Unlocking the Power of Bookmarklets in Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) investigations, efficiency and precision can add to working faster and more efficiently. This lesser-known yet incredibly powerful tool that OSINT investigators can leverage are known as bookmarklets. These small snippets of JavaScript code, saved as bookmarks in your web browser, can automate a wide range of tasks, from data extraction to information analysis, significantly enhancing the speed and accuracy of investigations.

What are Bookmarklets?

Bookmarklets are essentially JavaScript programs stored as URL bookmarks. When clicked, they execute specific tasks directly in the browser. Unlike traditional browser extensions, bookmarklets do not require installation or permissions, making them lightweight and easy to use. They can be particularly useful in OSINT investigations for quickly gathering and processing data from various online sources.

Why Use Bookmarklets in OSINT?

• Automation: Bookmarklets can automate repetitive tasks such as scraping data from websites, extracting metadata, and running searches across multiple platforms.
• Efficiency: By using bookmarklets, investigators can streamline their workflows, saving valuable time and effort.
• Portability: Since bookmarklets are simply bookmarks, they can be easily shared and used across different browsers and devices without any compatibility issues.

Examples of Bookmarklets for OSINT Investigations

1. Google Search Operators

This bookmarklet allows investigators to quickly perform Google searches with specific operators, enhancing the precision of their search queries.

javascript:location.href=’https://www.google.com/search?q=site:’+document.domain;

2. Social Media Profile Scraper

This bookmarklet extracts key information from social media profiles, such as usernames, profile IDs, and bios.

javascript:(function(){var profileInfo=”;profileInfo+=’Username: ‘+document.querySelector(‘meta[property=”og:title”]’).content+’\n’;profileInfo+=’Profile ID: ‘+document.querySelector(‘meta[property=”al:ios:url”]’).content.split(‘/’)[4]+’\n’;profileInfo+=’Bio: ‘+document.querySelector(‘meta[name=”description”]’).content+’\n’;alert(profileInfo);})();

3. IP Address Lookup

This bookmarklet performs a quick IP address lookup using a third-party service like ipinfo.io.

javascript:var ip=prompt(‘Enter IP address:’);if(ip){window.open(‘https://ipinfo.io/’+ip);}

4. Metadata Extractor

This bookmarklet extracts metadata from the current webpage, such as title, description, and keywords.

javascript:(function(){var metaTags=document.getElementsByTagName(‘meta’);var metaInfo=”;for(var i=0;i<metaTags.length;i++){metaInfo+=metaTags[i].getAttribute(‘name’)+’: ‘+metaTags[i].getAttribute(‘content’)+’\n’;}alert(metaInfo);})();

How to Create and Use Bookmarklets

Creating a bookmarklet is straightforward. Here’s a simple step-by-step guide:

• Write the JavaScript Code: Develop the JavaScript code to perform the desired task.
• Create a Bookmark: In your web browser, create a new bookmark.
• Edit the Bookmark URL: Replace the URL of the new bookmark with the JavaScript code, prefixed by `javascript:`.

For example, to create a Google Search Operator bookmarklet:

• Write the JavaScript code: `javascript:location.href=’https://www.google.com/search?q=site:’+document.domain;`
• Create a new bookmark.
• Edit the bookmark’s URL and paste the JavaScript code.

To use the bookmarklet, simply click on the bookmark, and it will execute the JavaScript code on the current webpage.

My conclusion would be that bookmarklets are an invaluable tool in the OSINT investigator’s toolkit. They offer a simple yet powerful way to automate tasks, enhance search capabilities, and extract crucial information quickly and efficiently. By incorporating bookmarklets into your workflow, investigators can significantly boost their productivity and accuracy in uncovering and analysing open-source intelligence.

References

• Mozilla Developer Network (MDN) Bookmarklets (https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTML/Element/a#examples)
• OSINT Techniques – Bookmarklets (https://osinttechniques.com/bookmarklets/)
• ipinfo.io – IP Address Lookup (https://ipinfo.io/)