GhostTrack: Open Source OSINT Tool for Location and Identity Tracking

GhostTrack is an open source OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) tool that enables security researchers, penetration testers, and information gathering professionals to track IP addresses, phone numbers, and usernames across social media platforms. With over 11,500 stars on GitHub, it has become a popular choice for reconnaissance and digital footprint analysis.

Understanding the Architecture

The architecture diagram above illustrates how GhostTrack organizes its four core modules around a central toolkit interface. Let us break down each component:

Central Hub: GhostTrack OSINT Toolkit The main entry point provides a menu-driven interface where users select from four tracking options. Each module operates independently, allowing targeted reconnaissance without unnecessary data collection.

IP Tracker (Option 1) This module queries the ipwho.is API to retrieve comprehensive geolocation data. It returns the target’s country, city, region, latitude, longitude, ISP, ASN, timezone, and even generates a Google Maps link for visual location pinpointing. The API provides rich structured data including connection details and timezone information.

Phone Number Tracker (Option 3) Leveraging the Python phonenumbers library, this module parses international phone numbers and extracts carrier information, geographic location, timezone data, and number type classification (mobile, fixed-line, etc.). It supports E.164 and international formatting standards.

Username Tracker (Option 4) This module performs automated username enumeration across 23+ social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, GitHub, TikTok, and more. It sends HTTP requests to each platform and reports whether the username exists, making it invaluable for digital footprint analysis.

Show Your IP (Option 2) A quick utility that displays the user’s own public IP address using the ipify.org API, useful for verifying your own network identity before conducting research.

How It Works: Tracking Workflow

Understanding the Tracking Workflow

The workflow diagram shows how GhostTrack processes different input types through its pipeline:

Input Stage: Users provide one of three input types – an IP address, a phone number, or a username. Each input type routes to the appropriate processing module.

Processing Stage: The central API Lookup and Processing engine dispatches queries to the appropriate data sources:

• IP addresses are sent to the ipwho.is REST API
• Phone numbers are processed locally using the phonenumbers Python library
• Usernames trigger HTTP requests to 23+ social media platforms

Output Stage: Results are structured into four categories of actionable intelligence:

• Geolocation and Maps – precise coordinates with Google Maps links
• Network Information – ISP, ASN, and connection details
• Carrier and Number Type – mobile carrier identification and number classification
• Social Media Accounts – discovered profiles across platforms

Key Features

Understanding the Features

The features diagram highlights GhostTrack’s four primary capabilities and their detailed outputs:

IP Tracking provides deep geolocation intelligence including country, region, city, continent, latitude, longitude, postal code, and a direct Google Maps link. Network details cover ISP, ASN, organization, and domain information. Timezone data includes UTC offset, DST status, and current local time.

Phone Tracking uses the phonenumbers library to validate and classify phone numbers. It identifies the carrier (mobile operator), determines the geographic region, validates whether the number is possible and valid, and classifies the number type (mobile, fixed-line, etc.). It supports multiple international formats including E.164 and mobile dialing formats.

Username Tracking scans 23+ social media platforms in a single pass. It checks Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, GitHub, Pinterest, Tumblr, YouTube, SoundCloud, Snapchat, TikTok, Behance, Medium, Quora, Flickr, Twitch, Dribbble, Telegram, and more. Each platform returns either the profile URL or a “not found” status.

Cross-Platform Support ensures GhostTrack runs on Linux (Debian-based), Termux (Android), and Windows, making it accessible for security professionals regardless of their operating system.

Installation

Prerequisites

• Python 3.x installed on your system
• Git for cloning the repository
• Internet connection for API queries

Install on Linux (Debian/Ubuntu)

sudo apt-get install git
sudo apt-get install python3
git clone https://github.com/HunxByts/GhostTrack.git
cd GhostTrack
pip3 install -r requirements.txt
python3 GhostTR.py

Install on Termux (Android)

pkg install git
pkg install python3
git clone https://github.com/HunxByts/GhostTrack.git
cd GhostTrack
pip3 install -r requirements.txt
python3 GhostTR.py

Dependencies

The requirements.txt file includes two dependencies:

requests
phonenumbers

• requests – Used for HTTP API calls to ipwho.is, ipify.org, and social media platforms
• phonenumbers – Google’s Python library for parsing, formatting, and validating international phone numbers

Usage Guide

IP Tracker

Select Option 1 from the menu and enter a target IP address. The tool queries ipwho.is and returns:

Field	Description
IP Address	The target IP
Country / Region	Geographic location
City	City-level location
Latitude / Longitude	Precise coordinates
Google Maps Link	Direct link to mapped location
ISP	Internet Service Provider
ASN	Autonomous System Number
Organization	Network organization
Timezone	Local time information

Phone Number Tracker

Select Option 3 and enter a phone number in international format (e.g., +6281xxxxxxxxx). The tool returns:

Field	Description
Location	Geographic area of the number
Carrier	Mobile network operator
Timezone	Associated timezone
Number Type	Mobile, fixed-line, etc.
Valid Number	Whether the number is valid
International Format	E.164 formatted number

Username Tracker

Select Option 4 and enter a username. The tool checks 23+ social media platforms and reports whether the username is found on each platform, providing direct profile URLs when available.

Show Your IP

Select Option 2 to quickly display your current public IP address using the ipify.org API.

Technical Details

GhostTrack is written in Python and uses a modular architecture with a decorator-based menu system. The @is_option decorator automatically displays the GhostTrack banner before each module execution, providing a consistent user experience.

The tool uses color-coded terminal output (ANSI escape codes) for readability, with different colors for labels, values, and headers. Error handling includes graceful exits for keyboard interrupts and invalid input validation.

Ethical Considerations

GhostTrack is designed for legitimate security research and OSINT purposes. Users should:

• Only track IP addresses and phone numbers they have authorization to investigate
• Respect privacy laws and regulations in their jurisdiction
• Use the tool responsibly for penetration testing and security assessments
• Not use the tool for harassment, stalking, or illegal surveillance

Links

• GitHub Repository: https://github.com/HunxByts/GhostTrack
• ipwho.is API: https://ipwho.is
• ipify.org API: https://api.ipify.org
• phonenumbers Library: https://github.com/daviddrysdale/python-phonenumbers

Conclusion

GhostTrack provides a straightforward, menu-driven interface for OSINT information gathering. Its four modules cover the most common reconnaissance needs – IP geolocation, phone number analysis, username enumeration, and self-IP verification. With minimal dependencies and cross-platform support, it is an accessible entry point for security researchers and penetration testers who need quick intelligence gathering capabilities. The tool’s simplicity makes it ideal for beginners learning OSINT techniques while still providing valuable functionality for experienced professionals.

Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by following us