When opening Maltego for the first time, users will be presented with a window prompting them to choose between activation using a License Key or using their Maltego ID.
Note: All editions of Maltego run from the same installation, and this initial selection allows you to select which license type you will be using. The version of Maltego selected can be changed at any time.
Online Activation using your License Key
Initial activation options from the Welcome Screen.
To activate your Maltego Desktop Client using a License Key, select the License Key option and click Next.
You will be prompted in the next step to select Online or Offline Activation. The Online method is the recommended (and default) way to activate your Maltego Client.
Click Next to proceed with online activation.
When prompted, enter the 26-digit License Key provided to you with your Maltego purchase.
Advanced Options
From Maltego version 4.1.15 onward, the default option is User License.
Microsoft Windows Users, please take note:
Machine License Activation requires read and write access to the "C:\ProgramData\Paterva\Maltego" folder.
Both License Activation options require read and write access to the "C:\Users\<user_name>\AppData\Roaming" folder.
User and cache folder location customization:
Please take note that it is possible to specify the User and Cache folder locations by providing startup commands:
--userdir <new_user_foler>
--cachedir <new_cache_dir>
Considerations when using these settings:
By default, the cache folder (--cachedir) is a subfolder of the user folder (--userdir).
The cache folder (--cachedir) requires high-speed disk access; do not place it on a network folder. Hence, if you plan to use a network folder for the user folder (--userdir), you have to set a local disk cache folder (--cachedir).
The use of network folders are not recommended as they will impact your Maltego Client's performance significantly. Windows caches file writes. This results in Maltego exceptions when it attempts to write to files it created but which have not yet persisted to disk storage.
After entering your license key, click Next.
The Client will check whether the license key entered is valid. Should the license be valid, the product will be activated and the following screen will be displayed:
Once your license Key has been successfully verified, you will be prompted to accept Maltego's General Terms and Conditions.
Check the Accept box, and click Next to continue.
Your Maltego Desktop Client has been successfully activated!
Next, you will be prompted to Select, Download, and Install Data Sources from Maltego's Data Hub.
After selecting your preferred Transform sources, click Next.
A summary of your installation will be displayed. Click Next, and then Finish.
You are now ready to start using Maltego! For further guides, head to the Home page, or Your First Graph.
Offline Activation using your License Key
Should your Maltego Client be operating in an offline environment, you are able to perform an offline activation.
To activate your Maltego Client offline, select the Offline Activation option from the License Key Activation Welcome Screen. Click Next.
When prompted, enter your 26-digit License Key. After entering your key, click Next.
You will be presented with a page that provides a License Request blob and a link to the activation website.
Copy the License Request blob and browse to the link specified (from a machine connected to the Internet if your Maltego Client host is offline).
Copying your License Request blob into the website form and clicking the Generate Key will create a license file (maltego.lic) that will be downloaded by your web browser.
You can then return to the Maltego Activation Wizard in the Maltego Client and Upload the new license file.
Once uploaded, click Next to check whether the license file is valid. If valid, your Maltego Client will be activated.