Shodan VS AskNed

• Comprehensive Data Collection
  Shodan extensively scans the internet, collecting data from a wide range of devices and services, which provides users with a thorough overview of their network exposure.
• Security Awareness
  It helps organizations identify and address security vulnerabilities by revealing exposed devices and services that might otherwise go unnoticed.
• Automation Capabilities
  The platform offers an API that allows users to automate searches and integrate Shodan data into their own tools and workflows.
• Detailed Search Filters
  Shodan provides advanced search filters that allow users to narrow down results based on specific criteria such as geographic location, device type, or operating system.
• Real-Time Monitoring
  Users can set up real-time alerts to monitor for new exposures, ensuring timely response to potential threats.

Possible disadvantages

• Ethical and Legal Concerns
  Shodan can be used by malicious actors to identify and exploit vulnerabilities, raising ethical and legal questions about its use and data collection practices.
• Complex UI
  The user interface can be overwhelming for beginners due to its complexity and the vast amount of data available, making it difficult to navigate without prior experience.
• Subscription Costs
  While Shodan offers a free tier, accessing advanced features and extensive search capabilities requires a subscription, which might be costly for some users.
• Potential for False Positives
  The data collected by Shodan might include false positives, where benign devices are flagged as vulnerabilities, thus requiring users to manually verify each finding.
• Privacy Concerns
  Since Shodan indexes devices connected to the internet, this can include personal and residential hardware, leading to privacy concerns for individuals whose devices are inadvertently exposed.

• Swagger/OpenAPI Documentation
  AskNed provides a Swagger interface for its API, which means developers can easily explore, understand, and test the available endpoints in an interactive and standardized way.
• Structured API Design
  By exposing a Swagger documentation page, AskNed demonstrates a commitment to structured, well-documented RESTful API design, making integration easier for developers.
• Developer-Friendly
  The availability of a Swagger UI lowers the barrier to entry for developers who want to integrate with AskNed, as they can quickly see request/response formats and try out calls directly from the browser.
• Standardized Communication
  Using OpenAPI/Swagger as a documentation standard ensures that AskNed follows widely accepted industry practices, promoting interoperability and consistency across integrations.
• Self-Service Exploration
  Developers and stakeholders can self-serve by browsing the API documentation without needing to contact support, speeding up development and evaluation processes.

Possible disadvantages

• Limited Public Information
  AskNed is not widely known or extensively reviewed publicly, making it difficult for potential users to assess its reliability, feature set, and overall quality before committing.
• Unclear Feature Scope
  Without extensive public documentation or marketing beyond the Swagger page, it can be hard to understand the full scope of what AskNed offers and whether it meets specific use cases.
• Potential Lack of Community Support
  As a lesser-known tool, AskNed may have a smaller user community, which can mean fewer third-party tutorials, forums, or community-driven resources to help troubleshoot issues.
• Authentication and Access Concerns
  The Swagger page alone does not always make it clear what authentication mechanisms, rate limits, or access restrictions apply, which could be a hurdle for developers trying to get started.
• Uncertain Longevity and Maintenance
  With limited visibility into the company or team behind AskNed, potential users may have concerns about the long-term maintenance, updates, and support for the platform.

Searching the Internet with Shodan (Seen in Mr. Robot)

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• Meow.camera

  If you have a premium Shodan[0] account, they have an ‘Images’ view which is filtered VNC and other Remote Desktop screenshots and links to view them directly with the IP. Lots of security cameras, some SCADA industrial access control... - Source: Hacker News / 7 months ago

• Introducing OSINT Template Engine: An open source OSINT Tool.

  Transform OSINT sources such as shodan, bgpview & urlscan into templates which you can use to query & store any and each of the API endpoints they provide. Source: over 3 years ago

• Some outgoing ports (e.g, port 22) are blocked

  I'm a little surprised you're asking this but as you don't know - if you set the rulebase correctly, you won't get hammered by "public". A lot of people (of course not people here) don't do that which is why shodan.io is full of servers... Source: over 3 years ago

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Tracking AskNed since Mar 2021.