Get Maltego working on a Mac

[mubix]

Originally Posted: http://www.paterva.com/forum/index.php/topic,47.0.html

You will find below the steps I had to take to install Maltego CE on my MacBook runing OSX 10.5.

Even though this post is quite long, The procedure is actually quite simple and should work as long as you have a 64bit Intel Mac. (e.g. Core2Duo processor).

I go into details about command line steps because most Mac users aren''t used to typing commands. Sorry about that if you know what you are doing already. All the commands are case sensitive so type carefully.

Step 1: Updating Java

First, you need to download and install Java 1.6 since you most likely have version 1.5 on your system.

A simple way to check this is to lauch a terminal window and type the following command:

> java -version

you should get an output that looks like this

> java version "1.5.0_16"

> Java 2 Runtime Environment, Standard Edition (build 1.5.0_16-b06-284)

> Java HotSpot Client VM (build 1.5.0_16-133, mixed mode, sharing)

If you already have version "1.6.xxxx" you are all set. Download Maltego CE for Linux, double click on the .jar file and follow the instructions on screen. Otherwise, keep reading.

Java 1.6 for the mac can be downloaded here:

http://developer.apple.com/java/download/

You want to download the package named Java for Mac OS X 10.5, Update 1 (or any more recent update)

Note: this update will only work for 64bits Intel macs.

Double click on the .dmg file to mount it

Double click on the .pkg file to install it and follow the onscreen instructions

Note: If you execute the java -version command again, it will still tell you version 1.5 is installed. This is normal. Keep reading.

Installing java 1.6 neither removed version 1.5 nor configured your system to use version 1.6 by default.

I will not show you how to do this here. Instead, I will explain one way to use version 1.6 explicitly without reconfiguring the system. Feel free to do it in any other way if you want and skip to the next step instead.

(I tried to use the -version option of the java command without success, hence the following solution)

In a teminal window:

Find out where java is located by typing the following command

> which java

you should get something like

> /usr/bin/java

go to that location by typing (make sure to use the location you got above)

> cd /usr/bin

if you now type

> ls -l java

you should see that java is only a link that looks like this:

> java -> /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/Current/Commands/java

we will now create a link to version 1.6 and call it java6: (make sure to use the location you got above)

> sudo ln -s /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/1.6/Commands/java java6

The system will ask you for your password. This is normal since you need super user privilege to write to the /usr/bin directory.

if everything went well, typing:

> java6 -version

Should now get you something like this:

> java version "1.6.0_07"

> Java SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_07-b06-153)

> Java HotSpot 64-Bit Server VM (build 1.6.0_07-b06-57, mixed mode)

Note: there could be some minor differences in version number... as long as it starts with 1.6, you''re fine.

The tough part is over now. You can move on with step 2.

Step 2: Installing Maltego

Download Maltego CE for linux from the parterva web site

Do NOT double click on the downloaded .jar file instead, go back to you terminal window and do the following

Assuming you have downloaded the jar file in the standard OSX download folder, type these two commands:

> cd

> cd Downloads

If you have downloaded it somewhere else, you will have to get to the proper location issuing the proper cd commands...

Find out the precise name of the downloaded file by typing:

> ls Mal*

You should get something like this:

> MaltegoInstaller-v2-210-CE.jar

You can now run the installer by typing the following commands: (Note: make sure to use the filename you found in the previous step)

> java6 -jar MaltegoInstaller-v2-210-CE.jar

This will display an installation window. Click next, accept the license an follow the online instructions.

Once the installer completed its job, you have successfully installed Maltego using Java 1.6

Step 3: Configuring and launching Maltego

One more thing to do before using Maltego: you must tell it to specifically use java version 1.6

All the instructions below assumes you have installed Maltego on the default location. If you did otherwise, you will have to navigate to the proper installation location.

In the finder, navigate to this folder:

Applications -> MaltegoCE -> etc

Double click on the maltego.conf file to open it in your favorite text editor.

Near the end of the file, there is a line starting with:

#jdkhome=

Remove the leading # sign and add the path to your java 1.6 installation. (Note: You found that path earlier while installing Maltego)

The result should be similar to this: (Note the double quotes and the trailing /Home)

jdkhome="/System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/1.6/Home"

You are done. To lauch Maltego from the finder, navigate to the folder

Applications -> MaltegoCE -> bin

And double click on the maltego file. (Note: do not click on maltego.exe or maltego_w.exe, these will not work.)