sherlock

Search 400+ social networks for accounts matching a username using the Sherlock CLI.

14|5|Updated Apr 9, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/MLT-OSS/hermes-agent-go --skill sherlock-mlt-oss
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: sherlock
Source: https://github.com/MLT-OSS/hermes-agent-go/tree/main/optional-skills/security/sherlock
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/MLT-OSS/hermes-agent-go --skill sherlock-mlt-oss

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill requires sherlock-project.

What problem does it solve? Manually checking whether a username is registered across hundreds of social platforms is slow and error-prone. This Skill automates OSINT username reconnaissance by running the Sherlock CLI and presenting the discovered account URLs in a clean, organized format. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Cross-Platform Username Search: Query 400+ social networks in a single command to find where a username is registered. - Guided Execution Workflow: Verifies Sherlock is installed, extracts the username from the request, builds the correct command, and parses results into categorized links. - Optional Search Modes: Supports NSFW site inclusion, Tor routing, custom timeouts, and site-limited searches when explicitly requested. - Use Case: A security researcher investigating a suspicious handle asks to find accounts for 'johndoe123'; the Skill runs Sherlock and returns a list of matching profile URLs across Twitter, GitHub, Instagram, and more. ## Quick Start Ask the agent to find all social media accounts associated with a specific username, for example: check where the username 'johndoe123' is registered.

Frequently Asked Questions about sherlock

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I find social media accounts by username?

Run the Sherlock CLI with the target username, for example: sherlock --print-found --no-color "username" --timeout 90. It queries 400+ social networks and prints the URLs of accounts where the username is registered.

How do I install Sherlock for username OSINT searches?

Install with pipx using pipx install sherlock-project, or with pip install sherlock-project. Alternatively, run it via Docker with docker run -it --rm sherlock/sherlock <username>. It is also packaged for Debian, Ubuntu, Homebrew, Kali, and BlackArch.

Can Sherlock search anonymously through Tor?

Yes, Sherlock supports a --tor flag to route requests through the Tor network, but it requires a running Tor daemon. If Tor is unavailable, you can use the --proxy flag with an alternative proxy instead.

Why does Sherlock return no results for a username?

No results usually means the username is genuinely not registered on the checked platforms. Try verifying the spelling, testing variations with the ? wildcard, or checking whether the account was deleted or made private.

What are the limitations of Sherlock username searches?

Some sites produce false positives due to their response structure, and aggressive searches can trigger rate limits. Slow or blocking sites may also cause timeouts, which can be mitigated with --timeout or by limiting scope with --site.