Search for Common Platform Enumeration (CPE) entries by product name in Shodan
AI agents call cpe_lookup to retrieve information from Mcp Shodan without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This is a data retrieval tool that queries the Shodan database for CPE information based on product names. It performs no writes, deletions, or external operations. However, it provides reconnaissance data that could enable further attacks (e.g., identifying vulnerable products in a target environment), justifying medium severity rather than low.
From the tool's definition Tool description states 'Search for Common Platform Enumeration (CPE) entries by product name' - a search/query operation with no modification or deletion.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
Search for Common Platform Enumeration (CPE) entries by product name in Shodan. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Mcp Shodan MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Mcp Shodan MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for cpe_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 Mcp Shodan. Nothing to install.
cpe_lookup is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the cpe_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.
Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for cpe_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.
cpe_lookup is provided by the Mcp Shodan MCP server (w0h1v/mcp-shodan). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.