Introduction to Holehe
What is Holehe?
Holehe is a powerful tool for conducting online investigations, particularly in the realm of Open Source Intelligence (OSINT). It enables users to determine if an email address is linked to accounts on various online platforms. With Holehe, users can efficiently check over 120 websites, including popular social media and service platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, and Imgur.
Key Features
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Email-to-Account Linking: Holehe can reveal whether an email is associated with existing accounts across numerous websites.
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Discreet Operations: The tool operates without alerting the target account, ensuring that the investigative process remains unobtrusive. This aspect is particularly useful in maintaining discretion during sensitive research tasks.
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Python 3 Compatibility: It is designed to run on Python 3, making it accessible to a wide range of users who are familiar with Python-based applications.
How Does It Work?
Holehe utilizes the "forgotten password" feature of websites to find linked accounts without triggering any alerts to the email owner. It returns a comprehensive output in a standard dictionary format, detailing whether the account exists and providing obfuscated recovery email or phone number information if available.
Installation Options
Users can install Holehe through several methods:
- PyPI: By running the command
pip3 install holehe. - GitHub: Cloning the repository with
git cloneand runningpython3 setup.py install. - Docker: Building and running a Docker image for containerized environments.
Getting Started
Holehe can be executed directly from the command line interface (CLI):
holehe [email protected]
Alternatively, it can be integrated into Python applications:
import trio
import httpx
from holehe.modules.social_media.snapchat import snapchat
async def main():
email = "[email protected]"
output = []
client = httpx.AsyncClient()
await snapchat(email, client, output)
print(output)
await client.aclose()
trio.run(main)
Understanding the Output
Holehe provides data in JSON format, indicating whether accounts exist and mentioning rate limiting, if applicable. Here's what the output includes:
- rateLimit: Information on any rate limiting experienced during the process.
- exists: Confirmation of account existence for the specified email.
- emailrecovery & phoneNumber: Obfuscated recovery emails or phone numbers if available.
- others: Additional insights or information gathered.
Additional Features and Community Contributions
Holehe integrates with Maltego (a data visualization and investigative tool) and receives contributions from numerous developers who enhance its capabilities.
Donation and Support
For users who wish to support the development of Holehe, Bitcoin donations are accepted at the provided BTC address.
Licensing
Holehe is distributed under the GNU General Public License v3.0, emphasizing its use for educational and research purposes within legal boundaries.
Acknowledgments
Holehe has received significant contributions and support from various developers and projects, reflecting a vibrant community aimed at enhancing OSINT capabilities.
By offering robust email-to-account detection features, Holehe serves as a valuable tool for researchers, investigators, and cybersecurity professionals in understanding digital footprints.