Identify associated accounts and become an A-grade sleuth using Maltego Transforms.
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When you’re starting out with open source intelligence (OSINT) you won’t have to be learning for long to realise that it’s all about the data. Huge amounts of data from a wide array of sources need to be scraped, processed and analysed to get the complete picture of what’s going on.

In today’s world though, we’re lucky enough to have a broad range of tools to help us properly leverage this data to turn it into actionable, real-world intelligence. Like most things in life though, not all things are equal and because of this, some OSINT tools are far more useful than others.
Most experienced analysts would agree that Maltego is one of these tools. A graphical-based tool that’s designed to uncover connections and work with a large number of plugins, it’s the star of today's article.

Maltego uses big data techniques to help uncover information regarding your target. Source: Maltego.com

What is Maltego

You can get a good idea of the utility value of an OSINT tool by exploring who uses it and Maltego has been used the world over by cyber and information security specialists, investigative journalists and government intelligence agencies. Used to analyse and interpret complex data from multiple sources, it’s a great tool for uncovering connections and looking further into online activities.

While it does have paid features, the community edition (Maltego CE) is still well worth learning and its usage of visual graphic-based tools makes it far easier for investigators to analyse and uncover links between entities.

Extremely powerful in standard configuration, Maltego uses “transforms” to help customize and narrow its search criteria, helping to expand its utility and allowing users to select and search data from sources relevant to their investigation. If you’re not able to find one that suits your needs, all is not lost as you can write and include your own. Python is a great choice for this.

Maltego Academy

With its ability to add transforms as well as plenty of features that come baked in, Maltego can be tough for beginners to get started with. However, Maltego has your back, with their Maltego Academy available to those who want to up their search game.

Providing a large array of resources in both live and on-demand capacities, the academy has everything you need to get started as well as plenty of tools for those who are seeking more advanced techniques. To get started, you’ll simply need to register for a Maltego ID so you can log in and access the training materials.

If you’re after some more specialized training, the academy also provides learning paths, to help you develop a more focused investigative skillset. These pathways won’t just help you learn how to use Maltego, they’ll also help you get used to using best-practice investigative techniques to help you preserve the data you uncover.

Getting Started

If you’re running Kali Linux as your educational OS, depending on the version you should find Maltego pre-installed and ready to rock. If you’re using a different OS though, you can visit the Maltego website to download the version that’s appropriate for your OS.

It’s worth ensuring that you’re running the most up-to-date version if you’re relying on a pre-configured system though, as the software is regularly updated with new features and plugins. So much so that if it’s been a while since you’ve used it, while the interface is mostly the same, there is plenty more in the way of new tools and expansions.

Once you’re installed and ready to rock, it’s then worth taking a look at some of the custom transforms that you want to add to your workflow. You’ll find that in some instances, they’ll need to be configured properly to work as well so it’s worth doing now ahead of time. When this is complete, your new investigative toolkit is ready to go!

Next Steps

One of the reasons that some hobbyist analysts can find Maltego to be slightly intimidating is due to the sheer volume of data that it’s able to use and analyse. Despite this though, once you’re properly up and running the reality is that the software is extremely user-friendly once you’ve taken the time to understand it.

Maltego was originally designed to explore social connections but with the integration of a modern tech stack, it’s now more usable than ever before when searching for actionable intelligence. Breach data, social media intelligence and open source information from sources worldwide have all been added into the mix, giving the modern cyber investigator a veritable arsenal of tools at their disposal.

Our next article on Maltego will start to explore some of these newer features in more detail, using these tools and some general investigative techniques to see what we’re able to uncover.

In the meantime, why don’t you look to see what you can find?

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