hunt-a-handle

# Hunt a handle Handle reuse is the cheapest strong link in OSINT: one string, checked in minutes, potentially tying a dozen platforms to one person. It is also the most over-trusted. Enumerators do not verify identity — they perform HTTP existence checks — and a hit list is a list of *candidates*, nothing more. The mistake that ruins these investigations is pasting the tool's output into the report. Enumeration is the cheap half; confirmation is the work. ## Step 1 — Authorized scope Read [../../ETHICS.md](../../ETHICS.md) and write down, before any query: subject, objective, in-bounds selectors, out-of-bounds actions (logging in, contacting, requesting follows), and the governing jurisdiction. Handle hunting drifts easily — one run hands you thirty new platforms, and it is trivial to end up profiling an uninvolved person who shares the string. **Done when** scope is written down and you can name what would put you out of bounds. ## Step 2 — Pick your enumerator | Holding | Reach for | Why | |---|---|---| | One handle, need breadth fast | `sherlock` | Largest quick sweep, existence only | | One handle, need profile content | `maigret` | Parses the page: display name, bio, IDs, links, sometimes country and creation date | | Need to see why a hit fired | WhatsMyName data | Every check is a declared URI plus a match rule you can read | | A handle on one known platform | Manual visit | Nothing beats reading the actual profile | ```bash sherlock jdoe_92 --timeout 10 --csv ...