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A toolkit for open source researchers

Welcome to Bellingcat’s Online Open Source Investigation Toolkit!

This is your place to discover tools! Our toolkit includes satellite and mapping services, tools for verifying photos and videos, websites to archive web pages, and much more. Most of the tools that we include can be used for free.

Click on the name of a tool to view an in-depth review and guide for the tool (if available). You can also download this toolkit (or some of its categories) as a csv.

Browse tools by category:

About

This toolkit is still a work-in-progress and the number of available tool descriptions will grow over time. You can read more about the toolkit .

Our Toolkit Maintainers and Guardians

Bellingcat’s Online Investigation Toolkit has a long tradition but our newest version is special: It is offered in collaboration with the Bellingcat volunteer community.

Bellingcat volunteers, staff and the wider open source researcher community contribute to writing and updating toolkit descriptions. Bellingcat staff checks each toolkit entry before it goes online.

If our Toolkit Maintainers choose to be publicly mentioned, you can find their names on individual tool pages under "page maintainer".

Our Toolkit Guardians have a special role: They help us further develop this toolkit to make sure it meets the needs of open source researchers.

Our Toolkit Guardians:

Afton is a volunteer open-source investigator with training in digital investigations for use in human rights and criminal accountability. She is the Volunteer Toolkit Guardian for the category

Contribute to this Toolkit

If you are an expert for a specific category of open source research tools and you would like to contribute to this toolkit, get in touch with Johanna via . Feel free to introduce yourself and share a few words about your tool expertise. We would love to hear from you.

Keep in mind that contributing to our toolkit is a long-term volunteer commitment: You write tool descriptions and update them on a monthly basis. We do not accept volunteer contributors whose identity we don’t know.

Please do not suggest tools that should be added to the toolkit via this e-mail address.

Bellingcat Team and Contact

This collaborative toolkit has been designed by Bellingcat staff member Johanna Wild during her 2024 Nieman-Berkman Klein Fellowship in Journalism Innovation at Harvard University.

Viktorija Ignatavičiūtė and Galen Reich contributed to defining the volunteer involvement for this project, with Viktorija Ignatavičiūtė supporting our toolkit volunteer community also on a daily basis.

If you have any feedback or questions, please get in touch with Johanna Wild via . Please do not suggest tools that you would like to see added to the toolkit via this e-mail address.

About Bellingcat

Bellingcat is an independent investigative collective of researchers, investigators and citizen journalists brought together by a passion for open source research. Learn more about Bellingcat in this .

You can follow 's work here:

, , , , , , , , , , (Stage Talks), , , . You can always find an updated list of our social media presence .

is a non-profit and the ability to carry out our work is dependent on the kind support of individual donors. If you would like to support our work, you can so .

New Tools

These tools were added to the toolkit within the last four weeks.

Name

Description

Cost

Tool Review and Guide

Bellingcat TikTok Date Extract

Get the exact upload date + time for tiktok video urls

Free

_{Guide not available}

Bellingcat TikTok Hashtag Analysis

Archive content and metadata from TikTok posts that contain one or more specified hashtags

Free

_{Guide not available}

Open Measures

Resources

Bellingcat OpenStreetMap Search

A user interface to search OpenStreetMap data for features in proximity to each other.

URL

https://osm-search.bellingcat.com/

Description

Bellingcat has built a tool for searching OpenStreetMap data to help geolocate images based on objects and structures that open source researchers can see in an image they are trying to geolocate. The tool searches for locations in a predefined region that fulfil several characteristics at once (for instance a location in the vicinity of a school, a supermarket and a street with sidewalks). It is a simplified version of the Overpass query language tool that some open source researchers may already be familiar with using .

With the OpenStreetMap search tool, a researcher can find geolocation leads by searching for several features on OpenStreetMap that are placed within a certain maximum distance to each other. Large queries may take a minute to run - to increase the speed search a smaller area by zooming in on the map. Results can be browsed directly, opened in Google Maps by clicking the lat/long, or downloaded as a CSV or KML file.

The example below shows a search for bridge amenities around Amsterdam on a satellite map:

Example Use Cases

Online Open Source Investigators can leverage the Bellingcat OpenStreetMap Search in numerous ways to enhance their reporting and storytelling, particularly in investigative journalism. Some applications include:

Tracking and Reporting Urban Development: Journalists can monitor construction projects, changes in land use, and gentrification trends, providing data-backed reports on urban growth or decline.
Investigating Environmental Issues: By analyzing data on green spaces, pollution sources, and changes in natural landscapes, reporters can uncover stories on environmental degradation, conservation efforts, and climate change impacts.
Transportation and Infrastructure Reporting: Data on road networks, public transport facilities, and infrastructure developments can inform stories on transportation challenges, government spending, and urban mobility.

In each of these use cases, users can precisely tailor their queries to extract specific data points from the vast repository of geographic information available on OpenStreetMap.

Latest changes and features:

Cost

Free
Partially Free
Paid

Level of difficulty

Requirements

Any modern web browser
A Google account with an email address

Limitations

Automatic logouts: It can happen that the tool logs users out during a user session. It is recommended to refresh the tool page from time to time and to simply log in another time with the same Google account in case this happens.
Doesn't Support Complex Queries: The tool only supports a constrained subset of the query language (Overpass QL).
Query Complexity and Performance: Overpass Turbo might struggle with very complex queries or large data sets, leading to long response times or timeouts.

Ethical Considerations

Bellingcat OpenStreetMap Search has the following ethical considerations

Privacy and Data Sensitivity: While the tool offers broad access to public OpenStreetMap (OSM) data, users should be cautious when querying or sharing data that could potentially reveal sensitive information about individuals or locations.
Responsible Use of Resources: Given the resource-intensive nature of some queries, users should consider the impact of their actions on the availability for others. Excessive or unnecessary querying can lead to server strain, affecting the service for all users.
Data Accuracy and Misuse: Users should be aware that data obtained from, as with any crowdsourced information, may not always be accurate or up to date. Misinterpretation or misuse of this data can lead to ethical concerns, especially if used in critical applications or decision-making processes.

Guide

To effectively use Bellingcat OpenStreetMap Search, especially for beginners or those looking to refine their skills, the following resources are highly recommended:

Official Wiki

Not a full wiki but the project's homepage:

Tutorials and Articles

Williams, L. (2023) Finding Geolocation Leads with Bellingcat’s OpenStreetMap Search Tool, bellingcat. Available at: (Accessed: 5 April 2024).

Video Tutorials

Start Your Geolocation Search With Ease (2023). Available at: (Accessed: 5 April 2024).

Community and Support

Submit feature requests or bugs at or contact

Tool provider

, Netherlands

Advertising Trackers

This tool has not been checked for advertising trackers yet.
This tool uses tracking cookies. Use with caution.
This tool does not appear to use tracking cookies.

Page maintainer

ExifTool

ExifTool is a command-line application for reading, writing, and editing meta information in files.

URL

https://exiftool.org/

current version: 13.40 (2025‑10‑24); latest production (MetaCPAN) release is 13.36 (2025‑09‑09)

Description

ExifTool is a cross‑platform Perl library and command‑line application for reading, writing and editing metadata across thousands of file types (images, video, audio, documents). It supports major standards (EXIF, IPTC, XMP, ICC) plus extensive camera maker notes, and can output JSON/CSV/XML/HTML for downstream analysis. It also reads timed/video metadata (e.g., GPS tracks), computes image‑data hashes, and (since 2025) can generate SVG plots of tag values via -plot. Typical OSINT pivots include extracting capture dates/locations, identifying editing software, reconciling sidecars, and comparing metadata deltas between versions.

Using ExifTool for Open Source Research: Code Examples and Applications

ExifTool can be a helpful utility for open-source researchers. It allows for the extraction and analysis of metadata from various file types, which can reveal hidden information about digital media.

Remember that all metadata can be manipulated and should never be taken at face value. Always verify metadata through independent sources or methods before drawing conclusions.

Extracting Metadata to Identify File Origin

This command displays all metadata from image.jpg. This can help identify the camera model, software used, and other details that may point to the file's origin or authenticity.

Extracting GPS Coordinates from Images

This command extracts GPS latitude and longitude data from suspect_image.jpg. After obtaining the GPS coordinates, you can input them into mapping services like Google Earth to visualize the location.

Analyzing Timestamps to Build Timelines

This command retrieves all date and time metadata tags from the image, such as CreateDate, ModifyDate, and DateTimeOriginal. This information can help establish a timeline of events.

Comparing Metadata Across Multiple Files

This command generates a tab-delimited report (metadata_report.txt) for all .jpg files in the directory, listing filenames, creation dates, and camera models.

Identifying Software Used for Editing

This command extracts the Software tag, indicating any software used to edit or process the image. Detecting editing software can suggest whether an image has been manipulated.

Detecting Metadata Anomalies

This command displays all metadata tags, including duplicates, with group names (-G1), and in short format (-s). Anomalies or inconsistencies in metadata can indicate tampering or provide investigative leads.

Extracting Thumbnail Images

Extracting the embedded thumbnail can reveal the original image before any edits were made, which is useful if the main image has been altered but the thumbnail hasn't.

Retrieving Metadata from Documents

For documents, this command extracts metadata from suspect_document.pdf, potentially revealing the author's name, creation date, software used, and more.

Extracting Metadata from Video Files

This command retrieves specific metadata from suspect_video.mp4, such as the title, creation date, and duration, aiding in video analysis during investigations.

Filtering Files with Specific Metadata Attributes

This command processes all .jpg files and lists filenames where the Make tag equals "Apple". This is useful for identifying images taken with specific devices.

Searching for Files Created in a Specific Timeframe

This command lists all images taken within the year 2024, helping to narrow down files relevant to a specific period.

Automating Metadata Extraction for Web Downloads

When downloading media from the web, you can automate metadata extraction:

This command downloads an image and immediately extracts its metadata, streamlining the process during an investigation.

Note: Many social media platforms strip metadata from images. However, some may retain certain metadata.

This command attempts to extract any remaining metadata from an image downloaded from social media. While limited, any recovered data could be valuable.

Extracting Metadata from Audio Files

This command retrieves metadata from suspect_audio.mp3, which can reveal artist information, album names, and track numbers, helpful in tracking the distribution of audio files.

Generating KML Files for Geospatial Analysis

This command creates a KML file (photos.kml) from images in the images/ directory that can be loaded into Google Earth or other GIS software to visualize photo locations.

Note: You'll need to create a kml.fmt formatting file as per ExifTool documentation.

Verifying File Authenticity with Checksums

This command calculates the MD5 checksum of suspect_file.jpg, which can be used to verify file integrity or compare against known hashes.

Note: An MD5 checksum is a unique, fixed-size “fingerprint” generated by applying the MD5 hashing algorithm to a file’s contents. Even a tiny change, like altering one pixel in an image or one character in a text document, results in a completely different MD5 value. By comparing the MD5 checksum of a file to a trusted, known-good checksum, you can quickly determine if the file has been altered, corrupted, or tampered with.

Keep in mind that MD5 is just one type of hash, and while it’s useful for basic integrity checks, it’s considered less secure against certain attacks. For higher assurance, especially in forensic contexts, consider using more robust hashing algorithms like SHA-256 or SHA-512.

Identifying Embedded Files or Steganography

The -ee option extracts embedded data streams. This command attempts to extract any embedded files or data within suspect_file.jpg, which may be hidden intentionally.

Extracting Metadata from Emails

While ExifTool primarily handles files, you can save emails as .eml files and extract headers:

This command extracts metadata from email.eml, including headers that reveal sender IP addresses, email clients, and routing information.

Checking for Metadata Inconsistencies

This command checks for any warnings or errors in the metadata structure of suspect_image.jpg. Inconsistencies may indicate manipulation or corruption.

Additional Tips for Open Source Researchers

Combine Tools: Use ExifTool in conjunction with other tools like strings, binwalk, or foremost for comprehensive analysis.
Script Automation: Create scripts to automate metadata extraction from large datasets.
Stay Ethical: Always ensure your activities comply with legal and ethical guidelines, respecting privacy and data protection laws.

Cost

Free
Partially Free
Paid

Level of difficulty

Requirements

Runtime: Perl ≥5.004 for the full Perl distribution; not required when using the Windows executable or macOS package.
Install methods: – Official downloads (Windows .zip with bundled Perl; macOS .pkg; full Image-ExifTool-13.40.tar.gz). – Package managers (e.g., Homebrew: brew install exiftool; Arch Linux package perl-image-exiftool 13.36).

Limitations

Incomplete Metadata Removal: ExifTool may not fully remove all metadata from certain file types. While it can strip many common fields, some proprietary metadata structures or embedded data might persist. This can leave sensitive information, such as GPS coordinates, camera serial numbers, or user comments, exposed after a “cleaning” attempt. Users who require guaranteed anonymity or privacy must verify that no residual metadata remains.
Limited Support for Some File Formats: While ExifTool is highly versatile, it doesn’t support every existing or emerging file format. Specialized, proprietary, or niche formats may not be fully recognized. As a result, some metadata fields may not be extracted or modified correctly, limiting the tool’s usefulness for cutting-edge devices or obscure media types.
Command-Line Complexity: ExifTool primarily operates through the command line, which can be intimidating for users who lack technical experience. Understanding syntax, parameters, and output formatting takes practice, and beginners may struggle to remember commands or apply them efficiently.

Ethical Considerations Specific to Open Source Research

Use ExifTool lawfully and proportionately. Limit collection to what is necessary, retain audit trails (input files, command logs, outputs), and avoid exposing sensitive personal data inadvertently contained in metadata (e.g., GPS). Investigators should align workflows with the Berkeley Protocol on Digital Open Source Investigations for documentation, chain‑of‑custody and verification standards.

Conclusion

ExifTool can be a useful addition to an open source researcher's toolkit, enabling the extraction and analysis of metadata that can uncover critical information. By applying the commands and techniques outlined above, you can enhance your investigative capabilities while adhering to ethical standards.

For further learning and community support:

Official Website:

Guide

Installing ExifTool (official): platform‑specific steps and troubleshooting.

Application Documentation (exiftool options reference).

Command‑Line Examples (curated upstream snippets).

Plot Feature (-plot usage and examples).

Kris Occhipinti. (2010, December 12). Working with jpg Metadata Comments—Exiftool—BASH - Linux Command Line [Video recording].

spartaco80. (2015). exiftool1line—Useful one-line ExifTool commands.

Harvey, P. (2024). ExifTool FAQ.

Harvey, P. (2021). Common ExifTool Mistakes.

Tool provider

Phil Harvey (will respond to inquiries in the )

License: Artistic‑1.0‑Perl OR GPL‑1.0‑or‑later (dual license).

Advertising Trackers

This tool has not been checked for advertising trackers yet.
This tool uses tracking cookies. Use with caution.
This tool does not appear to use tracking cookies.

Page maintainer

ExifTool

ExifTool is a command-line application for reading, writing, and editing meta information in files.

URL

https://exiftool.org/

current version: 13.40 (2025‑10‑24); latest production (MetaCPAN) release is 13.36 (2025‑09‑09)

Description

Using ExifTool for Open Source Research: Code Examples and Applications

ExifTool can be a helpful utility for open-source researchers. It allows for the extraction and analysis of metadata from various file types, which can reveal hidden information about digital media.

Remember that all metadata can be manipulated and should never be taken at face value. Always verify metadata through independent sources or methods before drawing conclusions.

Extracting Metadata to Identify File Origin

This command displays all metadata from image.jpg. This can help identify the camera model, software used, and other details that may point to the file's origin or authenticity.

Extracting GPS Coordinates from Images

Analyzing Timestamps to Build Timelines

This command retrieves all date and time metadata tags from the image, such as CreateDate, ModifyDate, and DateTimeOriginal. This information can help establish a timeline of events.

Comparing Metadata Across Multiple Files

This command generates a tab-delimited report (metadata_report.txt) for all .jpg files in the directory, listing filenames, creation dates, and camera models.

Identifying Software Used for Editing

This command extracts the Software tag, indicating any software used to edit or process the image. Detecting editing software can suggest whether an image has been manipulated.

Detecting Metadata Anomalies

Extracting Thumbnail Images

Extracting the embedded thumbnail can reveal the original image before any edits were made, which is useful if the main image has been altered but the thumbnail hasn't.

Retrieving Metadata from Documents

For documents, this command extracts metadata from suspect_document.pdf, potentially revealing the author's name, creation date, software used, and more.

Extracting Metadata from Video Files

This command retrieves specific metadata from suspect_video.mp4, such as the title, creation date, and duration, aiding in video analysis during investigations.

Filtering Files with Specific Metadata Attributes

This command processes all .jpg files and lists filenames where the Make tag equals "Apple". This is useful for identifying images taken with specific devices.

Searching for Files Created in a Specific Timeframe

This command lists all images taken within the year 2024, helping to narrow down files relevant to a specific period.

Automating Metadata Extraction for Web Downloads

When downloading media from the web, you can automate metadata extraction:

This command downloads an image and immediately extracts its metadata, streamlining the process during an investigation.

Note: Many social media platforms strip metadata from images. However, some may retain certain metadata.

This command attempts to extract any remaining metadata from an image downloaded from social media. While limited, any recovered data could be valuable.

Extracting Metadata from Audio Files

This command retrieves metadata from suspect_audio.mp3, which can reveal artist information, album names, and track numbers, helpful in tracking the distribution of audio files.

Generating KML Files for Geospatial Analysis

This command creates a KML file (photos.kml) from images in the images/ directory that can be loaded into Google Earth or other GIS software to visualize photo locations.

Note: You'll need to create a kml.fmt formatting file as per ExifTool documentation.

Verifying File Authenticity with Checksums

This command calculates the MD5 checksum of suspect_file.jpg, which can be used to verify file integrity or compare against known hashes.

Identifying Embedded Files or Steganography

The -ee option extracts embedded data streams. This command attempts to extract any embedded files or data within suspect_file.jpg, which may be hidden intentionally.

Extracting Metadata from Emails

While ExifTool primarily handles files, you can save emails as .eml files and extract headers:

This command extracts metadata from email.eml, including headers that reveal sender IP addresses, email clients, and routing information.

Checking for Metadata Inconsistencies

This command checks for any warnings or errors in the metadata structure of suspect_image.jpg. Inconsistencies may indicate manipulation or corruption.

Additional Tips for Open Source Researchers

Combine Tools: Use ExifTool in conjunction with other tools like strings, binwalk, or foremost for comprehensive analysis.
Script Automation: Create scripts to automate metadata extraction from large datasets.
Stay Ethical: Always ensure your activities comply with legal and ethical guidelines, respecting privacy and data protection laws.

Cost

Free
Partially Free
Paid

Level of difficulty

Requirements

Runtime: Perl ≥5.004 for the full Perl distribution; not required when using the Windows executable or macOS package.
Install methods: – Official downloads (Windows .zip with bundled Perl; macOS .pkg; full Image-ExifTool-13.40.tar.gz). – Package managers (e.g., Homebrew: brew install exiftool; Arch Linux package perl-image-exiftool 13.36).

Limitations

Incomplete Metadata Removal: ExifTool may not fully remove all metadata from certain file types. While it can strip many common fields, some proprietary metadata structures or embedded data might persist. This can leave sensitive information, such as GPS coordinates, camera serial numbers, or user comments, exposed after a “cleaning” attempt. Users who require guaranteed anonymity or privacy must verify that no residual metadata remains.
Limited Support for Some File Formats: While ExifTool is highly versatile, it doesn’t support every existing or emerging file format. Specialized, proprietary, or niche formats may not be fully recognized. As a result, some metadata fields may not be extracted or modified correctly, limiting the tool’s usefulness for cutting-edge devices or obscure media types.
Command-Line Complexity: ExifTool primarily operates through the command line, which can be intimidating for users who lack technical experience. Understanding syntax, parameters, and output formatting takes practice, and beginners may struggle to remember commands or apply them efficiently.

Ethical Considerations Specific to Open Source Research

Conclusion

For further learning and community support:

Official Website:

Guide

Installing ExifTool (official): platform‑specific steps and troubleshooting.

Application Documentation (exiftool options reference).

Command‑Line Examples (curated upstream snippets).

Plot Feature (-plot usage and examples).

Kris Occhipinti. (2010, December 12). Working with jpg Metadata Comments—Exiftool—BASH - Linux Command Line [Video recording].

spartaco80. (2015). exiftool1line—Useful one-line ExifTool commands.

Harvey, P. (2024). ExifTool FAQ.

Harvey, P. (2021). Common ExifTool Mistakes.

Tool provider

Phil Harvey (will respond to inquiries in the )

License: Artistic‑1.0‑Perl OR GPL‑1.0‑or‑later (dual license).

Advertising Trackers

This tool has not been checked for advertising trackers yet.
This tool uses tracking cookies. Use with caution.
This tool does not appear to use tracking cookies.

Page maintainer

About Maps and Satellites

A guide to using map and satellite tools.

Introduction Maps and satellite imagery

Maps and satellite imagery are vitally important tools for open source researchers engaged in geolocation and chronolocation. Most people are familiar with maps and their use in helping to orient and direct us in our daily lives. However, this familiarity is something open source researchers should be wary of. Maps and satellites have many uses for open source researchers but they also come with important ethical considerations and technical limitations.

This section describes some of these general issues whilst the individual tools descriptions describe tool specific issues.

Ethical Considerations

Cultural Bias

Maps are inherently political artefacts. Many maps explicitly define borders of countries but the politics of mapping goes much deeper than this. A classic example of this is the reversal of the North South map shown below:

Bias towards the Global North can produce inaccuracy in reporting and research. The way maps are drawn also often reflects this bias.

This has real accuracy implications for open source researchers. The familiar and the used by Google Maps, Open Street map, Bing Maps, etc. are not accurate representations of countries and continents. The featured in the following West Wing clip may be enlightening:

Even 'North' itself is not necessarily something we can take for granted. There are many 'Norths' according to Yung Au in including:

True North: The northern most point on the spherical earth (which is distorted when looking at flat maps).
Grid north: The north that runs upwards alongside the grid lines on a flat map.
Magnetic North: The north as indicated by a compass which shifts over time.
Google Maps’ North

Maps are intertwined with cultural biases. Many other cultures create maps that have deeper layers of meaning than Western map makers. In Australia indigenous cultures create maps for locating water holes but also as ancestral records .

Some resources that explore these issues in more depth include:

Thinking Critically About Maps: Researching, Resisting and Re-imagining the World — The Kit 1.0 documentation (no date). Available at: (Accessed: 26th April 2025).
Houston, D. (2017) Five maps that will change how you see the world, The Conversation. Available at: (Accessed: 26th April 2025).
Lucchesi, A.H. (2018) ‘“Indians Don’t Make Maps”: Indigenous Cartographic Traditions and Innovations’, American Indian Culture and Research Journal, 42(3). Available at:

3D Space

Three-dimensional space can also be another challenge for maps and map makers. Eyal Weisman's Open Democracy essay explores how three-dimensional, political and cultural space in the occupied West Bank are constructed and reproduced through architecture and maps_._ Much of Weisman's research agency 's work is engaged in mapping violence across time and space using forensic methods to counter institutional bias.

Privacy

Open source researchers need to be aware of how satellite imagery platforms track and use researcher's data. In Europe the requires companies, government bodies, and individuals to provide clear and transparent information about how personal data will be used. Google Maps for instance provides information about how it and how personal information is used. However, this information is not always easy to find or in a standard, easy to understand format. It's the responsibility of researchers to understand and protect their data. The Vice article will give you an idea of how much data maps track.

Researchers in turn have a responsibility to ensure the right to privacy of individuals or groups they may be monitoring.

In regard to further ethical considerations the following may be helpful:

Bennett, M.M. et al. (2024) ‘Bringing satellites down to Earth: Six steps to more ethical remote sensing’, Global Environmental Change Advances, 2, p. 100003. Available at: .
February 2021, M.P.// 25 (2021) Why we need to think about ethics when using satellite data for development, Devex. Available at: (Accessed: 26th April 2025).

Limitations

Mapping and satellite imaging services all have generalised limitations that open source researchers need to be aware of so they can present transparent and verifiable results.

Data Accuracy

Satellite imagery has limitations around accuracy that researchers should understand and be transparent about. The following video from European Space Imaging although focused on the commercial application of satellite imagery may help researchers understand some of these limitation better.

The video explains that there are a number of different considerations when talking about 'accuracy'. These include:

Absolute Accuracy: Does the pixel in the image correlate identically with its position on earth?
Relative Accuracy: the distance between objects in the images.
Resolution: in general the higher the resolution the imagery the more accuracy.
Orthorectofication: the curve of the earth, the angle of the satellite, the altitude of the ground captured are all processed using orthorectofication elevation models to provide a two dimensional representation. Different companies use different algorithms to do this correction with implications for accuracy. A good example of what orth-correction does can be seen

Accuracy is not measured in the same way by all satellite imagery. There are two main ways of assessing accuracy in satellite imagery:

(CE90): This means that a minimum of 90 percent of the points measured has a horizontal error less than the stated CE90 value. Used by European Space Agency.
: other platforms use RMSE to assess accuracy.

Every mapping and satellite tool in the Bellingcat toolkit has it's own standards regarding accuracy which we aim to reference in the individual toolkit entry. An example of platform documenting accuracy would be

For some use cases aerial imagery rather than satellite imagery, can offer better location accuracy down to pixels and .

Data Currency

Satellite data may not always be up to date. Researchers should verify important information through other sources where possible.

With satellite imagery two factors are important to consider. First, the of a satellite in orbit is the revisit frequency of the satellite to a particular location. The more often it revisits a location the more chance that the area will be cloud free when the satellite passes over the location and the greater the chance of identifying when exactly things change on the ground. The second factor to be aware of is the between the satellite taking the image and the image being made available publicly on the satellite imagery platform. This can vary by location as well as by platform and the documentation isn't always easy to find. We aim to include this data with the individual toolkit entry.

Political Bias and Missing Data

As inherently political artefacts there are practical implications for researchers using mapping tools. Most maps not only exhibit political bias but deliberately exclude, blur or only provide low resolution imagery of state related facilities or some regions of the world.

Google Maps is a good example of a platform that chooses to restrict access to data they deem as sensitive. A full List of Google satellite map images with missing or unclear data is provided by Wikipedia. Researchers should be aware that areas of conflict are particularly sensitive to being excluded.

It's also important to realise that where you are in the world will influence the imagery you have access to, see .

Some countries have legislation which makes mapping services located in those countries particularly problematic. China, for instance, has specific legislation restricting digital mapping services including . Users inside China are also restricted from accessing many of the services Western researchers take for granted by the '' of China.

These issues are important to consider when working with maps and satellite imagery and particularly when publishing open source research where being transparent about these limitations is important.

Other resources

Wikis

SentiWiki (no date). Available at: (Accessed: 26th April 2025).

Tutorials and Articles

‘Buying Optical Satellite Imagery? The Top Ten Things to Consider - Home - Aerial/Satellite Digital Mapping Solutions - LAND INFO ... landinfo.com’ (2020), 6 April. Available at: (Accessed: 26th April 2025).
1. Introduction to The Politics of Verticality (no date) openDemocracy. Available at: (Accessed: 26th April 2025).
Key factors to consider when choosing between aerial & satellite imagery- Aerometrex (no date). Available at: (Accessed: 26th April 2025).

Video Tutorials

Video course: Mapping for Journalists (no date) DataJournalism.com. Available at: (Accessed: 26th April 2025).

Books

Kurgan, L. (2022) Close up at a distance: mapping, technology, and politics. First paperback edition 2022. New York: Zone Books.
Bélanger, P. and Arroyo, A. (2016) Ecologies of power: countermapping the logistical landscapes & military geographies of the U.S. Department of Defense. Cambridge, Massachusetts London, England: The MIT Press.
Weizman, E. (2017) Forensic architecture: violence at the threshold of detectability. Brooklyn, NY: Zone Books.

Page maintainer

AllTrails

AllTrails.com is a tool for discovering hiking, biking, and running trails worldwide, providing detailed trail maps, user reviews, and navigation support for outdoor enthusiasts.

URL

https://www.alltrails.com/

Description

AllTrails.com is a tool for discovering hiking, biking, and running trails worldwide, providing detailed trail maps, user reviews, and navigation support for outdoor enthusiasts.

AllTrails.com can be a valuable resource for open source researchers as it provides location data, user-generated content, and real-time information about various trails. Examples include tracking the movement patterns of individuals of public interest who share their activities publicly, analyzing geospatial data, and gathering insights from user reviews and pictures posted on the platform. It can also assist in understanding the terrain and accessibility of certain areas.

Features

Map

Current Location: option to centre map at users location.
Zoom tool: zoom in and out on the map.
Layers:
- Map Types: AllTrails, Road, Satellite, USGS topo (US only), Terrain, World parks, OSM, OCM

Explore

Trails - Curated AllTrails content and user-created Community trails

Individual Trails

Photos
Directions
Print
Share

Community

Local: see public user activity nearby.
Following: see activity from user's that you follow.
Engagement: Like and Comment on posts.
Connect: connect with other users.

Profile - users' personal profile and where they have made public contributions that can be seen on other people's profiles.

Favourites
Photos
Reviews: reviews the user has made.
Activities

User Profile

Feed: activities of people you follow.
Create Map: create a custom trail.
Language
Saved

Example below shows search for Vondelpark Loop in Amsterdam:

Cost

Free
Partially Free
Paid

Free Tier

Navigate on the trail
Favorite trails
Create lists

Paid Tier

Download offline maps
Get alerts for wrong turns
Live share activities
New Access 200+ Guides Know conditions before you go

Level of difficulty

Requirements

Web: any modern web browser.
Mobile: iOS and Android
Email address: Email address for an account

Limitations

Subscription Fees: Some features require a paid subscription to access, see:
Offline Access: Offline maps are only available to Pro members, see:
User-Generated Content: Information can be inconsistent or outdated due to reliance on user reviews and submissions.
Coverage: Some trails might not be covered or accurately mapped in less popular regions. There is no generalised documentation on this and gaps in coverage will be found as you use the app.

Ethical Considerations

Privacy: open source researchers should exercise responsibility when using All Trails data as not all users will be aware of the .
Stalking: All Trails provides information that can facilitate stalking behaviours. Open source researchers should be aware stalking is a prosecutable offence in most countries, for instance in the UK see sections 2, 2A, 4 and 4A of the (PHA 1997) and . .

Guides and articles

To effectively use AllTrails, especially for beginners or those looking to refine their skills, the following resources are highly recommended:

Official Wiki

Tutorials and Articles

Cox, J. (2023) ‘AllTrails Data Exposes Precise Movements of Former Top Biden Official’, Vice, 8 March. Available at: (Accessed: 17 June 2024).
Getting Started with AllTrails+ Overview (2023) AllTrails Help. Available at: (Accessed: 17 June 2024).

Video Tutorials

How to Use AllTrails 2022 (2022). Available at: (Accessed: 17 June 2024).
How To Use the AllTrails App (For Beginners) (2022). Available at: (Accessed: 17 June 2024).
University of Connecticut - MediaSpace (no date). Available at: (Accessed: 17 June 2024).

Developer Resources

Community and Support

Tool provider

AllTrails, LLC - USA

Advertising Trackers

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Page maintainer

Baidu Maps

A mapping application provided by Chinese technology company Baidu Inc.

URL

Main page, http://map.baidu.com/

API documentation, https://api.map.baidu.com/

Description

Baidu Maps offers maps, street view, satellite imagery, and real-time route planning. It is available via the web browser or as a mobile application.

The basics

In the web version, search for a location. To select layers, point your cursor to the bottom-right corner and 3 options will appear (i.e., default map view, satellite image, or street view). Select the layer you wish to explore.

Note that the reference number at the bottom left, e.g., "GS(2023)1234", refers to the year when the image was approved for publication by the relevant government authority, China's State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping. This is not necessarily the year when the image was captured.

Street view

Street views are generally available on the road networks, indicated by the thickened routes. For a static preview, place the cursor onto the route. Click to enter street view mode.

Street view images are captured by a , which are fitted with single-lens reflex (SLR) cameras, GPS and inertial navigation sensors. However, the fleet's image capture schedules are not made public.

Panoramic preview for street view

See above: From the regular map view, point to the main road (where street view is more likely to be available), right-click to show a shortcut menu > select the first item which means "panoramic preview" in English.

See below: The 360º preview is shown.

Time machine 时光机

The "time machine" function allows you to access older street view images, going as far back as 2013 (if available). From the current street view image, the time machine function is available at the bottom, indicated by a clock icon.

The Enigma of Coordinates in China

Most of the world uses the coordinate system (colloquially known as Earth coordinates), whereas China uses (Mars coordinates). GCJ-02 uses an encryption algorithm that applies random offsets to the latitude and longitude of locations. Obfuscating the geographic data is for .

Baidu Maps goes even further in its BD-09 coordinates system, applying additional encryption based on GCJ-02.

Where to get the coordinates in Baidu Maps

When searching for a location on Baidu Maps, the BD-09 coordinates are shown in the URL.

Another way to search is: . Search for a location and the BD-09 coordinates are shown in the top-right. Note that in Chinese mapping tools, longitude comes before latitude.

To search by coordinates instead, enter the coordinates (longitude first) and check the box for reverse search using coordinates.

3D models

A 3D view is available. Baidu Maps also offers an API for building third-party apps that leverage 3D models and live data:

Global coverage

Baidu Maps' coverage and capabilities are available globally, though the user interface is only available in Chinese. When searching for locations outside China, English search terms can be used.

Underlying technologies and data providers

Baidu Maps' positioning and navigation capabilities are powered by the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System 北斗卫星导航系统. BeiDou is the global positioning and satellite technology developed by the Chinese government, and . (For more about BeiDou: see ; ; an academic article in .)

For all Chinese mapping tools, satellite imagery is provided by China Siwei Surveying & Mapping Technology, which uses data and imagery from DigitalGlobe, the US company.

Outside China, Baidu Maps has a partnership with , the Amsterdam-based mapping and data company. Other OpenStreetMap, MapKing (for Hong Kong and Southeast Asia) and LocalKing (Taiwan).

Similar tools

Open-source researchers can cross-reference with other leading mapping services, including AMap (Gaode Maps) and Tencent Map (QQ Maps).

For open-source researchers accessing Chinese map tools from overseas, Baidu Maps is the only tool that provides street view on the web browser. (Street view is not available on AMap, and is only available in Tencent Map's mobile version.)

Note that all three mapping tools use (at least in part - for their China coverage) the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System for their positioning capabilities. The exact ways that BeiDou is leveraged in each mapping tool depends on the device, the chip, and the location where the mapping tool is used.

Cost

Free
Partially Free
Paid

(Developer API use may be charged)

Level of difficulty

Requirements

Web: any modern web browser
Mobile: iOS and Android (basic functionality is available without registering an account)
Developer Platform: For individual developer accounts, only Chinese citizens can register. (Individuals must be between ages 18 and 65. Real-name registration and a selfie of the individual holding their ID are required.) Company developer accounts can be opened by overseas companies.

Limitations

Researchers and developers should consider several limitations:

Street view imagery can become outdated quickly: Researchers should be aware that street view imagery available from China's map services can become outdated within 2 to 3 years and therefore could be unreliable for verifications. This applies to both urban and rural areas, due to , , and . To verify geolocations, researchers are encouraged to additionally search for user-generated content in Chinese platforms (equivalents of Youtube), including (nicknamed B站 in Chinese, meaning "B station"), , , and . Also check short-form social media (equivalents of Tiktok), including and .
Language Barrier: The user interface is only available in Chinese.
Access Speed: International users will experience slower access speeds, especially if using a VPN.

Ethical Considerations

See the Bellingcat toolkit's page for some general caveats when working with maps and satellite imagery including censorship and content control.
Privacy Concerns: Like many mapping services, Baidu Maps gathers user data, raising concerns about user privacy. (Concerns about Baidu Maps' collection of user data were raised in a and in an , which named all leading Chinese mapping tools among 33 apps for extensively collecting user data, beyond what is relevant to their service provision.)

Guide

Tutorials

Baidu Maps (Baidu Ditu 百度地图) And Tutorials in English (no date) BaiduinEnglish.
Extracting Chinese geographic data from Baidu Map API. (December 2020)
Cross-platform complementarity: Assessing the data quality and availability of Google Street View and Baidu Street View (Feburary 2025).

Video Tutorial

Baidu Maps : The Chinese Google Maps (2023). Available at: (French with English transcription).

Bellingcat Articles

What Can Open Sources Reveal About Beijing’s Deadly Floods? Bellingcat. (August 8, 2025)
Europol’s Asian City Child Abuse Photographs Geolocated. Bellingcat. (November 8, 2018)

Articles

How China is tearing down Islam. Financial Times. (November 2023)
Interrogating China’s “Google Maps” to Investigate the Xinjiang Detention Centers. March 2021. Global Investigative Journalism Network.
Baidu found China’s “ghost cities,” but it is keeping their locations mostly a secret (2015). Quartz.

Tool provider

Baidu Inc - China

Advertising Trackers

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This tool does not appear to use tracking cookies.

Page maintainer

Auto Archiver

Bellingcat's tool to automatically archive social media posts, videos, and images. Free and Open-Source.

URL

https://github.com/bellingcat/auto-archiver v1.1.6 (2025‑10‑23); as of October 31, 2025

Description

The Auto Archiver is an open-source tool developed by Bellingcat that automates the process of archiving online content. It's designed for journalists, researchers, and human rights defenders who need to preserve digital evidence from the web. With Auto Archiver, you can systematically save social media posts, videos, images, and entire webpages to ensure they remain accessible even if the original content is taken down.

How It Works

The tool works by taking a list of URLs from a Google Sheet or a CSV file. It then processes each link, using the best archiving strategy for the given platform. It can handle content from a wide range of sources, including Twitter, YouTube, TikTok, Telegram, and Facebook.

The archived content, including media files and a screenshot of the original page, is saved to your chosen storage location. You can configure Auto Archiver to use your local machine, a Google Drive folder, or an S3-compatible object store (like Amazon S3 or Digital Ocean Spaces). The tool then reports the status of each archiving job back to your original spreadsheet, giving you a clear overview of what has been preserved.

New Features: Web Interface and API

The latest version of Auto Archiver includes a user-friendly web interface and an API, built with FastAPI. This makes it even easier to manage your archiving tasks. You can now submit URLs directly through the web UI, monitor the progress of your archives, and manage your archived content without needing to interact with the command line.

An archiving tool for open source researchers

The Auto Archiver’s automation, expanded platform support, and use of robust archiving techniques can make it a useful tool for open-source investigations. Unlike manual archiving, which can be time-consuming and inconsistent, this tool enables a more rapid and reliable capture of information, ensuring that valuable online content remains accessible even if it is deleted or altered. Its open-source nature means the community can verify its methods and adapt the tool to specific needs, providing transparency and flexibility. Bellingcat and others in the OSINT community have actively used Auto Archiver in fast-moving crises and major conflict investigations (for example, during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine) to save evidence that might disappear (). It has also been adopted by organizations like the and to systematically archive content from conflict zones (). In practice, once the tool is set up, an investigator can simply copy-paste links of interest (from Telegram, TikTok, Twitter, etc.) into the designated sheet or interface, and the Auto Archiver will quickly preserve the content – a process described as “a life-saver for investigators” when dealing with volatile information ().

Getting Started

To run Auto Archiver locally, some technical knowledge is needed for the initial setup. The easiest method is using Docker, which bundles all dependencies and simplifies the installation process.

Notable instances and case studies:

Russia-Ukraine War: from platforms like Telegram and X, creating a permanent record of military movements, civilian harm, and other evidence.
Human Rights in Myanmar: The tool has been used to document social media posts related to , preserving evidence of protests and crackdowns.
Election Violence Evidence: The Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN) highlighted the Auto Archiver as a critical tool for preserving video evidence of election-related violence, naming it one of its

Usage of Auto-Archiver

Supported Platforms

The tool uses a modular system of "extractors" to target different sites. If a primary method fails, it defaults to submitting the URL to the Wayback Machine for a basic snapshot.

All platforms: if the primary method fails (due to login requirements, errors, etc.), Auto Archiver will submit the URL to the Wayback Machine for a . This ensures at, though dynamic content or videos in that snapshot may be missing.

Core Engine Deep Dive

Input Feeders: The tool is designed to ingest lists of URLs from a variety of sources, which it refers to as "feeders". The most common and well-documented method is using a Google Sheet, where a user simply pastes URLs into a designated column. This method requires the user to create a Google Cloud Service Account, generate a JSON credentials file, and share the target Google Sheet with the service account's unique email address, granting it editor permissions. The tool also supports simpler feeders, such as local CSV files or direct URL input from the command-line interface (CLI).

Installation methods: Choose one of the following setups:

Option A: Docker (simplest)

If you don’t want to fuss with Python environments, use Docker. First, install Docker. Then, pull the Auto Archiver image and run it in a single command. For example:
The above will download the latest container and execute the archiver using a config file located at ./secrets/config.yaml (mounted into the container). Docker already includes all required (Python, browser, etc.), which simplifies setup.

Option B: Python/

Ensure you have Python 3.10 or higher installed. Then install the package from PyPI:

This adds an auto-archiver command to your . You can check it by running auto-archiver --help for available options. (Advanced users can also and install manually, but pip is easier.)

Configuration

Auto Archiver is highly configurable via a (often named orchestration.yaml or config.yaml). You can create this by hand or use the tool’s for guidance.

Key settings in the config include:

Input source (): Decide how you will supply URLs. Common options are (you’ll provide the and your in the config), or / (for a local CSV file or manual input). For Google Sheets, ensure the is. For a CSV, prepare a CSV with at least a “URL” column and any other optional columns (the tool will append results to this file).
Output storage: Choose where archived data will be saved. By default, it can save to a (on disk). You can also configure cloud storage: e.g. an , , or . If using local storage, you might specify an output directory. The tool will organize archived files (videos, images, HTML, etc.) in that location, usually grouped by date or task.

Make sure to keep this config file secure (don’t share it publicly) since it contains your secret keys.

YAML setup example

Usage Examples

Once everything is installed and configured, using Auto Archiver is straightforward. You typically run it via the command line. Common use cases include:

Archiving from a Google Sheet

If you set up a Google Sheet with URLs, just run the tool and point it to your config. For example:

Upon running, Auto Archiver will connect to the . It will read each new URL in the sheet and begin archiving them one by one. You can watch the progress in the terminal. For each URL, the sheet will get updated with new data columns, such as an “Archive Status” (e.g. ✅ Archived or ❌ Failed) and links to the archived results. For instance, the sheet might show the direct URL to , a , a , or a . This gives you an easy overview within the spreadsheet itself of what’s been captured.

Using a CSV or list of URLs

If you prefer not to use Google Sheets, you can. Put your URLs under a header (e.g. URL) in the CSV. Adjust your config to use the CSV feeder (point it to the file path). Then run:

The tool will read the CSV and process each link similarly. It can either update the same CSV with results or output a new report CSV. This is handy for one-off batches of links. (You can also run a single URL directly via the console feeder, or even script multiple auto-archiver calls for individual URLs. In general, it’s designed to handle a list rather than one URL at a time, but nothing stops you from making a CSV with just one link

You don’t need separate commands for each platform – just put the links in your input, and Auto Archiver picks the right approach. You just drop the links into your input source (for example, the “URL” column of a Google Sheet ). Auto Archiver’s checks each link, chooses the matching extractor, runs it, then writes the results back to the sheet. For example: to (or an entire public channel’s history), you might paste the Telegram message URL or channel URL in the sheet. The archiver will download the text of the post, any images or video in it, and even stickers or files if possible. If you provided Telegram API credentials,, including content that a simple scraper might miss. As another example, to , you’d put the tweet URL. With a , the tool will fetch the tweet data (text, author, timestamp) through the API; if no key, it will try to scrape the tweet from the web or rely on a Wayback snapshot. In both cases, if the tweet has a video, Auto Archiver uses yt-dlp (or a similar downloader) to grab the video file for you. All of that gets saved and logged without you having to run separate download commands.

Capturing screenshots

By enabling the in your config, the tool will save a full-page screenshot of webpages or posts as it archives them. This is useful for visual evidence.

For instance, when archiving a Facebook post (note: Facebook support is experimental and may require cookies), the archiver might save the HTML content and also generate a PNG image showing how the post appeared in the browser. Auto Archiver treats Facebook links just like any other platform: you paste the URL into your input (Google Sheet, CSV, CLI list) and the orchestrator routes it to the . The screenshot file will be stored in your output (e.g. local folder or Drive) and a reference to it (filename or link) will appear in the sheet/CSV log. The same goes for tweets or Telegram messages: a screenshot of the post/chat can be captured in addition to text and video.

Keep in mind that to take screenshots, a headless browser is used; the new module in v1.1 handles this more robustly, even navigating login or cookie walls in many cases. (Facebook rate-limits datacenter addresses; the devs recommend running from a local connection, also referred to as a .) If a site is very hostile to automation (using CAPTCHAs), the screenshot might show a login or challenge page; in such cases, you might need to provide your login or skip the screenshot for that site.

Saving to cloud or remote storage

By default, archives save to your local disk (or wherever you run the Docker container). But you can configure remote storage. For example, if you set up Google Drive storage in the config, the tool will upload each archived file to a specified Drive folder. So if you’re archiving from a newsroom computer, everyone with access to the Drive can instantly see the saved videos/images there. Another advanced option is saving each page as a for forensic archiving purposes. It preserves full fidelity (headers, payloads, redirects), supports deduplication via “revisit” records, and is recognised by national libraries as a preferred preservation format. If enabled, the archiver will produce a .wacz web archive that you can later open with tools like Webrecorder. This can capture interactive page elements and scripts better than a simple HTML. Such advanced use is optional – for most users, having the screenshot plus the raw media files and a link to a Wayback snapshot covers the bases.

Cost

Free
Partially Free
Paid

Level of difficulty

Requirements

You can run Auto Archiver on Windows, macOS, or Linux. You’ll need either Python 3.10+ (if installing as a Python package) or Docker installed. In addition, some system tools are recommended for full functionality:

– required for processing/downloading videos and audio.
– for capturing complex pages or screenshots. By default the tool used Firefox (with ), but newer versions use an integrated for many tasks (so installing Firefox is no longer strictly necessary in v1.1+, especially if using the Docker image). If running locally without Docker, having Firefox + Geckodriver available is still suggested as a fallback.
(Optional) Google Cloud Service Account – needed only if you plan to use Google Sheets as your URL input. This is a special Google account for apps: you create it in Google Cloud, , and . (You’ll share your Google Sheet with the service account’s email so the Auto Archiver can read/write it on your behalf.)

(Most platform credentials are only needed if you intend to archive from that platform and the content isn’t publicly accessible. Public content from many sites – e.g. YouTube, Facebook, TikTok – can often be archived without logging in, thanks to the integrated yt-dlp backend.)

Limitations

Initial Setup Complexity: While improved, the setup can be complex for first-time users. It involves configuring cloud credentials, API keys, and installing system dependencies. The new configuration wizard and Docker images have reduced this burden, but a basic technical proficiency is still necessary to get the tool running correctly (). Users may need to troubleshoot environment issues or adjust configurations for their specific use case.
Platform & API Dependence: The Auto Archiver relies on third-party platforms’ APIs and front-end structures, which are subject to change. If a social media platform alters its URL format, API access, or introduces new anti-scraping measures, some extractor modules might break until updated. The tool’s maintainers actively push updates (and the tool can auto-update its yt-dlp component) to adapt to changes, but there may be . Additionally, some platforms (e.g. Instagram, Facebook) do not provide easy methods for third-party archiving of content, meaning the Archiver might not capture those perfectly without an authorized session or may require workarounds like providing your login cookies.

Ethical Considerations

Select and Queue URLs Responsibly 

Serve the Public Interest, use only what is truly public and news‑worthy. Ask first: Does archiving/publishing this URL, image, or video materially advance an investigation in the public interest?
Handle vulnerable subjects with extra care. If minors or at‑risk individuals appear in the footage, consider redacting faces or withholding the post after archiving.
Keep sensitive sheets private. When you use the share the sheet only with your service‑account email, not “Anyone with the link,” to avoid leaking raw evidence.

Verify, don't assume.

Archiving ≠ verification. Treat every capture as potential evidence. After the run, treat each capture as unverified until you geolocate, chronolocate, and cross‑check it.
Preserve metadata. Keep timestamps, hashes, and context intact so future reviewers can retrace your steps.

Capture With Integrity - Let the Modules Do the Work

Risk

Auto Archiver feature

How to enable

Context is non‑negotiable

Contextualise or withhold. A geotag without narrative can mislead; always explain what the material shows, what it doesn’t show, and any unanswered questions. Transparency sometimes means showing less.
Show restraint. If full disclosure endangers a source or civilian, publish a redacted version, or withhold entirely, after consulting peers.

Be Transparent but Not Reckless

Explain your method. Document how the file was found, downloaded, and verified so others can replicate the process (Bellingcat’s “radical transparency”).
No hidden edits. Do not crop, enhance, or subtitle in ways that could distort meaning; any necessary edits must be disclosed.

Comply with Law and Platform Rules

Review terms & local law. Many sites forbid automated scraping; weigh legal exposure against public‑interest value and seek permission or legal advice when needed.
Respect copyright. Archive for evidentiary use; if publishing excerpts, rely on fair‑dealing/fair‑use principles and credit the original creator.

Protect Sources, Researchers, and Data

Secure working copies, and keep originals immutable. Store raw archives and sensitive spreadsheets in access‑controlled drives; share only with partners who follow the same standards.
Anticipate retaliation. Geolocation or doxxing can endanger the uploader; weigh disclosure against possible harm, and anonymise when prudent.

Guides and articles

Ramalho, M. (2022, September 22). Preserve Vital Online Content With Bellingcat’s Auto Archiver. Bellingcat.

Bellingcat/auto-archiver. (2024). [Python]. Bellingcat. (Original work published 2021)

GIJN Article: (Features the Auto Archiver as a key tool for journalists.)

Resources and Support

Current Version: Auto Archiver is under active development. As of July 2025, the latest version is v1.1.1 (released June 30, 2025).
Documentation: Official docs are available on (covering , , and ). The documentation includes a and examples of advanced setups. (Note: The docs may lag a bit behind the very latest features, so community forums can help fill the gaps.)
GitHub: The source code is on GitHub at . The README there provides installation instructions and links to the docs. Check the GitHub issues page if you encounter bugs – you might find that others have reported the same, along with fixes or workarounds. You can also open a new issue to ask questions or report problems. The project is open-source (MIT License) and

Tool provider

Developer: Bellingcat — repo & docs.

License: MIT (see LICENSE).

Advertising Trackers

This tool has not been checked for advertising trackers yet.
This tool uses tracking cookies. Use with caution.
This tool does not appear to use tracking cookies.

The tool itself does not appear to use any advertising trackers. However, if you use the Google Sheets integration, be aware that Google’s services use tracking cookies. In operational use, the Auto Archiver runs locally or on your own server, so your data stays under your control.

Page maintainer

CAT UXO

A repository for professionals working in the explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) space.

URL

Description

Disclaimer: This website contains information about ordnance, explosives, and related items for educational and reference purposes only. The content should not be used for: (1) attempting self-guided disposal of explosive devices; (2) manufacturing explosive devices or components; (3) handling unexploded ordnance without proper training; (4) any illegal activities involving explosive materials.

CAT-UXO (Collective Awareness to Unexploded Ordnance) is a repository of explosive ordnance (EO) information that is both a web-based platform and a mobile application. It is a for unexploded ordnance (UXO) and explosive hazards.

The database is designed to help explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) professionals ("") identify dangerous munitions they might encounter in the field. However, the information provided by CAT-UXO can be repurposed for open-source investigations.

Based on our examination, CAT-UXO has 16 categories of EO, an additional related category for IED (Improvised Explosive Device) Incidents and a separate category for . It has categorized hundreds of unique models of EO from various countries.

EO TYPES COVERED BY THE TOOL: Landmines, Submunitions, Grenades, Aircraft Bombs, Rockets, Missiles, Mortars, Projectiles, Firing Devices, Fuzes, Naval Devices, , , , Miscellaneous, IEDs, IED Incidents, Terrorist Groups

According to the tool provider, the data comes from:

. Supporting CAT-UXO via paid membership allows members to contribute technical information on existing EO or contribute a new hazard to the online database.

For each unique model, the database provides images of the EO and a detailed description.

Some of the practical applications of this tool for open-source researchers are:

Visual Aids/ Visual Matching: Open-source researchers verifying conflict-related imagery can use the repository to check if any physical characteristics match or if they are similar.
Applicable technical specifications: Open-source researchers can find useful specific technical information (i.e. dimensions, colors, documented markings) to verify munitions identified in news reports or on social media platforms.

EO TYPES AND EXPLAINERS

CAT-UXO groups its information according to 16 EO Types. It also provides introductory information for some of these EO types geared toward beginner users. However, this information is not easy to find on the user interface. To find this information, click on EO Type and then click on the top results with the EO icon:

Click on the EO Type

On the landing page, click on the icon of the EO type you are searching for.

Click on the first result

If available for that category, click on the first result, with the icon identical to the EO type of icon. For example, you can see that the rocket icon looks the same as on the results page.

As of now, only these types of EO have introductory information, mostly sourced from Wikipedia: ; ; Grenade ( and ); ; (, , , ).

SEARCHING FOR EO

SEARCH BAR AND SEARCH QUERY

To get the best results, it is helpful to know how the search bar works. The search functionality is versatile. It operates on keyword-based retrieval, matching search queries against indexed fields.

It also handles logical combinations of attributes, such as “Chinese fuze” or “81mm mortar,” as well as exact model designations such as “type 58 landmine.” It returns results when keywords appear in either the description or title. Partial words (i.e. “frag” for fragmentation) will also return results.

The system also seems to search the description for physical characteristics (also known as identifiers) if available. "Identifiers" can refer to distinctive markings (manufacturer stamps, lot numbers), number or arrangement of holes or attachment points, grooves or bands on the casing, tail shape, or colors.

Example: Searching for an identifier such as "Yellow band" generated results of EO types containing that physical feature

TIPS FOR SEARCHING:

Terminology matters: Based on our own tests, the database appears to mostly index content using standardized military/technical naming conventions rather than casual language variations.

Example: “anti-tank” ( returns more results than “anti tank” without the hyphen since it’s more likely to appear in formal descriptions.

DROP-DOWN FILTERING OPTIONS

The interface also uses GUI-driven filtering without Boolean operators. This allows users to refine searches further using a dropdown filtering menu rather than advanced search syntax.

An additional list of filtering options can be found in the expandable below.

Note that these lists may change and be updated.

List of additional "Category" filter (CLICK TO EXPAND)

AFV - Armoured Personnel Carrier

AFV - Landmine Clearance

AFV - Main Battle Tank (MBT)

AFV - Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS)

AFV - Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun (SPAAG)

AFV - Self-Propelled Artillery (SPA)

AFV - Towed Artillery

Aircraft Bomb

List of "Country of Origin" filter varies based on the type of explosive hazard (CLICK TO EXPAND)

Click on each type of EO, then navigate to the filtering section.

Afghanistan, Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Christmas Island, Colombia, Congo (DRC), Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Lebanon, Montenegro, Myanmar, Netherlands, North Korea, Norway, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Unknown, Various, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zimbabwe

Misc categories: Unknown, Various

List of "Country Used In" filter varies based on the type of explosive hazard (CLICK TO EXPAND)

Click on each type of EO, then click on the drop-down menu.

Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chechnya, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo (DRC), Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Falkland Island, Finland, France, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kosovo, Kurdistan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, North Korea, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, South Korea, South Sudan, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Unknown, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Various, Venezuela, Vietnam, Western Sahara, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe

"Diameter" filter varies based on the type of explosive hazard (CLICK TO EXPAND)

Click on each type of EO, then click on the drop-down menu.

Input options: From 5.56 mm to 1,700 mm

"Length" filter varies based on the type of explosive hazard (CLICK TO EXPAND)

Click on each type of EO, then click on the drop-down menu.

Input options: From 0.87 mm to 72,500 mm

"Height" filter varies based on the type of explosive hazard (CLICK TO EXPAND)

Click on each type of EO, then click on the drop-down menu.

Input options: 7 mm to 4,000 mm

Offline Version On The Mobile App

For those who want to use CAT-UXO in remote areas or those experiencing connectivity issues, the mobile app may be used.

However, based on our tests, there is no offline version of the whole catalogue. Instead users can download one item at a time, instead of in bulk. To do this:

Open the CAT-UXO mobile app while you have an internet connection

Navigate to the EO Category of interest or the item of interest. Look for the cloud icon highlighted below.

Click on the cloud icon to begin downloading

Once downloaded, the cloud icon will switch from white to black. Users will see a confirmation at the bottom of the screen as shown in the image below.

Cost

Free
Partially Free
Paid

Info on paid membership can be found here:

You cannot sign up for a free account. Signing up for an account requires payment.

The version used for this test is both the public/free version and a paid version.

Important main differences between the public and paid account, are as follows:

Images

One image of the EO

Multiple images

Level of difficulty

User interface difficulty is level 2 as searching and filtering are mostly intuitive

Requirements

Payment and login required for paid version. Technical subject matter knowledge may be helpful when using the tool.

Limitations

Note on Accuracy:

The : "The information contained within this website is obtained from varying open-source information and individuals. The information is no way exhaustive or considered fully accurate and therefore qualified EOD trained persons should always adhere to authorised employers Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) when working with explosive hazards." It is advisable to combine this tool with other similar tools to verify information.
Navigation inefficiency - The search bar functionality is limited to the landing page and search results page, and does not appear on other pages. This might disrupt research workflows when working on time-sensitive research.
Limited multilingual support - Insufficient foreign names or markings and local terminology for international search matching. This may be critical for those working with Soviet, Chinese, or any locally-manufactured ordnance with local designations.

Ethical Considerations

Users must use this weapon information responsibly and legally. Follow all site warnings and restrictions.
There are liability and safety considerations.

Guide

No guides available at the moment.

Use cases:

Carlos Gonzales, Mike Yambo, and Jackline Macharia, "," Bellingcat, June 15, 2025.
Waters, Nick. "" Global Investigative Journalism Network, 2023.

Tool provider

Collective Awareness to Unexploded Ordnance (CAT-UXO), UK

Advertising Trackers

This tool has not been checked for advertising trackers yet.
This tool uses tracking cookies. Use with caution.
This tool does not appear to use tracking cookies.

Page maintainer

Bulletpicker.com

Bulletpicker.com is a collection of ammunition guidebooks and manuals from several different armed forces.

URL

The offline version is available here.

Description

The compiles a wide range of ammunition manuals and guidebooks from multiple military forces. Users can search the database easily, and every item provides a link back to the original source. Each ordnance item in Bulletpicker has its own page, typically including technical diagrams, real-life images (if available), and a written overview.

NOTE: This website contains information about ordnance, explosives, and related items for educational and reference purposes only. The content should not be used for: (1) attempting self-guided disposal of explosive devices; (2) manufacturing explosive devices or components; (3) handling unexploded ordnance without proper training; (4) any illegal activities involving explosive materials.

According to the tool provider, Bulletpicker contains

The tool provider also says that its purpose is data-sharing between : Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD), Public Safety Bomb Technician (PSBT), and commercial UXO (Unexploded Ordnance), and is accessed by a : personnel from government agencies, historians, archaeologists, forensic experts, and others working in related fields.

that the platform has:

Technical info on ~4,000 ordnance and related items
Access to 1,300+ publications in PDF format
A downloadable version for offline use in remote areas or those operating in places with limited connectivity is available for download

According to the tool website, these technical manuals are in the scanned as PDFs.

NOTE: When researching ordnance, explosives, and related items using Bulletpicker, it is essential to remember that the content is not for identification or instructional purposes and does not take the place of a qualified specialist. Users are responsible for verifying information with other official references.

Key Areas

TIP: Because the website contains a vast repository of resources, users can use the search function on the top left for keywords.

The contents are organized into the following categories, accessible through the navigation menu on the left side of the page.

1. - This section is a collection of manuals from different armed forces (including historical manuals)

2. - this section contains resources on various fillers, defined as the These are the explosive materials packed inside an ordnance and are the substances that do the job of creating the explosion. Contents are organized in alphabetical order by name of the explosive agent and contain technical information.

3. - This section contains a list of various weapon systems, along with a brief introduction to each system. If you are new to the subject matter, it is recommended to start by exploring the “General Information” tab before moving on to more technical sections.

Each type of ordnance has a subcategory organized by country.

For example:

Users interested in resources related to Ukrainian ordnance can follow the steps as follows:

Ordnance → Bombs → Ukraine

Information on ballistic properties () can be found under "description" or "functioning."

4. - According to this , a fuze is a “device with explosive components designed to initiate the main charge” and determines when the explosion happens. This section of the website lists various types of fuzes which are categorized by country. Some types contain a short description, an image, a short description of its function, hazardous components, if any, - for example . Also note that sometimes items will contain just a diagram and no real-life photo, or just a real-life photo with no diagram. Sometimes, these items contain both.

The content is organized by type of ordnance in which the fuze is used, and then followed by a subcategory organized by country.

For example:

Fuzes → Bombs, Clusters and Dispensers → France

WARNING: When researching ordnance, explosives, and related items using Bulletpicker, it is essential to remember that the content is not for identification or instructional purposes and does not take the place of a qualified specialist. Users are responsible for verifying information with other official references.

Use cases

Based on the content, Bulletpicker.com could be used for:

Basic Identification of Ammunition in Ukraine: The website includes a copy of the 2024 guide to Basic Identification of Ammunition in Ukraine, in both
Historical Research: Accessing information on older ordnance, such as “” or "”. It can be a valuable archive for technical manuals from old and recent conflicts.
General Knowledge: Learning about different types of explosives, chemical agents, and related items. Because the website has an extensive categorical organization, it allows users to develop a comprehensive knowledge of weapons systems, their technical specifications, and other identifying characteristics across multiple countries and time frames.

Cost

Free
Partially Free
Paid

Level of difficulty

Based on the disclaimers and the technical nature of the subject matter (Ordnance, Explosives), navigating and understanding the information on Bulletpicker.com might require some prior knowledge or a careful approach. Beginner users without a background in this area should exercise extreme caution and know the site's limitations.

Requirements

A modern web browser with JavaScript enabled
PDF Reader

Limitations

The content is not for Demining, Unexploded Ordnance (UXO), or Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) information.
Not designed to teach EOD/UXO technicians or deminers.
Not designed to identify UXO or ordnance.
Content is not for identification or instructional purposes for unqualified individuals.

Based on our review, here are additional limitations:

Foundational knowledge required

The content of Bulletpicker.com is intended for those with a foundational background on military weapons systems. Beginner users will not find introductory content. It is not designed for beginner users, and assumes they possess foundational knowledge of ordnance terminology and identification.

Content Variability:

Information depth and organization vary across the different sections of the website, possibly due to the reliance on public domain materials and sources with expired copyrights. This creates noticeable inconsistencies in coverage.

For example, includes resources for 13 countries, while the covers eight countries plus an “unknown” category.

According to the tool provider, variation in content is due to several reasons, including: (1) Many documents exist but are classified as “For Official Use Only” (FOUO), making their distribution illegal. (2) Documents that appear on document hosting websites, such as Scribd or archive.org, are not allowed to be posted on the website, as this can result in immediate legal issues from authorities. (3) without special permission.

Another example is that not all items will contain an image or diagram.

According to the tool provider, this is because some images are classified as sensitive materials, have poor image quality, or require time management due to the massive volume of submissions received.

Ethical Considerations

Given the sensitive nature of the information (ordnance and explosives), users should consider the ethical implications of how they use this information. It should not be used for any illegal or harmful activities. Respecting the disclaimers and limitations of the site is imperative.

Guide

None at the moment.

Tool provider

Ted Carlson and several

USA

Advertising Trackers

This tool has not been checked for advertising trackers yet.
This tool uses tracking cookies. Use with caution.
This tool does not appear to use tracking cookies.

Page maintainer

Chronotrains

Chronotrains is a free interactive map designed to explore the reach of Europe’s extensive rail network. Enter a starting point and travel time to see reachable destinations by train.

URL

Description

This tool helps users visualize train destinations within Europe. When users hover the cursor over a city or a particular train station on the map, Chronotrains unveils a map where concentric zones radiate outward. This depicts all the destinations reachable by train within a chosen duration of up to eight hours.

Using the Map:

Click on the choice of All Trains or Night Trains

Type or click on any train station to set it as your starting point.
Select the amount of time you want to travel (e.g., minimum 1 hour, up to 8 hours maximum).
The map will update to show the areas you can reach within the selected time frame.

As of Dec 2024, the map may sometimes include not just information on the approximate travel time but also the trip's price.

Exploring Options:

- Use the map to explore different travel possibilities. You can move around the map, click on different stations, and see how travel times change.

Key Features:

Interactive Map

Why it matters: This visualization helps users quickly understand the reach of train travel from different locations, which can be useful for trip planning and understanding regional connectivity.

Travel Time Visualization

Why it matters: This feature allows users to easily compare travel times between different locations, helping them make informed decisions.

Data integration

How it works: According to the tool’s , this map integrates data from through .

Possible use cases

While originally used to plan trips, Chronotrains can be repurposed for open-source investigations.

This can aid open-source investigations with a time-sensitive location element.

It can be used to:

Potentially verify travel claims: By entering a location and timeframe, investigators can determine if a reported train travel aligns with what is realistically possible.
Potentially track movement patterns: Analyze potential routes and locations reachable by train within a specific timeframe, helping identify areas a person of interest might have visited.

How does it work?

The platform’s explains the tools' inner workings.

What the Map Shows:

Isochrones: Imagine you start at a specific train station. An isochrone map shows you how far you can travel from that station within a certain amount of time and in multiple directions. For example, it can show all the places you can reach in 1 hour, 2 hours, and so on, heading North, South, East, or West.

How It Works:

1. Building a Graph:

Think of a graph like a map, but instead of just showing locations, it also shows their connections. In this case, the "nodes" (points) on the graph are train stations. The "edges" (lines connecting the nodes) represent the journey times between these stations.

2. Exploring the Graph:

For each station, the system checks which other stations you can get to in a certain amount of time. For example, it might check which stations you can reach from Station A within 1 hour, 2 hours, and so on.

Data Source:

Deutsche Bahn (DB) Data: The information about train times and stations comes from Deutsche Bahn. Deutsche Bahn cooperates routes with different countries' rail systems () and therefore has data on train schedules for (based on 2023 Integrated Report, p.38, p.49). According to DB International Operations’ website, “DB’s regional services do not only operate in Germany, but also across borders and in other European countries, including the UK, Czech Republic, Denmark, the Netherlands, Poland, and Portugal.”

API by Direkt Bahn Guru: This data is made easier to access and use through a tool (API) provided by , which helps organize and provide the data in a convenient format.

Cost

Free
Partially Free
Paid

Level of difficulty

Requirements

Internet connection
Computer or mobile device

Limitations

Data Unavailable for Some Countries

Currently, Chronotrains.com does not seem to provide train data for outgoing journeys from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, and Belarus. However, data is available for neighboring countries, and some connections are displayed. For instance, train stations in Croatia include destinations that extend into Bosnia and Herzegovina, which are then visible on the map.

NOTE: To determine if data is available for a specific location, check the individual train stations represented as dots on the map. Filled dots indicate available data, while empty (white) dots signify the absence of outgoing train information.\

As of January 2025, the map started including some train data in Turkey and Montenegro. Russia still does not have any data available on the tool.

While Ukraine is marked as available on the map, it may be incomplete. Make sure to cross-reference with other neighboring countries’ train data, such as Polrail, and Ukraine’s national railway network, Ukrainian Railways.

Accuracy

Chronotrains.com includes a caveat (Under FAQs). Actual arrival times may not always match. Therefore, it is important to use this platform ony for estimates.

Adding Connections (“Edges”) Between “Closeby Stations” Based on Assumed Walking Speed

According to its , “closeby stations” and “assumed speed” are defined as follows:

Closeby stations: If two stations are close to each other (less than 10 km/6.2 mi apart), the system will add a connection between them, which is then reflected on the map.

Assumed speed: The system also assumes that you can walk/travel between these stations at a speed of 9/km/h (5.59 mph) - which is described as

It is important to note that this speed can vary from person to person and that this is an average estimate. So, whenever examining data on Chronotrains, keep these limitations in mind.

Local Transit Exclusion

The tool does not display options involving connections by local transit methods such as buses, bikes, or walking. The tool provider offers the following explanation on the tool's Github page: "Because local transit is not included for most cities, there are no journeys available between different stations that can actually be connected by bus, bike, or on foot."

Specifically, as mentioned above, if two locations are more than 10 km/6.2 mi apart, it will not display a journey/connection. For instance, if a user wants to go from point A to point D:

a. The train stops at point B and does not go directly to point D.

b. You could take a bus or bike from point B to point C.

c. From point C, you could catch another train to reach point D.

If the distance between Point B and Point C (where the user intends to get a connecting train) is more than 10 km/6.2 mi apart, then it will not appear on the map.

These types of multi-modal journeys, which involve switching from a train to a bus or bike and then back to a train, are not included in the dataset.

Assumed Interchange Time

According to its , when switching from one train to another, the system assumes it takes 20 minutes. Since this can be variable depending on the person or unforeseen transit delays, the data should be taken as an estimate and needs to be cross-checked with other train schedules.

Some Trains May Not Be Reflected on the Map

, shows that certain train connections that should be visible on the map may not appear (to date, the issue described in the post does not seem to occur anymore at that specific location). In addition, there is another reason why some train information is missing. Since Chronotrains also uses data from Direkt Bahn Guru, this GitHub page acknowledges that: Also, according to this page, trains from smaller companies are often not included compared to those from state-owned operators, probably because they don't share data as much.

Data From Deutsche Bahn API Has .

No Single Dataset: Public transport route data in Europe remains fragmented, with no single comprehensive dataset available.

Incomplete Data: According to this , public transport data availability varies across Europe, with some countries lacking entirely.

Regional Data Only: Other countries only provide data by region or by specific transport operators (like in France).

Hard to Combine: Because the data is so scattered and inconsistent, it's difficult to combine it into one complete dataset.

Ethical Considerations

Chronotrains is best used in conjunction with other tools and other sources of information. Ensure transparency, acknowledge limitations, and prioritize obtaining corroborating information through other tools.

Transparency and Disclosure:

As mentioned above, Chronotrains uses data based on pre-scheduled train times and not real-time tracking. It includes this caveat under its section. As mentioned under the “Limitations” section, data are based on the user’s assumed walking speed and assumed duration for changing between trains. These variables can modify the estimates that the map shows. It is, therefore, important to disclose these limitations when using it as a tool for your investigations.

Accuracy:

Chronotrains' data should be treated as an estimate or an investigative lead that needs further verification. While Chronotrains uses established train schedule data, it's important to consider if there could be any bias within that data itself. For instance, if certain routes are less frequently traveled or have less up-to-date scheduling information, this could skew the results generated by Chronotrains.

If less frequently traveled routes are underrepresented, the overall dataset might not accurately reflect precise travel estimates. However, this does not drastically compromise the overall quality and reliability of Chronotrains' data. These travel estimates can still be valuable, particularly when coupled with mitigation strategies such as regularly verifying data from multiple reliable sources, including real-time updates and local transit information.

Guides and articles

A description and demo for the tool, including an interview with the tool provider:

Tool provider

Benjamin Tran Dinh, , France,

Advertising Trackers

This tool has not been checked for advertising trackers yet.
This tool uses tracking cookies. Use with caution.
This tool does not appear to use tracking cookies.

Page maintainer

Distill.io

Distill.io is a website change monitoring tool that allows users to track changes on web pages.

URL

https://distill.io/ (last revised Aug 31., 2025)

Description

Distill Web Monitor tracks changes to webpages and documents and alerts you via push, email, SMS, webhooks, or Slack/Discord/Teams when a change is detected; monitors can run locally in your browser or on Distill’s cloud. Typical inputs are a URL or feed; outputs are diffs and a change history with optional AI change summaries. Supported source types include web pages, PDFs, JSON, XML, RSS/Atom feeds and simple uptime checks; a crawler‑based sitemap monitor helps discover new URLs on a site. Advanced workflows use conditions, proxies, macros and webhooks to reduce noise, handle logins, and route alerts into other systems. ; ; ; ;

Practical Applications for Open Source Researchers

For Open Source Researchers, Distill.io can be an invaluable tool for:

Monitoring Target Websites: Keep track of updates on websites related to investigations, including changes in content, new postings, and removals.
Tracking Social Media Profiles: Monitor public social media pages or profiles for updates without needing to log in to the platform.
Alerting on Keyword Changes: Set up alerts for specific keywords or phrases that appear or disappear from web pages, which can signal significant events.

Key Features Beneficial for Open Source Researchers

Visual Selector Tool:
- Allows users to select specific parts of a web page to monitor.
- Useful for focusing on relevant sections and ignoring irrelevant content.
(Regex):

Using Distill.io

First, you can register with your own email, or use a dedicated email address or alias. You can see all running monitors on your . You can monitor websites, feeds, JSONs, PDFs, Word documents, uptime and whole sitemaps (alpha, may be buggy).

When you add a new monitor, you make the following choices:

: Whether to monitor the whole page or only a part of it. Select the if you want to monitor only certain parts (recommended).
Device: - Distill.io can run locally or in the cloud. This determines whether it only checks while your computer is running (local) or 24/7 (cloud). In the free plan, you can run only a limited number of trackers in one account, but more locally than in the cloud (25 local vs 5 cloud monitors on Free). Consequently, you can check cloud-based monitors in the , while local monitors live in .
Name: Pick a name for your Monitor that's easy to recognize for you and informative. You may want to configure several monitors for one website, so consider the purpose as well when picking a name.

When you add a monitor, you can use the Visual Selector Tool, to select only those parts of the website that you want to be alerted about if they change. These could be release versions, GitHub issue submissions, or parts of a text that contain information about a person or entity.

After you click save, your monitor will be active.

Additional Tips for OSINT Researchers

is critical because uptime is crucialCombine with Other Tools:
- You can use Distill.io with other open-source research tools to integrate data from Distill.io with databases or visualization tools.
Use Cloud Monitors for Reliability:

Cost

Free
Partially Free
Paid

Free plan: up to 25 local monitors; 5 cloud monitors; 1,000 checks per month; 30 email alerts; cloud minimum interval 6 hours.
Paid plans: Starter USD 15 per month; Professional USD 35 per month; Flexi from USD 80 per month; see pricing tables for per‑plan resources and limits.

Level of difficulty

Requirements

Account Creation:
- Required for synchronization across devices and accessing cloud monitoring features
Browser Extension:
- Available for Chrome, Firefox, Opera, and Edge

Limitations

Free plan constraints - cloud checks no faster than every 6 hours; 1,000 checks and 30 email alerts per month; local monitors must have the browser or app running for checks to execute.
Firefox and Opera extensions have older public versions at time of writing; Firefox 3.6.12 released 2023‑08‑01; Opera 3.3.12 updated 2023‑11‑22; feature parity may lag behind Chrome. ; .
Dynamic or login‑gated pages may require Macros or Dedicated Cloud Devices; sessions can expire and must be refreshed. ; .

Ethical Considerations

Privacy and Legal Compliance:
- Use Distill only on sources for which you are legally authorized to monitor; avoid circumventing technical access controls; minimize the collection of personal data; and retain only what is necessary. When working with sensitive material, consider recognized guidance like the Berkeley Protocol on Open Source Investigations for documentation and verification practices.
Responsible Use:

Guides and articles

What is Distill? | Distill. (2023). Retrieved August 1, 2024, from

Local Monitor vs. Cloud Monitor | Distill. (2023). Retrieved August 1, 2024, from

Distill (Director). (2023, May 26). How to Use the Visual Selector in Distill [Video recording].

Tool provider

Distill.io by Neemb LLC / Neemb Web Services Pvt Ltd (Delaware), U.S.

Contact Information: Available on their

Advertising Trackers

This tool has not been checked for advertising trackers yet.
This tool uses tracking cookies. Use with caution.
This tool does not appear to use tracking cookies.

Page maintainer

EDGAR Suite

Tool for the retrieval of corporate and financial data from SEC's EDGAR (Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval) database.

URL

https://pypi.org/project/edgar-tool/

Source code is freely available on GitHub (v 2.1.2 – 15 May 2025, last checked Oct 28, 2025.)
Users can download edgar-tool (the CLI) directly from

EDGAR Database Overview

(Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval) serves as the SEC’s public database of corporate filings. It includes both quantitative and qualitative data for legal entities that issue securities in the U.S. Accessible since the mid-1990s, EDGAR offers its data for free, rendering it a crucial resource for corporate OSINT, financial analysis, and investigative endeavors.

Why Use edgar-tool Instead of the EDGAR Website?

Despite ’s utility, its web interface can be difficult to use for large-scale tasks or specialized queries (e.g., no simple batch downloading, no single RSS feed for multiple entities, etc.). edgar-tool overcomes these limitations by:

Automating Search & Download: Scrapes EDGAR in chunks, merges results, and exports them in .csv or .jsonl, avoiding repetitive manual page-by-page downloads.
Enabling Large-Scale Analysis: The tool can handle thousands of filings, letting you run advanced queries (like tracking mentions of a keyword in multiple forms).
Filterable RSS: Subscribes to the broad EDGAR RSS feed, but filters results by the specific tickers you care about, generating a single consolidated file.

EDGAR Command Line Interface (edgar-tool) — Detailed Overview

1. Automated Bulk Retrieval of Filings

Challenge with EDGAR Web: The SEC interface typically requires browsing multiple result pages and downloading PDF/HTML documents individually. This is tedious and prone to errors when dealing with dozens or hundreds of filings.
edgar-tool Solution: Text Search automates queries, segmenting them into manageable “chunks.” It then merges all pages into a single .csv or .jsonl file and can optionally download the linked filings themselves.
- Example

2. Standardized Financial Data from XBRL

Challenge with EDGAR Web: While EDGAR makes data from XBRL filings available, companies often define their own custom tags. Basic direct comparisons of net income or total assets across different issuers can be messy or incomplete.
edgar-tool Solution: It references a custom library of commonly used GAAP/XBRL tags mapped to plain-English financial metrics. This leads to more consistent results (e.g., “revenue,” “net income,” “debt,” etc.) for each company.
- Example: Instantly fetch a unified time-series for any public company’s key statements (balance sheet, income statement, cash flow) without sifting through dozens of custom tag variations.

3. Flexible, Filtered RSS Feed for Company Monitoring

Challenge with EDGAR Web: You can subscribe to EDGAR’s broad RSS or individual company feeds, but not a single feed covering all your target companies in one place. It’s easy to miss filings or get overwhelmed by irrelevant results.
edgar-tool Solution: RSS commands filter the main EDGAR feed by specific tickers or CIKs (Central Index Keys). You get a consolidated .csv or .jsonl with the latest filings from only the entities you care about.

4. Comprehensive Search Parameters & Output Options

Search Parameters:
- Keywords/Phrases: partial or exact matches (“cyber risk,” “carbon offsets”).
- Entity Data: Tickers, CIKs, or company names for narrower focus.
- Filing Types: Choose among annual reports (10-K), quarterly (10-Q), registration statements, or insider trading forms.

5. Command-Line Simplicity & Python Integration

CLI Usage: A single terminal command (e.g., edgar text_search "John Doe") runs queries with optional arguments for specialized tasks.
Python Compatibility: If deeper analysis or automated workflows are desired, you can embed edgar-tool results in Jupyter notebooks, or orchestrate them within a Python pipeline (particularly helpful for large OSINT or data-mining projects).

6. Support for Large Queries & Retry Logic

Challenge: EDGAR enforces ~10 requests/second, and long queries can stall or fail.
edgar-tool: Includes a retries feature, random wait intervals (--min_wait / --max_wait) to stay within EDGAR’s usage guidelines. Automates re-requests if the initial call fails, ensuring robust data acquisition over big searches.

7. Periodic or On-Demand Data Gathering

RSS Interval: The --every_n_mins option repeatedly checks for new filings, appending them to an ongoing output file. This is convenient for near real-time monitoring of evolving corporate disclosures.
Ad Hoc Search: The text search can be run once for immediate insight or scheduled (e.g., weekly) to track mentions of a certain keyword over time.

8. Extra Tools: Financial Profile CSV

In addition to the real-time search & RSS, the tool’s maintainers provide a financial dataset in .csv form. This dataset aims to unify official EDGAR numbers into consistent lines for each public company, making cross-company or time-series analysis more straightforward.
- Great for generating quick historical charts (like net income trends) in Excel or Python.

Cost

Free
Partially Free
Paid

Level of difficulty

Requirements

edgar-tool requires the Python interpreter to download and use. It supports any currently maintained version of Python (Python >=3.9 as of this writing). Check the for officially supported versions. When in doubt, use the latest stable Python version. You can download the latest version of the Python interpreter from .

Limitations

Data Coverage: EDGAR is strongest post-2001, with partial coverage from 1994–2000. No private-company data.
Rate Limits: The SEC enforces max requests (~10/s). The tool handles this by spacing or retrying requests, but massive downloads still take time.
Potential Gaps in XBRL: Some foreign or unusual filers may use custom or incomplete tags that limit the consistency of the standardized table. Although edgar-tool references a standard XBRL library, some foreign filers or unusual forms can break uniform tagging.

Ethical Considerations

SEC Policy Compliance: Do not exceed EDGAR’s official usage limits or circumvent established disclaimers.
Legitimate Use: Data here can be sensitive. Ensure compliance with securities laws regarding insider information or derivatives of that info.
Attribution: Cite EDGAR as the data source and handle CSV outputs responsibly (especially if dealing with personal or sensitive content).
Data Accuracy

Guide

Official GitHub: for usage instructions, advanced macros, and code examples.
Bellingcat Article: “New Tools Dig Deeper into Hard-to-Aggregate US Corporate Data” (Dec 18, 2023) by George Dyer.
- Illustrates how to harness text search for ESG trends, unify financial time-series across multiple companies, and track multiple tickers via a single feed.

Tool provider

George Dyer (former Bellingcat Tech Fellow)

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EDGAR

Database of corporate filings for the US

URL

https://www.sec.gov/edgar/search/

Description

EDGAR (Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval system) is a database of corporate filings maintained by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. These filings contain a wealth of quantitative and qualitative information on every legal entity that issues non-exempt securities in the United States.

EDGAR is the primary system for companies and others to submit documents under the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, and the Investment Company Act of 1940.

The EDGAR database provides access to corporate information, allowing research of public companies' financial information and operations. It also includes information provided by mutual funds (including money market funds), exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and variable annuities.

Best uses are to track annual reports, top level management of companies, subsidiaries, shareholders, mergers & acquisitions.

Search by keyword, company name, ticker symbol, location or the name of an individual.

Cost

Free
Partially Free
Paid

Level of difficulty

Requirements

None

Limitations

Users cannot download at once all the documents returned by a text search of the database.
The data only covers publicly traded companies. For every other company not traded on a stock exchange, research has to be done separately in the business divisions of the Secretaries of State.
Owing to shifting data tags, it’s extremely cumbersome to create financial profiles for single companies or to perform comparisons between their respective financial metrics.
RSS feeds are available, but each company is its own RSS Feed, there is no functionality to group several in one place. There are

See more about these limitations in: George Dyer:, Bellingcat.

According to their own :

Not all documents filed with the Commission by public companies will be available on EDGAR. Companies were phased in to EDGAR filing over a three-year period, ending May 6, 1996. As of that date, all public domestic companies were required to make their filings on EDGAR, except for filings made in paper because of a hardship exemption. Third-party filings with respect to these companies, such as tender offers and Schedules 13D, are also filed on EDGAR.
However, some documents are not yet permitted to be filed electronically, and consequently will not be available on EDGAR. Other documents may be filed on EDGAR voluntarily, and consequently may or may not be available on EDGAR. For example:
Form 144 (notice of proposed sale of securities) may be filed on EDGAR at the option of the filer.
Forms 3, 4, and 5 (security ownership and transaction reports filed by corporate insiders) filed before June 30, 2003 may be filed on EDGAR at the option of the filer, but those filed on or after that date must be filed on EDGAR.

Ethical Considerations

Some filings may contain personal identifiers (names, addresses, signatures). Even though these are public, using them for non-financial purposes (e.g., profiling, marketing, or doxxing) is ethically problematic.

While EDGAR is public, using advanced scraping or automation tools to gain a speed advantage in trading or analysis raises fairness concerns.

Guide

Public company search - type the company’s name or ticker symbol in the search bar . Retrieves filings for a specific company and to find company information — registered name, address, telephone number, state of incorporation, Central Index Key (CIK) number, Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code, and fiscal year end.

The .xml format is somewhat better, because it contains hyperlinks that lead to every associated document in a specific filing including each submitted SEC form and exhibit. To get to a specific filing in an .xml format, click on any of the hyperlinked results (in blue) in the Form & File column.

Example: Search for Boeing in the search bar, select Boeing Co. Below are the results that show up when you hit the search button. From the Form & File column, click on the 8-K (Current report) or any other filing.

Select Open Document to reach the .htm file or Open filing to reach the .xml file (each option opens a new tab in the browser).

The .xml file will contain different hyperlinks for document and data files. In this example the 8-K file (document ba-20240731.htm iXBRL) links to the full form 8-K filing (known as a “current report” and it is the report that companies must file with the SEC to announce major events that shareholders should know about).

If you want to parse EDGAR data, The Comprehensive R Archive Network have published this PDF guide - .

Alphanome have . The guide is a walk-through for the install and usage of the library for parsing SEC EDGAR HTML documents into semantic elements and trees.

A compilation of SEC guides on how to use EDGAR, accessible .

SEC also have some basic information on how to access their .

Tool provider

, U.S.

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Geo Data Tool

IP geolocation service to identify the location and other technical information associated to IP addresses.

URL

https://www.geodatatool.com/

Description

GeoDataTool is an IP geolocation service that allows users to identify the geographical location and other technical information associated to an IP address. The tool provides details such as country, region, city, organization, and server location.

For researchers, it is important to note that GeoDataTool will not enable you to precisely geolocate a person or an end-user's device such as their smartphone or laptop.

Due to how , GeoDataTool will only allow you to obtain an approximate location of the network point to which your target IP address is assigned (a home router, a data center server, or any other ).

Whether or not this network point actually corresponds to the location of your target can vary greatly.

Therefore, before using GeoDataTool, it is important for you to understand how the IP address you are investigating relates to your target:

if you are investigating a website's IP address, chances are the IP address you have corresponds to the location of a server managed by a hosting service (Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, Tencent, etc). It is therefore not an indication of where the company, organization or person operating the website is located.
if you are investigating an end-user device's IP address, there is a possibility that your target is using a , which will provide the location of the VPN/proxy server, and not the actual device's location. In the case they are not using a VPN/proxy, their device may also be assigned a dynamic IP address, which means the IP address will be assigned to a different network point overtime.

Once you are more familiar with the limitations of using IP addresses for geolocation, GeoDataTool may still be useful to gain some insights:

Does the IP address I am researching remain at the same location over time? If so, it is likely a static IP address, which might hint to location information about my target.
Is the hostname the IP address is pointing to under a specific name? If so, it is possible this IP address is associated with a particular hosting provider or company. Is there any notable information about this company I can infer, such as a country/region of operation?
How do the information found above contrast with the claimed or perceived location of the target of my researches?

With these limitations in mind, to use GeoDataTool, you will simply need to input the IP address or domain name you wish to locate. Note that if you input the domain name, the tool will automatically resolve its IP address, which can be useful as you may not necessarily know the IP address of a domain.

Let's take the domain bellingcat.com as an example:

(GeoDataTool querry result for bellingcat.com)

Hostname: server-3-174-207-31.qro51.r.cloudfront.net appears to be a CloudFront hostname. A few quick searches will identify that Cloudfront is Amazon's (CDN) service. In addition, the 'ord58' refers to CloudFront's location code. "ORD" typically refers to Chicago, Illinois, and "58" would be a specific edge server identifier.
IP Address: if you are searching from a domain, this is the IP address of the server hosting the domain you look up.
Country/County code: this shows which country the server is physically located in. The server hosting bellingcat.com is in the United States.

Why the hostname location and IP address location may be different?

If you have read through the information presented above, there is a notable discrepancy in the information that GeoDataTool returns: the hostname points to a location in Chicago, Illinois, whereas all other IP location information are returning Seattle, Washington. How is this possible? This is because hostname is obtained through a process called , where the tool queries the IP address to find its associated hostname. When you enter 'bellingcat.com' into GeoDataTool, it first finds the IP address assigned to the domain bellingcat.com (3.170.152.110), then performs a reverse lookup on that IP. This reverse lookup uses a that maps the IP back to a hostname.

In this case, Amazon CloudFront has configured their PTR record for this IP to point to server-3-170-152-110.ord58.r.cloudfront.net, which based on the 'ord58' code is located in Chicago.

On the other hand, the geolocation data showing Seattle likely comes from third-party databases that attempt to map IP addresses to physical locations based on registration records and historical data. These databases often show where an IP was originally administratively registered rather than where it's actually being used.

Therefore, in this case, the hostname's location code ('ord58' for Chicago) is likely more accurate for indicating where the server for that IP address is actually located.

Cost

Free
Partially Free
Paid

Level of difficulty

The tool typically requires only entering an IP address or domain to get location information, however to fully understand the results provided, it is preferred to have networking knowledge.

Requirements

No specific requirements.

Limitations

GeoDataTool will provide you with location information on an IP address, however this location is an estimation, and rarely corresponds to the actual physical location of the target of your research (a person, an organization, a website).

One of the estimates as of the time of this writing that:

'[...] our GeoIP products can identify users at the country level with 99.8% accuracy. For IPs located within the U.S., we estimate around an 80% accuracy at the state/region level, and a 66% accuracy for cities (within a 50km radius of that city).'

Therefore, it is important to understand the limitations of IP address geolocation, both due to methodologies used to geolocate them, as well as how IP addresses change assignment and ownership over time.

For more in-depths analysis on IP geolocation methodologies and accuracy, here are a few sources:

IP Geolocation databases: Unreliable?, by Ingmar Poese, Mohamed Ali Kaafar, Benoit Donnet, Bamba Gueye and Steve Uhlig (2011):
A deep dive into the accuracy of IP Geolocation Databases and its impact on online advertising, by Patricia Callejo, Marco Gramaglia, Ruben Cuevas, and Angel Cuevas (2022):
IAB Workshop on IP Address Geolocation, workshop material and contributions (2025):

Ethical Considerations

Publishing IP addresses:

Publishing IP addresses publicly—whether in security reports, blog posts, or forums—carries the risk of false identification. Should an IP address change ownership, because it is a dynamic IP address, or because it is a static IP address now leased to a different entity, records linking that IP to harmful activity can lead to undeserved suspicion, blacklisting, or harassment.

It is important to understand and relay the context associated to the IP address you are publishing: timestamps and clear documentation of when an IP was associated with specific activity will avoid viewers incorrectly assuming current association with past behavior.

IP addresses as personally identifiable information (PII):

In case an IP address enables you to identify a person—whether through geolocation or association—it is important to note that it becomes personally identifiable information (PII). Depending on the scope of your research, this may have significant legal and ethical implications. The IP address itself, along with any derived data such as approximate location, ISP information, or connection details, will become subject to .

Guides and articles

If you are not familiar with basic networking concepts, we advise that you read through Geodatatool's information page on IP addresses:

Tool provider

There isn't much public information available about the specific individual or organization providing GeoDataTool. The "wiroos.com" displayed on the tool's user interface suggests it may be part of a larger web services operation.

Similar tools

There are many IP geolocation services, depending on how often and at what scale you need them. Examples:

Maxmind - for businesses or organizations, comprehensive suite of IP geolocation services, including purchasing complete GeoIP databases.
IPgeolocation - for smaller businesses, provides access to a Free tier API enabling up to 1K requests per day.
WhoisXMLAPI - hybrid solution, offers free single IP geolocation, or provides access to a paid API.

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Flightradar24

Flightradar24, a real-time flight tracking service, that provides comprehensive information about aircraft positions, flight numbers, routes, historical data, detailed aircraft specifications.

URL

Description

Flightradar24 is a real-time global flight tracking service. It provides detailed information about aircraft position, flight number, and oftentimes flight origin and destination. It also includes details on the type of aircraft. It provides both real-time flight tracking and historical flight information.

Flightradar24 data can be used for open-source investigations, including but not limited to:

support real-time news analysis, such as in the case of ;
monitor the movement of as potential illicit assets;
probe/scrutinize transit/travel patterns of (see examples , and );
Flightradar24 can also be used for geolocation and verification (an example will be provided below).

TIP: Finding plane information requires a multi-source approach. Check more than one flight-tracking website when doing research “since one might have more information than the others,” according to to flight tracking. recommends starting your investigation with an initial data gathering or a Google search to see everything you can find about a plane of interest (see paragraph 6 under “").

Flightradar24‘s flight information comes from several data sources. One category of data called “positional data” triangulates the aircraft's position in the sky. This includes sources In addition to positional data, Flightradar24 also uses flight status and flight schedule data from . The platform uses data through the for drones, gliders, and small aircraft.

On the filter section of the website, the tool can filter for approximately 12 aircraft categories. They are: Passenger, Cargo, Military and government, Business jets, General aviation, Helicopter, lighter-than-air, Gliders, Drones, Ground vehicles, "Other", and Non-categorized.

But First, Identifiers and Where to Find Them

When doing flight tracking for investigations, it is essential to know what data to look for and which information can potentially provide leads. In flight-tracking, researchers usually pay attention to “Identifiers.”

Flight-tracking websites have a plethora of information available. However, depending on the research question, researchers generally pay attention to call signs, registration, serial numbers, and hex codes.

TIP: Note that not all identifiers may be immediately available on one flight tracking website. Cross-check with other platforms.

CALL SIGN

CALL SIGN: What is it and why is it important? (CLICK TO EXPAND)

What is it? They are unique identifiers of an aircraft. They help differentiate each aircraft in the sky from one another. According to this Bellingcat, private aircraft often use their registration number as their call sign. In contrast, commercial flights usually have call signs based on their specific routes.

According to this GIJN, “The call sign is more or less whatever the pilot decided to enter for that flight.” Commercial flights, on the other hand, will be the flight number or close to it, like DAL307 for Delta Airlines flight 307 from Honolulu to Minneapolis.

Call signs also often vary with each flight, and occasionally, they may change even while in the air. For instance, an aircraft might have different call signs throughout the day if it completes several trips,.

Why is it important? Call signs can be helpful when monitoring routes and flight paths and identifying potential deviations or anomalies. It can tell you what the flight path of an aircraft is, its origin, its intended destination, and where it passes by. It is also helpful for flagging private aircraft that use their registration as call signs.

Where can I find the call sign on Flightradar24?

For live flights:

Depending on your settings, call signs can be seen when you hover your cursor over a plane of interest in the live map. The combination of numbers and letters that appear is usually the call sign. Users can find additional details when clicking on the aircraft.

For completed/historical flights:

Determine the aircraft by either flight number, flight route, or other identifiers, if known.
Go to the search bar and enter the search term. This will lead users to a list of past and future-scheduled flights.
Select the date and time of interest, and click on the icon “PLAY” on the far right. This will take you to the details and stats associated with that particular flight.
Scroll down until you see the following image below.

REGISTRATION NUMBER / TAIL NUMBER

REGISTRATION NUMBER/TAIL NUMBER/N-NUMBER: What is it? Why is it important? (CLICK TO EXPAND)

What is it? This number appears on the aircraft's exterior, mostly near This is sometimes called a It is a unique number that tells you which country the aircraft. This specifies that an aircraft's registration is similar to a car's license plate, assigned when registered in a specific country. This registration reflects the jurisdiction of the aircraft according to this.

Why is it important? If available, registration information can help find clues about ownership of the aircraft or, at the very least, which country it is registered. However, there are a few caveats:

1: (Ultimate Beneficial Owner - the person who profits or benefits from a corporate entity). It is rarely an individual but a company, trust, or charter/leasing company. In these cases, use additional sources to link different pieces of information.

Where can I find the registration number on Flightradar24?

For live flights

Just like call signs, registration information is available by clicking on an aircraft of interest on the live map. This will provide a detailed window to the left, showing additional information. The registration number can be found just below the aircraft type.

For historical flights

Follow the same steps shown above for searching call signs for historical flights. Begin with entering the flight in question on the search bar. The registration is located on the far right, just below the aircraft type and the aircraft photo.

HEX CODE/ ICAO CODE

HEX CODE/24-BIT CODE ADDRESS/MODE-S NUMBER: What is it? Why is it important? (CLICK TO EXPAND)

What is it? This code serves as a digital identifier or a unique “digital fingerprint”, allowing air traffic control, anti-collision systems, and flight tracking systems to distinguish one aircraft from another. When the plane is registered, it gets a unique electronic code. This hex code is associated with the plane’s ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast), which broadcasts unencrypted data about the plane’s position, altitude, and speed. If the N-number is the physical identifier, like a car license plate, the hex code is its digital non-physical identifier.

According to document, ICAO assigns each country a block range of hex codes. So in theory, if the flight tracking website sees a hex code in this range, it will identify the aircraft as coming from that country, and, as in the case of FlightAware, display.

Why is it important?

Where can I find the hex code on Flightradar24?

On Flightradar24, the hex code is referred to as either “ICAO 24-Bit Address” or “”Mode-S”. And you can find it in several places depending on where you are accessing the aircraft information on the website.

For live flights

Users can search the live map for the aircraft of interest. Hover and click over that aircraft, and an information box will appear on the left. Scroll further down to and find “ICAO 24-Bit Address”.

For historical flights

If available, use the registration number to search for the flight of interest in the search bar. This will lead users to a list of past and future-scheduled flights.
Click the choice under “aircraft”. This will take you to a separate page containing the flight history of the aircraft of interest.
Look for the word “Mode-S” to get the hex code (Refer to the image below)

SERIAL NUMBER/ MSN

SERIAL NUMBER/ MANUFACTURER SERIAL NUMBER (MSN): What is it? Why is it important? (CLICK TO EXPAND)

What is it? A serial number is a unique code given to an aircraft by the manufacturer to identify it from other planes. It's like a fingerprint for that specific aircraft designated at the time of manufacture or Serial numbers never change, unlike call signs and registration numbers. It is mandated by law (see, section 14.13) to collectively ensure that aircraft can be monitored, maintained, and operated safely throughout their service life.

Why is it important? states that “If you’re trying to track a plane over multiple years and ownership changes, you’ll need to know the manufacturer’s serial number.” Because an aircraft’s serial numbers don’t change, you can follow its journey. This makes it helpful in tracking a plane over time between.

Where can I find the MSN/Serial Number on Flightradar24?

For live flights

Just like call signs, registration information is available by clicking on an aircraft of interest on the live map. This will provide a detailed window to the left, showing additional information. Scroll further; the serial number is below the registration information (see IMAGE 2 above).

For historical flights

Follow the same steps as shown above for searching for call signs for historical flights. Begin with entering the flight in question in the search bar. The serial number is located on the gray box, far right, just below the registration information (see IMAGE 3 above).

Key Features

Live Map and Immediately Accessible Flight Filters

Flightradar24’s landing page prominently features its Live Map, providing users with immediate access to the real-time aircraft status in the air. The flight filter settings are accessible from the main page, allowing users to customize their view and quickly find relevant information.

The Live Map on Flightradar24 is also customizable, allowing users to add widgets for quick access to important information. These widgets can display data such as weather conditions, statistics (e.g., the number of data sources feeding flight information), and the most tracked live flights. Additionally, users can create personalized widgets to bookmark and monitor specific aircraft, flights, airports, or locations of interest. Open source investigators can use those features to track relevant flight data, monitor specific patterns, and quickly access real-time information critical for their analysis.

Map Layers and Aeronautical Charts

Users can customize the map layers on Flightradar24's Live Map, allowing for the overlay of various data sets.

Advanced Search

The search bar is immediately accessible on the tool's landing page. Flightradar24’s search function has features designed to help users quickly find information on a platform that contains a lot of information. Note that search results usually show both live flights and flights that are completed or recently scheduled. Here is an overview of the search feature, which includes input and output (this list is not exhaustive).

NOTE: Based on our own tests, the search bar takes most of the input explained below, except for Serial Number.

INPUT:

The search is designed to run several keyword variations. Users can enter the ICAO Airport Code and the IATA Airport Code. Users can enter two airport codes separated by a dash.

Example: “AMS - LHR” to refer to the flight route from Amsterdam Schipol to Heathrow Airport.

OUTPUT:

This search will show all the live flights as well as recent and scheduled flights.

INPUT:

If the airport code is unknown, simply type the location or the airport name.

Example: “London”

OUTPUT:

Putting a location or airport name will provide a list of possible airport locations.

For a more detailed guide to its search features, refer to:

Custom Filters

In addition to filtering by aircraft category, users can create their own custom filters tailored to their research purpose.

OPEN each tab to get more detailed information on how to create custom filters.

Flightradar24 has enhanced its aircraft filtering capabilities. You can now precisely filter flights by their exact ICAO code.

For example: Searching for "A320" will only display Airbus A320 models.

To view a family of aircraft, use a wildcard symbol.

For example: "B737*" will show all Boeing 737 variants. Additionally, you can filter for multiple aircraft types by separating them with commas.

This refined filtering system allows for more accurate and tailored flight tracking.

Users can input the airport code or airport name.

In addition, users can now search for flights to or from entire countries on Flightradar24. Just type in the country name, like "Venezuela" or "Colombia," to see all flights to or from that country. Users can further filter by inbound, outbound flights, or both.

Jetphotos Database

Another helpful feature in this tool is its photo database through When viewing an aircraft's details on Flightradar24, users often see photos sourced from Jetphotos. Jetphotos links back to Flightradar24 for detailed tracking data about photographed aircraft.

This integration provides a visual representation of the tracked aircraft, enhancing the user experience. More importantly, the photos shown are those of the actual plane being tracked live in the sky and not a similar aircraft type, like on . This is especially helpful if researchers are interested in making a visual match to the information they have.

Example: If a user is tracking an aircraft with registration/tail number OO-TMS, users can find that exact photo on Jetphotos' database by using the registration number/tail number as the search term.

Jetphotos and Flightradar24 are distinct platforms with complementary purposes, but they share a close relationship due to their focus on aviation and.

Playback

Flightradar24's playback feature is like a time machine for aviation. Flightradar24's playback feature allows users to rewind time and analyze historical flight data. This tool can be invaluable for investigative purposes, as it enables researchers to:

(a) Investigate Past Events: Examine air traffic patterns during specific incidents or events. (b) Verify/Cross-Check Claims: Cross-reference historical flight data with other information to confirm or refute claims. (c) Seeing Trends: Study trends by analyzing past flight patterns.

The playback feature is available on the live map (landing page) and users can see the replay of many flights simultaneously. It is also available for individual flights.

Historical data available for playback are as follows: ; includes playback feature for historical analysis.

TIP: Add a filter or your own custom filter and use the playback feature for a more granular search. For example: Use the business jet category filter and hit the playback button to see a replay of all business jets travelling in a specific area during a specific time frame.

For individual flights, the playback feature is accessible by first searching the flight of interest. And then scrolling through the past scheduled flights. Select the time and date of interest and click on “Play” (the farthest icon to the right).

KML and CSV File of Flight Log

For flights that have already landed, Flightradar24 allows users to download a KML file of the flight log. This will contain all the coordinates of its flight path, the altitude, and other information that helps users visualize flight information. Based on our test, this raw data can then be imported on , , or ArcGIS Earth.

In addition, users can also download a .CSV containing raw flight data for analysis.

To do this, enter the known flight info on the search bar and click on the flight number/call sign/route.
Scroll down and click on “Flight Info”.
You will be taken to a different page containing the flight log. Scroll down to the list of recently scheduled flights, choose the date and time of interest.
Navigate to the right where you have the option to download the data in KML or CSV format or do a playback.

Using a KML file of a flight log overlaid over Google Earth Pro can sometimes help with geolocation tasks. See this by Nixintel for a demonstration of this use case.

Use cases

Flight tracking websites like Flightradar24 can be valuable resources for investigative journalism and open-source research:

1. Database Creation:

This data can be used to create open-source flight databases for countries requiring continuous monitoring.
Example: Bellingcat's databases for and .

2. Monitoring Authoritarian Regimes:

Tools like specialize in monitoring the flight paths of authoritarian regimes' aircraft.
They can alert the public when these planes land in specific locations (e.g., Twitter/X alerts for major European cities).

3. Investigating Aircraft Ownership and Movement:

Investigators like those at :
- Identification: Determine which planes are owned or regularly used by individuals of interest.
- Tracking: Follow flight histories or pinpoint the current whereabouts of these aircraft.

Challenges and Workarounds:

Ownership Obfuscation: Figuring out real ownership can be .
Flight tracking as a tool to generate leads: According to , while ownership is sometimes hidden, flight tracking data is largely publicly available, and monitoring aircraft movements can sometimes provide valuable clues to fill in the gaps of an investigation.

Cost

Free
Partially Free
Paid

The tiered paid accounts are: Basic Free, Silver, Gold, Business, the price and feature differences are found here:

The version tested for this toolkit description is the Gold Subscription.

Level of difficulty

While the tool is straightforward to use, the difficulty rating is based on the additional time it may take for beginner users to familiarize themselves with aviation related terms and concepts. The platform also contains a plethora of data, and finding which information is important may require additional time.

Requirements

Modern web browser
Registered account (e-mail address)

Limitations

Flightradar24 Mobile App and Precise Location Data Leak

Investigations by revealed thatthat transmit their users' to data brokers. These precise coordinates may provide sensitive personal information on a user's home or work address

Be aware of the risks of disclosing your location data using the app. Use precaution if possible.

Coverage: Not Everywhere, Every Time

Flightradar24 is a great tool for tracking flights, but it's important to know it doesn't see everything, everywhere. Here's what can affect coverage:

Aircraft Equipment: Not all planes have compatible transponders, the devices that talk to Flightradar24. So, .
Altitude and Terrain: Planes flying high or in areas with lots of mountains .
Location: Flightradar24 , especially around major airports in Africa (Chad, Congo, Egypt, etc) or countries like China, Iran, Iraq, and Libya.

Map Gaps

Flightradar24's coverage is. Geopolitical tensions, like the Ukraine conflict, can lead to airspace closures, affecting flight routes. Geographical factors, such as high altitudes in Tibet, also restrict flight paths. Not all aircraft have the necessary equipment for tracking, and some regions have limited coverage. Additionally, airlines prioritize safety and efficiency, sometimes opting for longer routes to avoid risky areas.

Blocking / “take down requests”

Flightradar24 from operators or owners. According to : “Information about a small number of flights may be limited or blocked based on requests from owners or operators via third-party services…”. This also means that high-profile aircraft in the military and government categories will not be visible.

Based on our own tests, some of the instances where blocking might potentially happen are as follows. There are instances where:

Aircraft Identity is hidden: The specific aircraft model and registration number might be obscured, showing only the general aircraft type (e.g., Boeing 737).
Flight Path is partially hidden: The origin and registration number might be visible, but the destination or specific route may be blocked.
Sometimes, the platform puts N/A instead of providing information.
Some Limitations on Filter Combinations:

While combining filters may sometimes be helpful, there are some combinations that provide results that are confusing. It is important to note that combining these two filters has some limitations. Based on our tests, combining the filter “military and governments” plus a custom airport filter for “Venezuela” and “Colombia” gave mixed results. Instead of filtering for only military/government aircraft in those countries, the results included passenger flights, private/small aircraft, and possibly others.

To isolate a specific category of aircraft within a location of interest, it is recommended to zoom in instead on the area of interest, then apply a specific aircraft filter. We were able to tailor the search results by zooming in on Venezuela and Colombia and applying the “military and government” filter subsequently. The results seem to show only one category of aircraft within a specific geographic region.

6. Accuracy of estimates

Flightradar24 can estimate the position of aircraft that are out of coverage for a limited time. This is done by using various parameters, but the accuracy can decrease for flights that fly over longer distances (the position can be shown ). The estimated positions are visually represented by a black trail on the map.

7. Incorrect flight route

Flightradar24 uses flight schedules to determine the route an aircraft is taking. However, this can sometimes lead to inaccuracies. For example, if a, the displayed path might not match the actual flight path. Additionally, errors in flight schedules or incorrect or old call signs can also cause route information to be incorrect. Other causes are: - which is when there is an error in one of the scheduling databases Flightradar24 depends on. In addition, significant flight delays can cause it to be matched with the wrong schedule.

Ethical Considerations

Privacy vs. Transparency:

The ethical dilemma here revolves around the conflict between public transparency and individual privacy. Make careful determinations about how to publish research that involves tracking patterns of individuals. This, for example, highlights the tension between the right to information and the potential consequences of exposing individuals to danger.

Context matters:

Consider the purpose behind using flight tracking data when publishing. Not all uses of aviation tracking serve the same ethical goals or carry the same implications. For instance, when flight tracking data is used to cover major events such as accidents or disasters, it provides factual context for the public's understanding of the event. Flight tracking data used in research regarding air traffic patterns, for example, or in monitoring the environmental impact of the aviation industry, represents different ethical considerations than tracking specific individuals' movements. The ethical decision-making around flight data publication and how to publish this data should take into consideration the intended audience, potential harm, if any, and whether or not there are alternative data sources available for your investigation.

Respect Copyright:

Flight tracking websites often have terms of service regarding the use of data. Ensure you're using the information ethically and keep the website's guidelines in mind. Flightradar24's terms of service can be found .

Comparison with Other Flight Tracking Tools

While both Flightradar24 and FlightAware offer similar core functionality, open-source investigators may prefer to use Flightradar24 for a more extended flight history, a playback function, the ability to track more specialized aircraft, and comprehensive international flight data. However, FlightAware can sometimes have some advantages for US-focused flight tracking.

Based on our tests, the following is a comparison of some key features of various flight tracking tools.

Feature

FlightAware

Flightradar24

Guide

Bellingcat Guide:

Fiorella, Giancarlo, (2019, October 15). , Bellingcat.

RC and Fiorella, Giancarlo (2021, March 11). , Bellingcat.

GIJN Guide:

Global Investigative Journalism Network. (n.d.). .

Global Investigative Journalism Conference 2023, (2023, October 7). Video on .

OCCRP Guide:

Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (2022, May 21). Russian Asset Tracker.

IATA (International Air Transport Association) which can help researchers decipher airline codes on particular call signs.

Nixintel (2019, October 30). .

Benjamin Strick. (Youtube video).

Benjamin Strick. Who Made The Man in The Desert? or

Al Jazeera Guide:.

Full list of country identifiers:

Some lists of public registries:,, and,,

Photos:,

Twitter hashtags:,,,, and.

This tool is often used with: , , social media accounts of known flight enthusiasts and professionals. This tool is also used in conjunction with ADS-B Exchange, , Planes.live, JetPhotos, Airframes.

Tool provider

Flightradar24 AB, Sweden

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Gaode Maps

Gaode Maps (also known as AMap) is a mapping application and technology from the Chinese company Alibaba.

URL

Main site: www.amap.com, or www.gaode.com

API docs: lbs.amap.com/api

Description

Gaode Maps offers maps, satellite imagery, directions (for driving, public transport, and walking), and real-time augmented reality navigation for driving. It is available via the web browser or as a mobile application. (The app was previously known as AutoNavi, and is currently named AMap outside China.) A few highlights:

Global data: Maps, directions and recommended transport data are available globally, though the data are most detailed for China.
Mobile app "AMap Global" available in English: The English mobile app offers basic functions including map search, satellite imagery and directions in China. (Other functionalities may be limited.)
Notably, Gaode Maps does not offer street view.

As for all Chinese mapping tools, satellite imagery is provided by China Siwei Surveying & Mapping Technology, which uses data and imagery from DigitalGlobe, the US company. Gaode Maps for iOS and Android users in China

Gaode Maps is a to Apple Maps. The Apple Maps app automatically switches to using Gaode Maps data (e.g., when global iPhone users travel from overseas to mainland China, or when the iPhone is bought in China).
In many Android phone models sold in China, Gaode Maps is pre-installed instead of Google Maps.

Unless specified, all functions described on this page can be accessed without registering for an account.

Basic search

After searching in or Chinese characters, select the layer or function.

Select layers - English annotations

Here are the layers and functions, annotated in English. Your view may be different depending on your country. Web browser toolbar

Mobile view

On the web browser view, a reference number is shown at the bottom left, e.g., GS(2025)1234. The year refers to when the map was approved for publication by China's State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping.

(According to Article 15 of the Mapping Administration Regulation, 2015, all maps for public dissemination must be approved by the relevant government body. Exceptions are made for maps of tourist destinations and metro lines. For reference, see the in Chinese or this 2018 in English.)

No street view available

Gaode Maps does not offer street view (the function was removed several years ago), making the tool less directly useful for geolocation.

The "wonder" 奇境 function (aerial photos in select locations)

In the mobile app, a function called 奇境 (translates as "wonder", pinyin: qijing) is available for select locations, usually scenic places such as parks and tourist sites. The function allows users to view the location during different times of day, weather conditions, or seasons.

Worldwide coverage

The app provides global data for over 200 countries, including street maps, route navigation (driving, public transportation, or walking) and business locations. Here's an example:

Business owners from any country could add their locations and information onto AMap (for instance, to attract Chinese travellers who may visit their countries).

Getting coordinates

Within AMap, if you search for a specific location, the coordinates are shown in the URL, in longitude-latitude format.

For background: China uses a coordinate system called (colloquially known as Mars coordinates), whereas the rest of the world uses (Earth coordinates). GCJ-02 uses an encryption algorithm to apply random offsets to the latitude and longitude of locations. Obfuscating the geographic data is for .

If you use Google Maps, the coordinates you obtain for China are already in the GCJ-02 system, though in latitude-longitude format. Please note that in Chinese mapping tools, coordinates are shown with longitude first. To search for a location in Gaode Maps using coordinates, go to , select the option to search by coordinates, and enter the coordinates in longitude-latitude format.

3D maps

API documentation for and are available. (Enter coordinates in the code template to see the 3D map of the location you're searching for.)

User generated reviews

User-generated reviews are available in the mobile app only, without account login.

Using AMap in English (mobile app only)

The English version is only available as mobile app. In your app store, search "AMap Global", download and install.

Functions not available in the English mobile app:

Map data from outside of China
User-generated reviews and photos originally posted in Chinese

If you downloaded the app (Gaode Maps) in Chinese, and need to change the language to English

Select the user icon (indicated by the blue arrow).
Select the settings icon.

Similar tools

Gaode Maps, using the international branding "AMap", is the only Chinese mapping tool that offers a full English language interface in its mobile version. In comparison, provides maps globally in its Chinese interface, whereas provides only maps for China.

Gaode Maps does not offer street view imagery. Instead, researchers can see Baidu Maps for a more comprehensive set of street view images, and check Tencent Maps for images from roughly 5 to 7 years prior. Resulting from a , older street view imagery captured by SOSO Maps (now defunct mapping tool) was integrated into Tencent Maps.

Cost

Free
Partially Free
Paid

Level of difficulty

Requirements

Web: any modern web browser
Mobile: iOS or Android (or HarmonyOS). Globally available. User accounts can be set up with international phone numbers.
API: Individuals must , including providing their ID and Alipay account. Individual developer accounts can only be used for educational or nonprofit purposes, and not for commercial purposes. This is strictly enforced. If claiming educational or nonprofit status, users may be asked to provide government-approved supporting documents.

Limitations

No street view
Language barrier: In the web version, the user interface is only available in Chinese.
Barriers accessing the API. Although not explicitly stated in , non-Chinese citizens and companies may have difficulty setting up a developer account due to requirements of identification and/or supporting documents.
Geographical barriers

Ethical Considerations

See the Bellingcat toolkit's page for some general caveats when working with maps and satellite imagery, including a general discussion on censorship and content control.
Gaode Maps (as seen in its former name AutoNavi) needed to . Such surveying and mapping data are in China.
Privacy Concerns: Like many mapping services, Gaode Maps gathers user data, raising concerns about user privacy. (An named all leading Chinese mapping tools among 33 apps for extensively collecting user data, beyond what is relevant to their service provision.)

Tool provider

Alibaba Group - China

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Ghunt

A command line tool for obtaining information about Google accounts.

URL

https://github.com/mxrch/GHunt (current version 2.3.3, 2025‑01‑25; latest on PyPI. GitHub tag: v2.2.0 released 2024‑06‑06)

Description

GHunt is a local, CLI‑based framework for investigating Google accounts and artifacts. It authenticates with a Google session (via the ; ) and exposes modules to pivot from inputs such as Gmail address, GAIA ID, Google Drive links, Wi‑Fi BSSID, and Digital Asset Links (DAL). Typical outputs include GAIA ID discovery from an email, service associations, Drive file/folder metadata, and approximate BSSID geolocation; JSON export is supported for several modules. As of v2.1.0, GHunt moved to an OAuth‑token based login flow while remaining compatible with the Companion extension.

Ghunt runs locally as a Python application. After installation with pipx and authenticating via the Ghunt Companion browser extension, users can run modules from the command line to search for information. The email module takes a Gmail address and returns the , associated YouTube channel, public photos, Drive files and other data. The gaia module queries a GAIA ID to find related Google services; the drive module extracts metadata from a shared Drive link; the geolocate module geolocates a BSSID, showing the approximate location of a Wi‑Fi access point.

Version 2 introduced Spiderdal, which follows to uncover assets, such as apps, associated with the target.

Ghunt relies on your own Google session cookies to access publicly visible data. You authenticate by running ghunt login and selecting the option to paste base64‑encoded cookies from the browser extension. Once authenticated, you can run modules and optionally export results to JSON. The tool is widely used by OSINT practitioners, law enforcement, and journalists to pivot from basic identifiers into broader investigations.

GHunt is designed to gather detailed information about Google accounts using the target's Gmail address. By using publicly accessible data, Ghunt surfaces various aspects of a Google user's digital footprint, including their YouTube channels, Google Photos, Google Maps reviews, and more. By analyzing this information, GHunt can provide insights into the target's online activities and digital footprint.

The developers have provided 2 scripts that leverage the tool .

The easiest way to authenticate into Ghunt is to use authentication option 2 alongside the Ghunt browser extension. After selecting option 2, go to your browser extension and obtain the base64-encoded credentials. You can use these to authenticate to Ghunt.

Once authenticated, you have the following search options:

email: Get information on an email address.
gaia: Get information on a .
drive: Get information on a Drive file or folder.
geolocate: Geolocate a .

Cost

Free
Partially Free
Paid

The CLI is free and open‑source.

A hosted “GHunt Online” is offered by with plans advertised at £19/month (30 searches), £49/month (100), £99/month (300), and Gov/Enterprise from £1,000/month.

Level of difficulty

You’ll need to be comfortable with the command line, installing Python packages with pipx or pip, and completing the login flow using the Companion browser extension. Running modules and reading JSON output require basic CLI literacy.

Requirements

Runtime: Python ≥3.11 (project notes 3.13 compatibility). [1]
Install: pipx install ghunt (recommended isolated install) or pip install ghunt for library use.
Auth: Run ghunt login and use the GHunt Companion extension to either (1) send cookies to a local listener or (2) paste base64‑encoded cookies; manual entry also exists. Since

Limitations

Account name retrieval is unreliable/absent since ~April 2024; remain open.
Google log‑in endpoints and anti‑abuse systems change; expect intermittent login errors (e.g., 403s) and throttling/“Sorry” pages.
Geolocate returns approximate positions and won’t resolve every BSSID.

Ethical Considerations

Ghunt is licensed under the , and the developer emphasises it should be used only for personal, criminal investigations, penetration testing, or other lawful open‑source research.
Use GHunt only for lawful, proportionate purposes and with appropriate authority or consent. Minimize collection and retention, avoid targeting vulnerable individuals, and document your methods. For good‑practice standards on online investigations, see the Berkeley Protocol on Digital Open Source Investigations (OHCHR/UC Berkeley).

Guides and articles

Jake Creps:

Joseph Jones:

GHunt (setup & usage).

project page (install, releases).

Firefox Add‑ons listing.

Tool provider

Ghunt is developed by French security researcher Thomas “mxrch” Hertzog. He is a member of , a group of cybersecurity enthusiasts interested in software security, binary analysis, web security, cryptography, and IoT; the group operates a Capture‑the‑Flag team from France, founded in 2019. HideAndSec’s members include mxrch and other researchers.

License: AGPL‑3.0‑only (see LICENSE in repo / PyPI meta).

Github:

Twitter:

Website:

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Global Fishing Watch Map

The Global Fishing Watch Map is a digital platform for investigating fishing activities worldwide by utilising satellite and AIS data.

URL

https://globalfishingwatch.org/map

Description

The Global Fishing Watch Map is a digital platform designed to provide visibility into the activities of the global fishing fleet. Using satellite technology and (AIS) data, this tool provides transparency about fishing activities worldwide. The map is created with the intent to assist governments, research institutions, and conservation organizations in monitoring and managing marine resources more effectively.

This platform offers a variety of features to its users, including the ability to track vessel movement in near real-time, view historical data, and analyze fishing effort. Users can explore different layers of data, such as marine protected areas, to understand the impact of fishing on sensitive habitats. The tool has been used to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing by making the activities of fishing vessels more accessible and transparent to the public and relevant authorities.

Features:

Activity Layers: see the following
- *Apparent fishing effort (AIS): filter by Sources (AIS and VMS), Flags (by country) and Gear Types.
- *Apparent fishing effort (Regional Vessel monitoring system (VMS): filter by Sources (AIS and VMS) and Flags (by country).

Registered account features:

Advanced vessel search: search on attributes such as IMO, Call sign, Owner and Flag.
Carrier Vessel Portal: access to the Carrier Vessel Portal.
Data download: downloadable vessel events.
Save workspace: save the state of the workspace.

The example below shows search results for location search term New Zealand filtered for New Zealand Flagged vessels for both AIS and VMS.

Global Fishing Watch is available in the following formats:

Cost

Free
Partially Free
Paid

Level of difficulty

Requirements

Email address: a registered account is required for some of the advanced features.
API: a registered account and an API Token

Limitations

The Global Fishing Watch Map, while useful when monitoring and visualizing maritime activities, does have its set of limitations:

Data Delay: The platform cannot display real-time data due to processing times, leading to potential delays in the information presented.
Data Coverage: Not all regions or vessels may be tracked effectively due to limitations in satellite coverage or non-participation in AIS (Automatic Identification System) broadcasting.
Accuracy Concerns: The tool's reliance on AIS data means that it is subject to potential inaccuracies or intentional AIS tampering by vessels wishing to avoid detection. (See: Clark, L. (no date) ‘Google’s Global Fishing Watch is using “manipulated data”’, Wired. Available at: (Accessed: 5 May 2024)).

Ethical Considerations

While the Global Fishing Watch Map provides invaluable insights into maritime activities, it raises several ethical considerations that merit attention:

Privacy and Surveillance: The tool's ability to track and display the location and activities of vessels can raise privacy concerns, particularly in relation to the monitoring of individuals without their explicit consent.
Data Bias and Equity: Given the tool's reliance on AIS data, there might be a bias in favoring the monitoring of vessels equipped with AIS over smaller, local boats that might not use such technology, potentially skewing data and insights.
Misuse of Information: The detailed data available through the platform could be misused, either by authorities to exert excessive control or by malicious actors to target specific vessels.

Guides and articles

To effectively use Global Fishing Watch Map, especially for beginners or those looking to refine their skills, the following resources are highly recommended:

Official Wiki

Tutorials and Articles

‘Tutorials - Use Our Technology’ (no date) Global Fishing Watch. Available at: (Accessed: 4 May 2024).

Use Cases

An interactive map to monitor the activity of dark fleets in coastal waters (no date). Available at: (Accessed: 5 May 2024).
Global Fishing Watch Case Study (no date) Google Cloud. Available at: (Accessed: 5 May 2024).‘GlobalFishingWatch/gfwr’ (2024).
Off-radar fishing threatens efforts to preserve stocks, study warns (no date). Available at: (Accessed: 5 May 2024).

Video Tutorials

A walkthrough of the Global Fishing Watch map (2021). Available at: (Accessed: 5 May 2024).

Developer Resources

Community and Support

In-application support available.

Tool provider

Global Fishing Watch - United States

Independent, international nonprofit organization founded in 2015 through a collaboration between three partners: Oceana, SkyTruth and Google.

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Google Maps

Google Maps provides mapping information, satellite imagery and Google Street View imagery including historical Street View images.

URL

https://www.google.com/maps

Description

Google Maps is a web-based service offering comprehensive information about geographical regions globally. It provides road maps, aerial and satellite views, and street views which makes it a useful resource for open-source researchers. It includes features like real-time traffic updates, business information, 3D views, and location sharing. However, not all of these are relevant to open-source researchers who typically use this service for geolocation and verification purposes. Here are some of the features that are most pertinent to researchers:

Satellite imagery

One of the advantages for open-source researchers when using Google Maps is that it offers access to satellite imagery. Being able to look at locations from all around the world from above is handy when conducting geolocations.

Google Maps' satellite mode can be switched on via the layers menu which is located at the bottom left of the map:

It must be noted that satellite imagery is not shown in real-time, as Google sources its imagery from suppliers. If you need very recent satellite imagery, for instance to report on a news event, you need to find alternatives to the free satellite imagery provided on Google platforms.

For many locations, Google provides historical satellite imagery allowing open-source researchers to compare imagery from the same location at different points in time. It is important to note that historical satellite imagery is not accessible via Google Maps but only via .

3D View

This feature displays urban features such as buildings, pylons, and other infrastructure, as well as natural elements like trees and mountains in a three-dimensional perspective. A 3D view can help open-source researchers get an immersive spatial view of geographical locations which are typically presented in a two-dimensional format on a map. However, researchers should not rely on 3D View representations alone. It is always recommended to also look at other pictures of the same location.

You can activate 3D mode by switching to satellite view, which you access by clicking on the layers icon at the bottom left. Make sure the globe option is enabled to use this feature. This option is in the Layers menu. For more details, to this guide from Google support on how to switch between Google map types.

Once activated, users can switch between 2D and 3D views by clicking on this icon on the right:

Users can tilt, rotate, and zoom in and out to explore areas of interest in greater depth.

The screenshot below shows the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City in 3D view.

From the 3D map interface, switch to the Street View option to view street-level photography of the area.

Street View

Street View offers 360-degree imagery, allowing users to explore an area from a ground-level perspective. Google Street View offers an extensive collection of stitched together to provide a virtual representation of an area. from anywhere in the world can contribute to this vast collection of street view imagery. The tech giant employs , including the Street View Car, , , and more, to capture and update imagery from tight and narrow spaces or areas "” to “”.

As of , “Google Street View cars equipped with cameras have captured and shared more than 220 billion Street View images and travelled over 10 million miles — the equivalent of circling the globe more than 400 times” since the launch of this service in 2007.

In recent years, Street View has become an invaluable resource for journalists and open-source researchers. Using Google’s street-level photography, researchers from Bellingcat successfully geolocated the house of a Malaysian wildlife trafficker for the “The Hunt for Malaysia's Elusive Wildlife Trafficker” in February 2025. They matched the photos of the house posted online with the Street View imagery, revealing the location where illegal wildlife trafficking was taking place.

To use this feature, search for an address or the coordinates of an area. Then, select the street view icon shown below:

Alternatively, one can select and drop the yellow "Pegman" from the bottom right corner of the screen and drop it onto your area of interest (depending on the available coverage).

It is also possible to view the coverage of Street View available for any location by selecting "Street View" from the layers menu. The screenshot below shows the coverage available for Moscow, Russia:

Once in this mode, explore the location using the 360-degree interface. Rotate the view, move up or down, and one can navigate through the area, depending on the available coverage.

It is important to note that Street View does not provide real-time photography of the area. Images do not show the location on the same day they were taken, according to Google’s street view page. Instead, it takes months to process the imagery before it is made available online. So, it can be “anywhere from a few months to a few years old.”

Time travel using historical imagery in street view

Open-source researchers can use the time travel feature to view older images of a location in Street View. This is beneficial in understanding how a location has changed over time. The historical imagery feature was in 2014, and coverage of some areas dates back to as early as 2007.

To view past images of an area, open the street view photography of the location of your choice. Once in street view mode, click on the “see more dates” at the top left corner (if available).

This opens up different windows for imagery of the area for the available dates. For instance, the screenshot below shows imagery from November 2007 of a new building for the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, which was still under construction in Phoenix, Arizona, at the time.

The school celebrated its grand opening in Phoenix in . Although there is no Street View imagery from the exact date of the opening, images from March 2009 are available and display the newly completed building:

Similarly, users can view imagery of the same area up to January 2023 and see how this region has changed over time! This feature is accessible in both the mobile and browser versions of Google Maps.

Not all areas around the world have extensive street view photography available. To overcome this shortcoming, consider exploring other street view from other services, such as , , and , among others.

Measure Distance

Another useful feature of Google Maps is its built-in measuring tool. A researcher can draw a line from one point on the map to another to determine the distance between them in area. If one measurement line is not sufficient, the tool also allows multiple lines to be drawn consecutively.

On the location of your choice, right-click on the map and select “Measure Distance” from the menu. Click on the starting point, drag to create a path, and then click again to complete the line. To remove it, click on the ending point. A point can also be moved by clicking on the point, holding and dragging it.

The visual below shows the distance between the Eiffel Tower and Émile Anthoine Stadium in Paris, France, using the measuring feature.

Other features

Google Maps offers additional useful features. One of them is Custom Maps, which enables users to create, personalise, and share their maps. Read more about this feature .

Formats

Google Maps is available in the following formats:

Mobile
: Developer API

Use Cases

Location Verification: Researchers can use Google Maps to verify the location of a news event, checking the geographical accuracy of claims made in various reports. Be aware that not all imagery is current, see: .
Event Visualization: By utilizing the satellite and street view features, researchers can offer readers a visual context of an event location, making stories more immersive.
Investigative Research: Google Maps can be an invaluable tool for investigative journalism, allowing reporters to explore and gather information on otherwise inaccessible locations or properties.

Using Bellingcat Filename Finder for Google Maps

The tool , enables users to view the filenames of images that have been uploaded by users to Google Maps, providing contextual information. Filenames are not automatically displayed when viewing an image on Google Maps. However, after installing the tool as a Google Chrome extension, filenames appear on images when using Google Maps. See more about this tool in Bellingcat's guide “.”

Cost

Free
Partially Free
Paid

Level of difficulty

Requirements

Web: any modern web browser
Mobile: iOS and Android
Developer Platform: Google account with email address and a credit card.

Limitations

Data Availability: While Google Maps offers comprehensive coverage, the availability of Streetview imagery, particularly in less populated or updated areas, may vary. For more information on how and when Street View imagery is collected see .
API Usage Limits: For developers using the Google Maps API, there are usage limits. Exceeding these limits without purchasing additional credits can lead to service interruptions. Google offers many APIs for mapping, geocoding and other GIS services. Each service comes with its own limits depending on the service. and information of the Maps Javascript API are something to investigate before using the service but for many low workload users it will not be an issue.
Privacy Concerns: There are privacy issues related to location tracking and data collection. Users should be aware of the data being shared with Google. Although Google provides information on how to

Ethical Considerations

When journalists use Google Maps, they should consider the following ethical aspects:

Privacy and Anonymity: Be cautious when reporting on sensitive areas or topics. Ensure individuals' locations or movements are not disclosed without consent, especially in contexts where revealing locations could endanger lives or privacy.
Data Accuracy and Misrepresentation: Verify the accuracy of the information provided by Google Maps. Misrepresenting a location, either intentionally or accidentally due to outdated or incorrect map data, can lead to misinformation and harm reputations. Be in particular and aware of the time lag behind the gathering of Street View imagery. For more information on how Google tries to ensure accuracy see and .
Impartiality and Bias: Understand the limitations of Google Maps in representing disputed territories or areas of conflict. Be aware of how the depiction of these areas might convey a particular political stance or bias. Examples of this can be seen in

Guide

To effectively use Google Maps, especially for beginners or those looking to refine their skills, the following resources are highly recommended:

Official Wiki

Tutorials and Articles

‘Create Custom Maps in Google Maps’ (no date) Berkeley Advanced Media Institute. Available at: (Accessed: 31 August 2025).
How to keep using Google Maps even when your phone is offline (2023) Google. Available at: (Accessed: 31 April 2025).
Toler, A. (2020) How (Not) To Report On Russian Disinformation, Bellingcat. Available at: (Accessed: 31 August 2025).

Video Tutorials

10 Minute Tip: Google Maps for OSINT (2020). Available at: (Accessed: 31 August 2025).

Developer Resources

Google Maps API: Developers looking to integrate Google Maps into their websites or applications should refer to the for comprehensive documentation and coding examples.

Community and Support

: Explore the official for guides on basic functionalities, from searching locations to understanding map views.

Tool provider

Google - United States

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Google Earth Engine

Google Earth Engine is a platform for environmental monitoring and analysis through satellite imagery and geospatial data.

URL

https://code.earthengine.google.com/

Description

Google Earth Engine is a cloud-based platform for environmental data analysis, object and change detection. It brings together a large collection of satellite imagery and geospatial datasets with planetary-scale analysis capabilities. This tool is designed for researchers and analysts engaged in environmental monitoring, land-use change detection and object and infrastructure detection. It solves the problem of managing and analyzing large datasets that require significant computational resources and creating sophisticated interactive visualisations.

GEE can be used with the following programming languages and tools:

- using Javascript.
- using Python.
- using R.
- using QGIS.

There's a huge range of climate and weather, imagery and geophysical datasets available here:

Features:

Language: supports multiple languages.

The example below is from Bellingcat's . The is an example use case using satellite images of Iraq taken at night to track the destruction caused by the fight against the Islamic State. If cities and villages are demolished, they become often less visible from space since they emit less light.

Full description including documentation

Example Use Cases:

Deforestation Monitoring: Utilizing the satellite imagery available on Google Earth Engine, researchers can track deforestation over time.
Urban Expansion Analysis: Analysts can use Google Earth Engine to monitor urban sprawl and the transformation of rural areas into urban centers.
Agriculture and Crop Monitoring: Farmers and agricultural researchers can leverage satellite data to monitor crop health and estimate yields.
Water Resources Monitoring

Latest features and changes: .

Cost

Free
Partially Free
Paid

Google Earth Engine can be used for .

Level of difficulty

Requirements

Individual sign up Earth Engine access (easy):

Google Account - a Google email address and associated account (see: )

A role on a Google Cloud project (more complicated but more secure. See: ):

Google Account - a Google email address and associated account.
Google Cloud Project - a credit card and Google Cloud Project role with API access.

Limitations

Data Availability: Not all satellite data might be available or up-to-date. Each individual data set available in the details the availability of the individual dataset.
Processing Power: User code execution is limited by Google's computational resources, which might result in delays during peak usage. It's important to understand that processing on large datasets can hit processing limits see . For more information on GEE computational processing see the .
Learning Curve: The platform has a steep learning curve, especially for users without a programming background.

Ethical Considerations

Privacy Concerns: Remote sensing technologies can capture detailed images from space or high altitude, potentially compromising individual privacy. Researchers must balance the public interest with the rights to privacy.
Accuracy and Misinterpretation: Ensuring the accurate representation of data is critical. Misinterpretation of remote sensing data can lead to misinformation, shaping public opinion based on incorrect premises. Each dataset may have different standards for accuracy see the the for more information.

Guide

To effectively use Google Earth Engine, especially for beginners or those looking to refine their skills, the following resources are highly recommended:

Official Wiki

: full documentation in GEE.
: guides to the Javascript and Python APIs.
: catalog of all the available datasets.

Tutorials and Articles

: Bellingcat's tutorial to GEE written by Ollie Ballinger.
: full online course

Video Tutorials

: 2024).

Community and Support

: A place where users can ask questions about Google Earth Engine and receive answers from the community.
: Users can find or ask questions tagged with google-earth-engine, which includes topics on Google Earth Engine.

Tool provider

Google - United States.

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Cost

Level of difficulty

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Ethical Considerations

Guide

Official Wiki

Tutorials and Articles

Video Tutorials

Community and Support

Tool provider

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ExifTool

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Description

Using ExifTool for Open Source Research: Code Examples and Applications

Extracting Metadata to Identify File Origin

Extracting GPS Coordinates from Images

Analyzing Timestamps to Build Timelines

Comparing Metadata Across Multiple Files

Identifying Software Used for Editing

Detecting Metadata Anomalies

Extracting Thumbnail Images

Retrieving Metadata from Documents

Extracting Metadata from Video Files

Filtering Files with Specific Metadata Attributes

Searching for Files Created in a Specific Timeframe

Automating Metadata Extraction for Web Downloads

Extracting Hidden Metadata from Social Media Images

Extracting Metadata from Audio Files

Generating KML Files for Geospatial Analysis

Verifying File Authenticity with Checksums

Identifying Embedded Files or Steganography

Extracting Metadata from Emails

Checking for Metadata Inconsistencies

Additional Tips for Open Source Researchers

Cost

Level of difficulty

Requirements

Limitations

Ethical Considerations Specific to Open Source Research

Conclusion

Guide

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Tiktok

Bellingcat OpenStreetMap Search

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Description

Example Use Cases

Cost

Level of difficulty

Requirements

Limitations

Ethical Considerations

Guide