Shodan
Retrieve comprehensive information about an IP address, including geolocation, open ports, running services, SSL certificates, hostnames, and cloud provider details if available. Returns service banne
What is Shodan?
Shodan is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to retrieve comprehensive information about an ip address, including geolocation, open ports, running services, ssl certificates, hostnames, and cloud provider details if available. returns service banne
Retrieve comprehensive information about an IP address, including geolocation, open ports, running services, SSL certificates, hostnames, and cloud provider details if available. Returns service banne
This server falls under the Security category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- ip_lookup
- shodan_search
- cve_lookup
- dns_lookup
- cpe_lookup
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
NPM
npx -y @burtthecoder/mcp-shodanManual Installation
npx -y @burtthecoder/mcp-shodanConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use Shodan
The Shodan MCP server wraps the Shodan internet intelligence platform as a set of MCP tools, giving AI assistants direct access to IP reconnaissance, device discovery, vulnerability data, and DNS lookups. Security analysts and penetration testers can look up any internet-facing IP to see its open ports, running services, SSL certificates, and cloud provider; search for exposed devices using Shodan's powerful query syntax; and cross-reference CVEs against specific products — all through natural language without leaving their AI assistant.
Prerequisites
- Node.js v20 or later
- A Shodan account with an API key (sign up at account.shodan.io; a free account provides limited queries)
- npx available on your PATH
- An MCP client such as Claude Desktop or Claude Code
Obtain your Shodan API key
Log in to account.shodan.io, go to Account Overview, and copy your API key. Free accounts have limited query credits; a paid membership unlocks full search capabilities.
Add the server via Claude Code (quickest method)
Use the Claude Code CLI to add the Shodan MCP server with your API key in one command.
claude mcp add --transport stdio --env SHODAN_API_KEY=your-shodan-api-key shodan -- npx -y @burtthecoder/mcp-shodanOr configure manually in Claude Desktop
Add the server to your Claude Desktop config file located at ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json (macOS) or %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json (Windows).
{
"mcpServers": {
"shodan": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@burtthecoder/mcp-shodan"],
"env": {
"SHODAN_API_KEY": "your-shodan-api-key"
}
}
}
}Restart your MCP client
Restart Claude Desktop or your chosen MCP client to load the new server. The Shodan tools will appear in the available tool list.
Verify connectivity with an IP lookup
Test the connection by asking your AI assistant to look up a well-known public IP address.
Shodan Examples
Client configuration (Claude Desktop)
Full configuration block for adding the Shodan MCP server to Claude Desktop with your API key.
{
"mcpServers": {
"shodan": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@burtthecoder/mcp-shodan"],
"env": {
"SHODAN_API_KEY": "your-shodan-api-key-here"
}
}
}
}Prompts to try
These prompts use the ip_lookup, shodan_search, cve_lookup, dns_lookup, and cves_by_product tools.
- "Look up the IP address 8.8.8.8 and tell me its open ports, services, and hosting provider."
- "Search Shodan for Apache servers exposing port 8080 in Germany."
- "Look up CVE-2024-3400 and give me details about this vulnerability."
- "Do a DNS lookup for github.com and show me all resolved IP addresses."
- "Find all known CVEs affecting nginx version 1.18 and summarize the critical ones."
- "Do a reverse DNS lookup for the IP 1.1.1.1."Troubleshooting Shodan
401 Unauthorized error when making any Shodan query
Your SHODAN_API_KEY is missing or incorrect. Verify it at account.shodan.io under Account Overview and update it in your MCP client config, then restart the client.
402 Payment Required when running searches
Shodan's free tier has very limited query credits. The shodan_search tool requires a paid Shodan membership (or at minimum, query credits). Use the ip_lookup, dns_lookup, and reverse_dns_lookup tools which work with free accounts.
429 Too Many Requests rate limiting errors
You have exceeded Shodan's API rate limits. Wait a minute before retrying, and avoid making rapid consecutive tool calls. Consider upgrading your Shodan plan for higher rate limits.
Frequently Asked Questions about Shodan
What is Shodan?
Shodan is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that retrieve comprehensive information about an ip address, including geolocation, open ports, running services, ssl certificates, hostnames, and cloud provider details if available. returns service banne It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install Shodan?
Install via npm with the command: npx -y @burtthecoder/mcp-shodan. Then add the server configuration to your AI client's JSON config file (e.g., claude_desktop_config.json or .cursor/mcp.json).
Which AI clients work with Shodan?
Shodan works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is Shodan free to use?
Yes, Shodan is open source and available under the MIT License license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.
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