shodan_host_lookup

Look up a host on Shodan: open ports, running services, OS, CVEs on the host. Requires SHODAN_KEY environment variable. Args: ip: IPv4 address to look up (e.g. 8.8.8.8)

ServerCVE MCP Server
CategoryRead

How to control shodan_host_lookup ↓

WHAT IT DOES

What shodan_host_lookup does on CVE MCP Server

AI agents call shodan_host_lookup to retrieve information from CVE MCP Server without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.

THE RISK

Low Risk

Why shodan_host_lookup needs a policy

This tool performs reconnaissance by querying Shodan's database to retrieve information about a host (IP address). It retrieves data without modifying, deleting, or executing operations. While it could aid in reconnaissance for malicious purposes (justifying medium severity rather than low), the tool itself is purely informational.

From the tool's definition Tool description states 'Look up a host on Shodan' and lists retrieval actions: 'open ports, running services, OS, CVEs on the host.' These are all query/lookup operations with no side effects or modifications.

Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access shodan_host_lookup gives an agent:

POLICY

How to control shodan_host_lookup

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and CVE MCP Server, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for shodan_host_lookup:

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "shodan_host_lookup": {}
  }
}

shodan_host_lookup is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.

Create a free account and register CVE MCP Server — nothing to install.
Add this policy — paste it, or build it visually.
Point your MCP client (Claude, Cursor, anything) at your gateway URL.

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EXPLORE

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Go deeper

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FAQ

Questions about shodan_host_lookup

What does the shodan_host_lookup tool do? +

Look up a host on Shodan: open ports, running services, OS, CVEs on the host. Requires SHODAN_KEY environment variable. Args: ip: IPv4 address to look up (e.g. 8.8.8.8). It is categorised as a Read tool in the CVE MCP Server MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on shodan_host_lookup? +

Register the CVE MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for shodan_host_lookup: allow, deny, rate-limit, or require approval. Point your MCP client at the PolicyLayer proxy URL and the rule is enforced on every call, before it reaches CVE MCP Server. Nothing to install.

What risk level is shodan_host_lookup? +

shodan_host_lookup is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.

Can I rate-limit shodan_host_lookup? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the shodan_host_lookup rule in your PolicyLayer policy. For example, setting max: 10 and window: 60 limits the tool to 10 calls per minute. Rate limits are tracked per agent session and reset automatically.

How do I block shodan_host_lookup completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for shodan_host_lookup. The AI agent will receive a policy violation error and cannot call the tool. You can also include a reason field to explain why the tool is blocked.

What MCP server provides shodan_host_lookup? +

shodan_host_lookup is provided by the CVE MCP Server MCP server (mukul975/cve-mcp-server). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

Enforce policy on every CVE MCP Server tool call.

Start from CVE MCP Server, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.

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27 CVE MCP Server tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.