Shodan

Overview

Shodan is the search engine for internet-connected devices — scan banners, open ports, services, vulnerabilities, and geolocation of exposed systems. Its API requires a key (free tier with limits; an invalid key returns 401 — verified). A standard tool for security research and exposure monitoring.

Quick Start

Account info (replace YOUR_KEY):

curl "https://api.shodan.io/api-info?key=YOUR_KEY"

Search hosts:

curl "https://api.shodan.io/shodan/host/search?query=apache&key=YOUR_KEY"

Host details by IP:

curl "https://api.shodan.io/shodan/host/8.8.8.8?key=YOUR_KEY"

Ports exposed / services:

curl "https://api.shodan.io/shodan/ports?key=YOUR_KEY"

Authentication

• Create a Shodan account → the API key is on your account page.
• Send it as the key query parameter (an invalid key returns 401 — verified).

Rate Limits & Notes

• Free tier: 50 credits/month (1 credit = 1 search result page or host scan); paid tiers scale.
• Search queries use Shodan’s filter syntax (port:22, country:US, product:nginx).
• The host/{ip} endpoint returns open ports, banners, OS, vulnerabilities, and location.
• Ethical use: only query IPs/services you’re authorized to inspect.

FAQ

Is Shodan free? Free tier: 50 credits/month; more is paid.

How do I get a key? Sign up at shodan.io — the key is on your account page.

What can I search for? Devices by port, product, country, vulnerability, and more via the filter syntax.