Welcome back, aspiring cyberwarriors!
Threads is Meta’s text-based microblogging platform that launched in July 2023 as a competitor to Twitter/X. It’s built on Instagram’s structure and reached 100 million users in just five days, making it one of the fastest-growing platforms. Unlike Instagram, which focuses on images, Threads emphasizes short text posts up to 500 characters and allows users to share images, short videos, likes, and reposts, similar to Twitter/X.
For OSINT analysts, one key thing to remember is that Threads is tied to Instagram. You can’t create a Threads account without having an Instagram account first. They share the same username, but you might find different bios, profile pictures, or privacy settings. This connection opens up investigative roads. Even if someone has a locked-down Instagram profile, their Threads account might be completely public.
In this article, we will dive into some techniques to kickstart your OSINT investigation on Threads. Let’s get rolling!
Step #1: Google Dorks for Threads
Each Threads post has its own URL that starts with/t/. If you want to focus your Google search on posts, using that path will help you find the actual content rather than just profile pages.
site:threads.net/t/ "keyword"
Profile pages can be found at URLs that include the @ symbol. By following this path, you can narrow results to profile pages, helping you discover accounts with specific keywords, locations, or IDs in their bios. For instance, we could look for accounts that are based in Moscow.
site:threads.net/@ "Moscow"
Coverage Note: Google’s Threads index isn’t complete and tends to highlight posts that get a lot of attention and shares. If a post comes from a low-activity account or doesn’t get much engagement, it probably won’t show up in search results, even if it’s public. Dorks can only find what’s been indexed, not everything that’s out there.
Step #2: Unauthenticated Access
One of the best things about Threads for OSINT is that you can check public profiles right from your desktop browser without logging in. Just click a Threads profile, and you’ll see their recent posts and info, like their bio and profile picture, without any hassle. As of now, the platform shows about 20-30 of the latest threads and replies without needing you to sign in.
The easiest way to see if an Instagram account is also on Threads is to add their Instagram username to the base URL. If they have a Threads profile, it’ll pop up right away:
https://threads.net/instagram_username
This trick works even if they haven’t linked their Threads account to their Instagram.
Step #3: Profile Intelligence
Even though users have the same username, their bio on Threads is completely separate from their Instagram bio. Someone might have a short or super polished bio on Instagram but be more open on Threads, sharing a different name, a unique description, a link to another site, or other personal details that don’t show up on their Instagram.
Also, the profile picture on Threads is chosen independently and may differ from what’s on Instagram. This is important for a couple of reasons. First, if someone has a generic avatar, a blurred-out picture, or a logo on Instagram, they might have shared a more recognizable photo on Threads, especially if they set it up shortly after Instagram without worrying too much about privacy. On the flip side, for private Instagram accounts where the profile picture isn’t revealing, Threads might show a clearer image.
Step #4: The GraphQL API Layer
Threads runs on the same GraphQL API setup as Instagram, which means it shares the same tech that powers all of Meta’s apps. When you pull up a Threads profile page, your browser sends HTTP POST requests to GraphQL endpoints that return structured JSON data about the user and their content. This data is way more detailed than what you actually see on the screen, and you can check it out using browser developer tools.
To dig into the user and media data from the Threads API for any profile, follow these steps. First, go to the Threads profile you want to look at. Next, open the browser developer tools by hitting F12 or right-clicking and choosing Inspect. Then, head over to the Network tab. Filter the network requests to show Fetch/XHR or just XHR. This will let you see the API calls instead of regular page info. Finally, refresh the page and keep an eye out for the query.
The JSON you see in these requests includes extra details that aren’t visible on the profile itself, such as additional profile info, image URLs in different sizes and timestamps. Keeping track of these values at the start of your investigation gives you a baseline to compare against future changes to the profile.
Summary
Threads isn’t meant to replace Instagram for OSINT; it’s more like Instagram’s shadow. Users might share the same username, but they can show a totally different side of themselves on this less-serious platform. That difference is where you can find some useful insights.
In this article, we looked into some ways to kick off your investigation on Threads.
If you’re looking to enhance your OSINT skills, consider exploring our OSINT training. If you need assistance in uncovering the truth, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected], and we’ll conduct a comprehensive OSINT investigation for you.
Source: HackersArise
Source Link: https://hackers-arise.com/open-source-intelligence-osint-extracting-information-from-threads/