RSS feeds

What is RSS?

RSS is a standardized, computer readable format to automatically read updates of websites. There are a variety of websites supported by RSS feeds. 

Why use RSS in Maltego Monitor?

Maltego Monitor offers the possibility to add RSS feeds into your monitor. In a number of cases, this can be an addition to the websites already available in Maltego Monitor. For instance:

• When social media sources are only available through RSS, like Reddit or Dumpert
• When websites are only relevant for your region, such as a local supporters association or event
• When you need to act quickly on current themes, for instance surrounding civil unrest by following activistic websites

How do I add an RSS feed in Maltego Monitor?

The option of adding RSS feeds is only visible and accessible for 'advanced users' (also called 'superusers'). This is how it works:

• Select 'settings' in your monitor and then 'Add new' (gear symbol, left bottom)
• Enter the RSS URL and then 'Add RSS feed' 
• The new RSS feed will appear in the list

When the new RSS feed is added, one of the following three statuses are shown:

• Active: PublicSonar found messages on the page. Messages are shown in the monitor
• Unverified: PublicSonar did not find any messages on this page yet or was not able to read them. Messages are not shown (yet)
• Inactive: PublicSonar only found messages on this page from longer than 6 months ago. Messages are not shown 

Interesting sources

Social media sources

Social media sources like Dumpert and Flickr contain a lot of visual information. Photo's and videos of riots, brawls, and other incidents impacting public order are posted on these platforms. Sources like Gab and Reddit on the other hand, are known as fora for freedom of speech. 

Dumpert RSS feed: https://api-live.dumpert.nl/mobile_api/json/rss

Event-related websites

Events often have a RSS feed to update visitors. Their RSS feeds provide insights about sport gatherings or surrounding new developments of websites. 

Ajax Supporters RSS feed: https://ajax.supporters.nl/nieuws/rss.xml

Search engines

It is possible to add a specific search query in Bing or Google, like for instance the word "farmer protest" as a RSS feed in Maltego Monitor. This way all new results on this search query are shown in Maltego Monitor. 

Bing search query - Farmers Protest (Dutch): https://www.bing.com/search?format=rss&q=boerenprotest&qs=AS&pq=boerenprotest&sc=8-13&cvid=23E7B271D50A436299C148664490790B&FORM=QBLH&sp=1

You can find instructions on how to generate a Google RSS feed at the bottom of this page. 

Intelligence communities

Intelligence communities like Bellingcat contain a lot of open crowd sourced information. Following these communities makes it easier to signal possible impacts to the public order. 

Bellingcat: https://www.bellingcat.com/feed/

Activism websites

Activism organizations like the Farmers Defense Force and Extinction rebellion often have websites where they announce demonstrations or keep blogs. RSS makes it easier to stay up to date with this. 

Farmers Defense Force: https://farmersdefenceforce.nl/feed/

Extinction Rebellion: https://rebellion.earth/feed/

There are multiple ways to find out if a webpage supports RSS:

Google Chrome extension

This is by far the easiest method. Google Chrome offers an extension called Get RSS feed URLs. Other browsers will likely offer similar extensions. Download this extension and use it every time you enter a new website.

If this doesn't work, use the next options. 

RSS symbol

An easy way to scan the page for the RSS symbol. By clicking on it you'll be redirected to the RSS feed or a collection of multiple RSS feeds. Now it's simply copying and pasting the link into Maltego Monitor. 

Use Google

Perhaps the most straightforward way is to put the website + RSS in the Google search bar and scan the results.

In the page source

Note: it is recommended to use Google Chrome for the following option. 

1. Visit the website of your interest, for example, https://www.nu.nl/. Check whether the website has one or multiple webpages and enter those. We take https://www.nu.nl/algemeen as an example. 
2. Open the page source. You can find this at View -> Developer -> Page source or right-click on the webpage and select 'View page source'. 
3. Use the search function (Control + F (Windows) or Command + F (Apple) and type ‘RSS’. The RSS feed is located behind a clickable link between quotation marks after 'href='. 
   • - Example: href="/rss"
   • - RSS feed URL: https://www.nu.nl/rss
4. Click on the link and copy the URL to Maltego Monitor. 

Google searches 

Finding an RSS feed for a Google search query works different. To do this, follow the next steps:

1. First, type your search into the Google search bar. OR combinations also work here. 
2. Click on the tab 'News' and scroll down until you see the button 'Set alert and select this
3. Click on 'Display options' and change the settings to your liking
4. Change 'Send to' to RSS feed
5. Click on 'Set alert'

The RSS feed will now appear when you click on the RSS symbol. Copy the URL into Maltego Monitor and you're good to go. 

Note: The Google RSS message in the PublicSonar message feed will be displayed as blank.