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Iris uses several free API services to provide comprehensive OSINT capabilities. While some features work without API keys, you’ll need to configure these keys to unlock the full functionality.

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Features That Don’t Require API Keys

The following features work out of the box without any API configuration:
  • Domain analysis (uses public DNS/WHOIS)
  • SEC EDGAR searches (free, no key needed)
  • GLEIF LEI lookup (free, no key needed)
  • Username search (uses public APIs)

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Required API Keys

To enable all features, you’ll need three free API keys. Follow the steps below to obtain each one.
1

ImgBB API Key

Purpose: Temporary image hosting for reverse image searchImgBB is used to temporarily store uploaded images during reverse image search operations. Images are automatically deleted after 10 minutes.
  1. Visit https://api.imgbb.com/
  2. Sign up for a free account
  3. Navigate to your API dashboard
  4. Copy your API key
The free ImgBB plan supports images up to 32MB. Premium plans allow larger files.
2

IPQualityScore API Key

Purpose: Email verification and reputation analysisIPQualityScore provides email validation, breach history checking, and reputation scoring.
  1. Go to https://www.ipqualityscore.com/
  2. Create a free account
  3. Access your dashboard after logging in
  4. Find your API key in the dashboard
The free tier includes a generous monthly quota suitable for most personal use cases.
3

Companies House API Key

Purpose: UK company data lookupsThe Companies House API provides access to official UK company registration and filing data.
  1. Visit https://developer.company-information.service.gov.uk/
  2. Create an account
  3. Register a new REST application
  4. Copy your API key from the application settings
This API key is only needed for UK company searches. Other company search features (SEC EDGAR, GLEIF) work without it.

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Environment Configuration

Once you have your API keys, create a .env file in the root directory of your Iris installation: 
# Logging Configuration
NEXT_PUBLIC_LOG_LEVEL=1  # 0 = disabled, 1 = basic, 2 = debug
NODE_ENV=production

# ImgBB - Temporary image hosting for reverse search
IMGBB_API_KEY=your_imgbb_api_key_here
MAX_IMAGE_SIZE=32000     # Maximum size in KB (32MB default)
IMAGE_EXPIRY=600         # Auto-delete after 600 seconds (10 minutes)

# IPQualityScore - Email analysis
IPQS_API_KEY=your_ipqs_api_key_here

# Companies House - UK company data
COMPANIESHOUSE_API_KEY=your_companies_house_api_key_here
Security Best Practices
  • Never commit your .env file to version control
  • Keep your API keys private and secure
  • Rotate keys periodically
  • Use different keys for development and production environments

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Configuration Options

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Image Upload Settings

VariableDefaultDescription
IMGBB_API_KEY-Your ImgBB API key
MAX_IMAGE_SIZE32000Maximum image size in KB (32MB is ImgBB’s free tier limit)
IMAGE_EXPIRY600Time in seconds before images auto-delete (10 minutes)

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Logging Configuration

VariableOptionsDescription
NEXT_PUBLIC_LOG_LEVEL0, 1, 20 = disabled, 1 = basic, 2 = debug
NODE_ENVdevelopment, productionApplication environment

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Troubleshooting

  1. Verify the key is copied correctly with no extra spaces
  2. Check that the key is active in the provider’s dashboard
  3. Ensure you haven’t exceeded the free tier quota
  4. Restart the application after updating .env file
  1. Confirm your IMGBB_API_KEY is set correctly
  2. Check that image size is under MAX_IMAGE_SIZE limit
  3. Verify image format is supported (JPEG, PNG, GIF, WebP)
  4. Ensure you haven’t exceeded ImgBB’s rate limits
  1. Verify your IPQS_API_KEY is configured
  2. Check your monthly quota on IPQualityScore dashboard
  3. Ensure the email format is valid
  4. Some emails may have limited public data available

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Next Steps

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