SpiderFoot vs Maltego
SpiderFoot
SpiderFoot is an open-source (MIT) tool that automates OSINT collection for threat intelligence and for mapping an organisation's attack surface. Given a target such as a domain, IP address, email address or name, it runs over 200 modules against data sources and correlates the results, using a YAML-configurable correlation engine with 37 pre-defined rules. It runs as a self-hosted web application or from the command line, supports Docker deployment, can search the dark web through Tor, and can call other tools such as Nmap and DNSTwist. The project has been on GitHub since 2012.
Pros
- Free and open source under the MIT licence
- Broad automated collection from one scan
- Self-hosted, so scan data stays on your own infrastructure
Things to check
- Self-hosted: you install, run and maintain it
Pricing: Free and open source (MIT).
Maltego
Maltego is an OSINT and investigations platform. Maltego Graph places entities such as people, organisations, email addresses, domains and IP addresses on a graph and links them, drawing data from integrated sources, while Maltego Search handles quick lookups for digital profiling. The product set also includes Monitor, Evidence, Data, Screen and Profile, and Hunchly for capturing web pages as evidence. Maltego Technologies is based in Munich and lists government, defence and national security, law enforcement, threat intelligence, banking and insurance among the industries it serves. A free Basic plan includes the Community Edition of Maltego Graph.
Pros
- Free Basic plan with the Community Edition of Maltego Graph
- Published prices for its paid plans
- Connects many data sources in one visual investigation
- Lists government, defence and law enforcement among the industries it serves
Things to check
- Paid plans start at €3,000 a year, well above single-purpose lookup tools
- Third-party data is drawn from a credit allowance that varies by plan
Pricing: Basic free (Community Edition, 200 or 1,000 credits). Entry €3,000/year (10,000 credits, adds Hunchly). Professional from €7,500/year, billed per seat, for up to 5 users (20,000 or 40,000 credits). Enterprise on request.