Censys Search API
Authentication & Security
Internet-wide asset search engine and network intelligence API for open ports and SSL certificates
Censys Search API Highlights
Censys Search API is best for cybersecurity engineers, ethical hackers, enterprise IT administrators, and security auditors
API Key (Basic Auth via API ID and Secret)
Free Community tier: 250 search queries/month; enterprise scaling
Nigeria
Ghana
KenyaThe Censys Search API is a search engine and intelligence platform for internet-connected hosts, open ports, web servers, and cryptographic certificates. It continually scans the entire IPv4 and IPv6 address space, indexing running services, banner details, software versions, and SSL/TLS certificates.
In Nigerian cybersecurity firms, enterprise IT departments, and fintech security teams, Censys is an essential tool for external attack surface management, identifying shadow IT assets, and detecting exposed staging databases or unpatched ports before attackers find them.
Censys Search API Core Features & Capabilities
| Feature | Status | Description & Capabilities |
|---|---|---|
| Global IPv4/IPv6 Host Search | ✓ Supported | Provides native Global IPv4/IPv6 Host Search capabilities integrated within the API. |
| SSL/TLS Certificate Intelligence | ✓ Supported | Provides native SSL/TLS Certificate Intelligence capabilities integrated within the API. |
| Open Port & Protocol Enumeration | ✓ Supported | Provides native Open Port & Protocol Enumeration capabilities integrated within the API. |
| Software Fingerprint & Versioning | ✓ Supported | Verify customer credentials and identity against verified regulatory databases. |
| Autonomous System (ASN) Filtering | ✓ Supported | Provides native Autonomous System (ASN) Filtering capabilities integrated within the API. |
| Automated Threat Remediation | ✗ Not Supported | Automated Threat Remediation is currently not supported by Censys Search API. |
- Free Community account provides 250 search queries per month
- Commercial enterprise tiers for continuous attack surface management
Required Access Documents for Censys Search API
- Censys Community AccountRequiredRegister at search.censys.io to obtain your API ID and Secret
Different Censys Search API use cases
- Corporate Shadow IT Discovery:Discover forgotten development and staging cloud servers belonging to your corporate ASN.
- Exposed Database Detection:Audit whether internal Redis, Elasticsearch, or MongoDB instances are unintentionally public.
- SSL Certificate Expiry Tracking:Track all certificates registered for your brand to prevent unexpected HTTPS downtime.