Shodan
Enables comprehensive security reconnaissance, vulnerability assessment, and threat intelligence gathering by integrating Shodan's API. It provides tools for searching internet-connected devices, performing DNS operations, and querying the Shodan exp
What is Shodan?
Shodan is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to enables comprehensive security reconnaissance, vulnerability assessment, and threat intelligence gathering by integrating shodan's api. it provides tools for searching internet-connected devices, perf...
Enables comprehensive security reconnaissance, vulnerability assessment, and threat intelligence gathering by integrating Shodan's API. It provides tools for searching internet-connected devices, performing DNS operations, and querying the Shodan exp
This server falls under the Security category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- Enables comprehensive security reconnaissance, vulnerability
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
Manual Installation
npx shodan-mcp-serverConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use Shodan
The Shodan MCP Server integrates Shodan's powerful internet-scanning API directly into your AI assistant, enabling security reconnaissance, vulnerability assessment, and threat intelligence from natural language queries. It exposes tools for searching internet-connected devices, performing DNS resolution and reverse lookups, retrieving SSL certificate data, querying CVE details with EPSS exploit prediction scores, and checking Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV). Security researchers and penetration testers can use it to rapidly enumerate exposed services, identify vulnerable hosts by CVE, and audit their own network footprint without leaving the chat interface.
Prerequisites
- Node.js 18 or later installed on your system
- A Shodan account with a valid API key (paid membership required for most search and scanning features; CVE queries are free)
- Git to clone the repository
- An MCP-compatible client such as Claude Desktop
Clone the repository
Clone the Shodan MCP Server source code from GitHub to your local machine.
git clone https://github.com/Cyreslab-AI/shodan-mcp-server.git
cd shodan-mcp-serverInstall dependencies and build
Install Node.js dependencies and compile the TypeScript source to JavaScript.
npm install
npm run buildObtain your Shodan API key
Log in to your Shodan account at https://account.shodan.io and copy your API key. Most search and scanning tools require a paid Shodan membership; CVE lookups are available on free accounts.
Configure your MCP client
Add the Shodan MCP Server to your Claude Desktop (or other MCP client) configuration file, providing the absolute path to the built index.js and your API key as an environment variable.
{
"mcpServers": {
"shodan": {
"command": "node",
"args": ["/absolute/path/to/shodan-mcp-server/build/index.js"],
"env": {
"SHODAN_API_KEY": "your-shodan-api-key-here"
}
}
}
}Restart your MCP client
Fully quit and relaunch Claude Desktop (or your MCP client) so it picks up the new server configuration. You should see the Shodan tools available in the tool list.
Shodan Examples
Client configuration
Complete claude_desktop_config.json entry for the Shodan MCP Server using node to run the built output.
{
"mcpServers": {
"shodan": {
"command": "node",
"args": ["/absolute/path/to/shodan-mcp-server/build/index.js"],
"env": {
"SHODAN_API_KEY": "your-shodan-api-key-here"
}
}
}
}Prompts to try
Example natural language queries to use with the Shodan MCP Server once it is connected.
- "Search Shodan for Apache servers exposing port 8080 in Germany"
- "Look up the open ports and services for IP address 8.8.8.8"
- "Get the CVE details for CVE-2024-21413 including its EPSS score"
- "Find all devices in the 192.168.1.0/24 range indexed by Shodan"
- "What is my current public IP address according to Shodan?"
- "Check my Shodan API credit balance"Troubleshooting Shodan
Search queries return an error about insufficient permissions or credits
Most Shodan search and network-scanning tools require a paid Shodan membership. CVE lookups (search_cve, get_cve) work on free accounts. Upgrade your plan at https://account.shodan.io or restrict usage to CVE-related queries.
Server fails to start with 'Cannot find module' or build errors
Ensure you have run both 'npm install' and 'npm run build' inside the cloned repository directory before pointing the MCP config to the build/index.js file. Verify the path in 'args' is an absolute path.
SHODAN_API_KEY is not recognized and all calls fail with authentication errors
Confirm the environment variable is spelled exactly as SHODAN_API_KEY (all caps) inside the 'env' block of your MCP config. Verify the key value at https://account.shodan.io and restart your MCP client after saving the config.
Frequently Asked Questions about Shodan
What is Shodan?
Shodan is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that enables comprehensive security reconnaissance, vulnerability assessment, and threat intelligence gathering by integrating shodan's api. it provides tools for searching internet-connected devices, performing dns operations, and querying the shodan exp It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install Shodan?
Follow the installation instructions on the Shodan GitHub repository. Clone the repo, install dependencies, and add the server config to your AI client.
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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