How OSINT Can Reveal a Crypto Wallet From a Single Photo

We often assume that someone who gains access to our accounts must be a skilled programmer or a computer engineer. However, in this article I will show how it is possible to uncover a surprising amount of information about a person without using any code or hacking tools, simply by analyzing a photo.

Every photo we upload and every detail we share online leaves more traces than we realize. These traces can be collected using OSINT techniques. With enough data, it becomes possible to uncover a person’s identity, their location, their social accounts and even their crypto wallet address.

What is OSINT?

OSINT refers to collecting information from publicly available sources on the internet. This includes social networks, images, videos, metadata, Google search results, iCloud and Google Photos data and many other everyday platforms.

There is no hacking involved. The key is that people unintentionally leave behind social media traces.

1. Hidden information inside a photo

Numbers, symbols or seemingly random elements visible on a photo may reveal hidden messages. Binary patterns, for example, can be converted to ASCII text. This is why extracting information from a photo is often the first step in OSINT analysis.

2. Metadata - the invisible layer of a photo

Metadata contains technical information about the image file. It commonly includes:

• device name
• owner name
• capture date
• geolocation (GPS coordinates)

Most smartphone users name their devices with their own names. This alone can reveal a person’s identity directly from the metadata.

3. Collecting data from social networks

Once a name or username is identified, it is usually easy to find their Instagram, Facebook, TikTok or LinkedIn profiles. Photos, captions, comments and location tags provide strong social media traces about the person’s lifestyle, activities and connections.

4. Traces in Google Photos, iCloud and Instagram

These platforms store far more information than most users realize:

• Google Photos shows the exact location on a map
• iCloud keeps EXIF and metadata intact
• Instagram automatically attaches location and time information

All of these combined can reveal a user’s movement patterns and completely eliminate their anonymity.

5. Tracking the crypto wallet

Blockchain is transparent. If a crypto wallet address is discovered, the following details become visible:

• balance
• past transactions
• mining income
• token movements

Tools like EtherScan make ethereum tracking extremely easy.

6. Determining a location from a photo

Small visual details are often enough to determine geolocation:

• buildings
• monuments
• signs
• airport codes
• natural landscapes

A simple clue in the background can reveal exactly where the photo was taken.

7. Wi-Fi BSSID traces

Some devices store the identifiers of Wi-Fi networks they connect to. If this information becomes publicly accessible, it may be possible to determine the approximate physical location of the router. This creates serious internet security risks.

Conclusion

Just:

• one photo
• its metadata
• a few social media traces
• publicly available information

can reveal surprising amounts of data about a person.

This demonstrates how powerful OSINT is and what happens when anonymity is not protected.

How to protect yourself

• remove metadata before sharing photos
• disable location services
• be mindful of what you post
• avoid using your real name for devices

Remember: Nothing is ever truly deleted from the internet!