WhatsMyName.io

A Practical Guide to OSINT Investigations

Leveraging Usernames to Uncover Digital Footprints

Table of Contents

1. Introduction: What is OSINT?2. The Username: A Critical Digital Identifier3. Phase 1: Initial Reconnaissance4. Phase 2: Pivoting and Deepening5. Best Practices & Tips6. Ethical Considerations

1
Introduction: What is OSINT?

Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) is the practice of collecting and analyzing information from publicly available sources to produce actionable intelligence. In an increasingly digital world, the "open source" domain has expanded from traditional media to the vast expanse of the internet: social media profiles, forum posts, website registrations, code repositories, and more.

Key Point:

OSINT is not about breaching privacy or accessing non-public data. It's the art and science of piecing together fragments of publicly accessible information to build a comprehensive picture.

2
The Username: A Critical Digital Identifier

In the digital realm, a username is one of the most powerful pivot points for an investigation. Humans are creatures of habit. Many individuals reuse the same or similar usernames across multiple platforms out of convenience or for personal branding.

Why Usernames Matter

  • • Consistent across platforms
  • • Reveal interests & activities
  • • Show timeline of usage
  • • Connect different accounts

Common Variations

  • • johndoe → john_doe
  • • johndoe123 → johndoe_123
  • • johndoe → johndoe_official
  • • johndoe → johndoe2024

3
Phase 1: Initial Reconnaissance with WhatsMyName.io

Before you can analyze a digital footprint, you must first find it. WhatsMyName.io automates the tedious task of manually checking hundreds of websites, allowing you to perform a broad-spectrum scan in seconds.

1The Initial Search

Begin with the primary username you are investigating. Enter it into the search bar, but don't stop there.

Pro Tip: Use batch search for variations. Enter multiple usernames (one per line) to check common variations simultaneously.

2Analyze the Results

Platform Clusters

Gaming sites vs developer platforms reveal interests

Profile Links

Match profile pictures and bios across platforms

Date Activity

Recent activity indicates active accounts

4
Phase 2: Pivoting and Deepening the Investigation

WhatsMyName.io provides the "what" and "where." Your job as an investigator is to use that information to discover the "who," "why," and "when."

Pivot from Found Profiles

Linked Accounts:

GitHub → personal website → Twitter handle

Associated Information:

Forum signatures, email addresses, employment history

Content Analysis:

Photos, text, code reveal location and interests

Utilize Advanced Features

Filtering

Focus on relevant platforms for your investigation type

Exporting

Export to CSV/JSON for complex case management

5
Best Practices & Tips

✓ Do This

  • • Document your findings systematically
  • • Cross-reference information across platforms
  • • Use multiple search variations
  • • Verify profile authenticity
  • • Respect platform terms of service
  • • Keep investigations legal and ethical

✗ Avoid This

  • • Don't assume all matches are the same person
  • • Don't rely on a single data point
  • • Don't ignore privacy settings and boundaries
  • • Don't use information for harassment
  • • Don't violate platform terms of service
  • • Don't make assumptions without verification

6
Ethical Considerations

⚠️ Important Reminder

With great power comes great responsibility. OSINT is a legal and ethical practice only when used responsibly.

Legal Guidelines
  • • Operate within local laws
  • • Respect platform terms of service
  • • Only use publicly available information
  • • Document your methodology
Ethical Use Cases
  • • Security research and investigation
  • • Fraud prevention and detection
  • • Journalism and fact-checking
  • • Academic research (with proper ethics approval)

Begin Your Investigation

Now that you understand the methodology, it's time to put it into practice.