Shodan

Shodan is a search engine, but unlike Google, which indexes websites and webpages, Shodan indexes internet-connected devices. Think of it as a "Google for devices" that allows you to find virtually anything connected to the internet, from webcams and routers to industrial control systems and critical infrastructure components.

Here's how Shodan works in the context of cybersecurity:

• Device discovery: Shodan crawls the internet, scanning for devices with open ports and collecting information about them. This includes device type, operating system, software versions, open ports, and geographical location.

• Vulnerability exposure: By analyzing the collected data, Shodan can identify devices with known vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, or weak security practices. This information can be invaluable to security researchers and attackers alike.

• Attack surface mapping: Shodan helps organizations understand their external attack surface by revealing internet-connected devices and systems that might be unknown or forgotten. This allows them to identify potential entry points for attackers and take steps to secure them.

• Threat intelligence: Shodan provides valuable threat intelligence by identifying emerging threats, tracking botnet activity, and monitoring for vulnerable devices that could be exploited in attacks.

• Incident response: In the event of a security incident, Shodan can be used to identify affected devices, assess the scope of the compromise, and gather information about potential attackers.

Why Shodan is essential for cybersecurity:

• Proactive security: Shodan enables organizations to proactively approach security by identifying and mitigating vulnerabilities before they can be exploited.

• Risk assessment: It helps organizations assess their security posture and prioritize remediation efforts based on the identified risks.

• Threat intelligence: Shodan provides valuable insights into the threat landscape, allowing organizations to stay ahead of emerging threats.

• Incident response: It aids in incident response by providing information about compromised devices and potential attackers.

However, Shodan can also be used by malicious actors:

• Identifying vulnerable targets: Attackers can use Shodan to find vulnerable devices and systems to exploit.

• Launching attacks: Shodan can be used to launch distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks or to identify targets for malware infections.

Therefore, it's crucial for organizations to:

• Regularly scan their networks using Shodan: Identify and address any exposed devices or vulnerabilities.

• Implement robust security practices: Use strong passwords, enable firewalls, and keep software up to date.

• Monitor their online presence: Track their organization's exposure on Shodan and take steps to minimize their attack surface.

ThreatNG, with its comprehensive suite of capabilities, can effectively complement Shodan and significantly enhance external attack surface risk management. Here's how:

1. Expanding Device Discovery and Vulnerability Identification:

• Domain Intelligence: ThreatNG's Domain Intelligence module goes beyond fundamental device discovery. It enriches Shodan's findings by providing deeper context through the analysis of "DNS Intelligence capabilities which include Domain Name Permutations and Web3 Domains that are available and taken," "Email Intelligence that provides email security presence and format prediction," and "WHOIS Intelligence (WHOIS Analysis and Other Domains Owned)". This can uncover assets and potential vulnerabilities that Shodan might miss by providing a more holistic view of an organization's digital footprint.

• Cloud and SaaS Exposure: ThreatNG excels at identifying cloud-based assets and SaaS solutions, which can be challenging for Shodan to capture fully. ThreatNG's ability to discover "Sanctioned Cloud Services," "Unsanctioned Cloud Services," "Cloud Service Impersonations," and "Open Exposed Cloud Buckets of AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform" provides a more complete picture of an organization's attack surface in the cloud.

• Sensitive Code Exposure: ThreatNG's capability to discover "public code repositories uncovering digital risks that include Access Credentials (API Keys, Access Tokens, Generic Credentials, Cloud Credentials, Security Credentials), Database Exposures, Application Data Exposures" and more is invaluable. ThreatNG uncovers vulnerabilities that Shodan might not detect through its scanning approach by identifying leaked credentials and sensitive information in these repositories.

• Mobile Application Discovery: ThreatNG's ability to discover mobile apps in marketplaces and analyze their contents for exposed credentials and security vulnerabilities expands the scope of vulnerability identification beyond what Shodan typically covers.

2. Contextualizing and Prioritizing Risks:

• Risk Assessment Capabilities: ThreatNG enhances Shodan's raw data by providing robust risk scoring and assessment. ThreatNG doesn't just identify assets; it assesses their "Web Application Hijack Susceptibility," "Subdomain Takeover Susceptibility," "BEC & Phishing Susceptibility," "Brand Damage Susceptibility," "Data Leak Susceptibility," "Cyber Risk Exposure," "ESG Exposure," "Supply Chain & Third Party Exposure," and "Breach & Ransomware Susceptibility". This contextualizes the vulnerabilities found by Shodan, enabling organizations to prioritize remediation based on a clear understanding of the potential impact.

• Reporting and Prioritization: ThreatNG's comprehensive reporting features provide a unified view of security risks, integrating Shodan's findings and analysis. With reports like "Executive, Technical, Prioritized, Security Ratings, Inventory, Ransomware Susceptibility, and U.S. SEC Filings," security teams gain the clarity needed to prioritize efforts and effectively address the most critical risks.

3. Facilitating Remediation and Collaboration:

• Collaboration and Management: ThreatNG fosters efficient communication and coordination among security teams with features like "Role-based access controls" and "Dynamically generated Correlation Evidence Questionnaires". This streamlines the remediation of vulnerabilities identified by Shodan, ensuring timely and effective action.

• Policy Management: ThreatNG's "Customizable Risk Configuration and Scoring" and "Dynamic Entity Management" enable organizations to align remediation efforts with their specific risk tolerance and security objectives.

Working with Shodan:

ThreatNG effectively complements Shodan by:

• Validating and Enriching Shodan Findings: ThreatNG is a robust validation and enrichment tool for Shodan's data. For instance, if Shodan flags a vulnerable device, ThreatNG can provide crucial additional context, such as its specific function, associated data sensitivity, and potential attack vectors derived from its deep dive modules like "Domain Intelligence" or "Code Repository Exposure."

• Expanding Shodan's Scope: ThreatNG significantly expands Shodan's coverage by discovering assets and vulnerabilities that Shodan might overlook. Its specialized modules, such as "Cloud and SaaS Exposure" and "Mobile Application Discovery," bring critical visibility to often-shadowed areas of the attack surface.

• Prioritizing Remediation with Risk-Based Insights: ThreatNG's risk assessment capabilities provide the crucial layer of prioritization that Shodan lacks. By scoring and contextualizing vulnerabilities, ThreatNG empowers organizations to focus on the most critical threats identified by Shodan, optimizing their security efforts.

Example Scenario:

Suppose Shodan identifies an internet-facing web server with a known vulnerability. ThreatNG can be used to:

• Gather additional information about the server: ThreatNG's "Domain Intelligence" and "Technology Stack" modules can identify the server's owner, purpose, applications, and underlying technologies.

• Conduct a thorough risk assessment: ThreatNG's risk assessment capabilities can determine the vulnerability's exploitability, potential impact on sensitive data, and the server's overall criticality to the organization.

• Strategically prioritize remediation: Based on ThreatNG's risk assessment, security teams can make informed decisions about prioritizing the remediation of this vulnerability relative to other findings from Shodan and ThreatNG, ensuring the most efficient allocation of resources.

• Facilitate seamless collaboration: ThreatNG's collaboration features enable efficient communication and task assignment between security and IT teams to promptly implement the necessary patches or configuration changes.

By strategically combining the strengths of Shodan and ThreatNG, organizations gain a robust and comprehensive approach to external attack surface management. This collaborative synergy empowers security teams to achieve superior visibility, make informed decisions, and proactively reduce the likelihood of successful attacks.