Shodan

The world's first search engine for internet-connected devices, enabling cybersecurity professionals to discover exposed systems, analyze network infrastructure, and assess global attack surfaces.

OSINT Network Scanning Attack Surface Discovery IoT Discovery

Overview

Shodan is a revolutionary search engine that indexes internet-connected devices and their metadata, providing unprecedented visibility into global network infrastructure. Unlike traditional search engines that index websites, Shodan scans the entire internet, cataloging servers, routers, IoT devices, industrial control systems, webcams, and more. Developed by John Matherly, Shodan continuously probes the internet for open ports, services, and banners, creating a comprehensive database of exposed devices. Security professionals use Shodan for attack surface discovery, vulnerability identification, and threat hunting. The platform offers both a free web interface and a powerful API for programmatic access, making it essential for penetration testers, security researchers, and incident responders. Key capabilities include filtering by geolocation, operating system, service type, and specific vulnerabilities (e.g., heartbleed). Shodan also provides historical data analysis, allowing users to track changes in device exposure over time, and integrates with other security tools for automated vulnerability assessment.

Primary Use Cases

✔ Discovering exposed devices and infrastructure including servers, routers, and IoT systems to identify potential security vulnerabilities.

✔ Conducting vulnerability research by identifying devices with known security flaws such as heartbleed and default credentials.

✔ Performing geographical and infrastructure analysis to understand global device distribution and network exposure patterns.

Frequently Asked Questions

Shodan is a search engine for internet-connected devices that continuously scans the internet for open ports and services. It indexes metadata such as device type, operating system, and banner information, allowing users to search for specific devices and analyze global network infrastructure.

Shodan offers a limited free tier with basic search capabilities and a certain number of results per query. For more advanced features, higher result limits, and API access, Shodan offers paid subscriptions including various tiers for individual and enterprise use.

Shodan indexes a wide range of internet-connected devices including servers, webcams, routers, industrial control systems, IoT devices, building automation systems, medical devices, and many other types of connected hardware that have public-facing interfaces.

Shodan is used in security assessments to identify an organization's exposed assets, discover misconfigured devices, check for default passwords, and monitor for vulnerabilities. It helps security teams understand their attack surface and proactively address risks before attackers exploit them.

Yes, Shodan offers a comprehensive REST API that allows developers to integrate Shodan search capabilities into their own applications, automation scripts, and security tools. The API enables programmatic access to search results, device metadata, and real-time scanning data.

Metadata

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Category Info

Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) tools for gathering and analyzing publicly available information from various sources including websites, social media, DNS records, public databases, and other open data sources for security investigations and threat intelligence.

Added On

August 18, 2026

Last Updated

August 18, 2026