How to use the command sherlock (with examples)

Sherlock is a command-line tool that allows users to search for a specific username across various social networks. It provides a convenient way to gather information about an individual from different online platforms.

Use case 1: Search for a specific username on social networks saving the results to a file

Code:

sherlock username --output path/to/file

Motivation: By using this command, users can search for a specific username on social networks and save the results to a file. This is useful for keeping track of the search results and referring to them at a later time.

Explanation:

• username: The specific username you want to search for on social networks.
• --output path/to/file: Specifies the output file path where the results will be saved.

Example Output:

[*] Checking username on:
[1/19] Facebook: Not Found
[2/19] Twitter: Found
[3/19] Instagram: Found
...
[19/19] TikTok: Not Found

Results saved to path/to/file.

Use case 2: Search for specific usernames on social networks saving the results into a directory

Code:

sherlock username1 username2 ... --folderoutput path/to/directory

Motivation: This use case allows users to search for multiple usernames on social networks and save the results into a dedicated directory. It simplifies the process of organizing and managing the search results for multiple usernames.

Explanation:

• username1 username2 ...: Multiple usernames separated by spaces that you want to search for on social networks.
• --folderoutput path/to/directory: Specifies the output directory path where the results will be saved.

Example Output:

[*] Checking username1 on:
[1/19] Facebook: Found
[2/19] Twitter: Found
[3/19] Instagram: Found
...
[19/19] TikTok: Found

[*] Checking username2 on:
[1/19] Facebook: Found
[2/19] Twitter: Not Found
[3/19] Instagram: Found
...
[19/19] TikTok: Found

Results saved to path/to/directory/username1 and path/to/directory/username2.

Use case 3: Search for a specific username on social networks using the Tor network

Code:

sherlock --tor username

Motivation: This use case leverages the Tor network to search for a specific username on social networks. It provides an additional layer of privacy and anonymity while conducting the search.

Explanation:

• --tor: Enables the use of the Tor network for the search.
• username: The specific username you want to search for on social networks.

Example Output:

[*] Checking username on:
[1/19] Facebook: Not Found
[2/19] Twitter: Found
[3/19] Instagram: Found
...
[19/19] TikTok: Not Found

Use case 4: Make requests over Tor with a new Tor circuit after each request

Code:

sherlock --unique-tor username

Motivation: This use case allows users to make requests over Tor with a new Tor circuit after each request. It enhances privacy by preventing the correlation of requests made during the search.

Explanation:

• --unique-tor: Enables the use of a new Tor circuit after each request.
• username: The specific username you want to search for on social networks.

Example Output:

[*] Checking username on:
[1/19] Facebook: Not Found
[2/19] Twitter: Found
[3/19] Instagram: Found
...
[19/19] TikTok: Not Found

Use case 5: Search for a specific username on social networks using a proxy

Code:

sherlock username --proxy proxy_url

Motivation: This use case allows users to search for a specific username on social networks using a proxy. It helps to bypass restrictions or geo-blocking imposed by social networks and enables users to access content that may not be available in their region.

Explanation:

• username: The specific username you want to search for on social networks.
• --proxy proxy_url: Specifies the proxy URL to be used for the search.

Example Output:

[*] Checking username on:
[1/19] Facebook: Not Found
[2/19] Twitter: Found
[3/19] Instagram: Found
...
[19/19] TikTok: Not Found

Use case 6: Search for a specific username on social networks and open results in the default web browser

Code:

sherlock username --browse

Motivation: This use case allows users to search for a specific username on social networks and open the search results directly in their default web browser. It provides a convenient way to view the results and navigate through them easily.

Explanation:

• username: The specific username you want to search for on social networks.
• --browse: Opens the search results in the default web browser.

Example Output:

[*] Checking username on:
[1/19] Facebook: Not Found
[2/19] Twitter: Found
[3/19] Instagram: Found
...
[19/19] TikTok: Not Found

Use case 7: Display help

Code:

sherlock --help

Motivation: This use case displays the help information and provides an overview of the available command-line options and arguments for the Sherlock command.

Example Output:

usage: sherlock [-h] [--version] [--folderoutput FOLDEROUTPUT]
                [--output OUTPUT] [--tor] [--unique-tor] [--proxy PROXY]
                [--browse]
                [username [username ...]]

Find usernames across social networks. More information:
<https://github.com/sherlock-project/sherlock>.

positional arguments:
  username              One or more usernames to search for on social networks

optional arguments:
  -h, --help            show this help message and exit
  --version             Display version information and exit.
  --folderoutput FOLDEROUTPUT, -fo FOLDEROUTPUT
                        If using multiple usernames, the output of the results
                        will be saved to this folder.
  --output OUTPUT, -o OUTPUT
                        If using single username, the output of the result
                        will be saved to this file.
  --tor                 Make requests over Tor; increases runtime; requires
                        Tor to be installed and in system path.
  --unique-tor          Make requests over Tor with new Tor circuit after each
                        request; increases runtime; requires Tor to be
                        installed and in system path.
  --proxy PROXY         Make requests over a proxy. e.g.
                        socks5://127.0.0.1:1080
  --browse, -b          Browse opened profiles with default browser.

Conclusion:

The “sherlock” command provides a convenient way to search for a specific username on social networks. It offers various features such as saving results to a file or directory, using the Tor network or a proxy, and opening the results in a web browser. By leveraging these use cases, users can gather valuable information about an individual from different online platforms.