shodan_hosts": shodan_results,
"whois": whois_data,
"github_exposure": github_results,
}
lines = [
f"OSINT REPORT - {domain}",
"=" * 40,
f"Subdomains discovered: {len(subdomains)}",
f"Shodan hosts found: {len(shodan_results)}",
f"GitHub exposures: {len(github_results)}",
]
print("\n".join(lines))
return report
def main():
parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="OSINT Collection Agent")
parser.add_argument("--domain", required=True, help="Target domain for OSINT")
parser.add_argument("--shodan-key", help="Shodan API key")
parser.add_argument("--shodan-query", help="Custom Shodan search query")
parser.add_argument("--github-token", help="GitHub personal access token")
parser.add_argument("--output", default="osint_report.json")
args = parser.parse_args()
subdomains = query_crtsh(args.domain)
whois_data = whois_lookup(args.domain)
shodan_results = []
if args.shodan_key:
query = args.shodan_query or f"hostname:{args.domain}"
shodan_results = search_shodan(args.shodan_key, query)
github_results = []
if args.github_token:
github_results = search_github_exposure(
f'"{args.domain}" password OR secret OR api_key', args.github_token
)
report = generate_osint_report(
args.domain, subdomains, shodan_results, whois_data, github_results
)
with open(args.output, "w") as f:
json.dump(report, f, indent=2)
logger.info("OSINT report saved to %s", args.output)
if __name__ == "__main__":
main()