Retrieve comprehensive information about an IP address, including geolocation, open ports, running services, SSL certificates, hostnames, and cloud provider details if available. Returns service banners and HTTP server information when present.
AI agents call ip_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.
The ip_lookup tool performs passive reconnaissance by querying the Shodan API for existing data about an IP address (geolocation, open ports, services, SSL certificates, hostnames, cloud provider details). It retrieves and returns information without creating, modifying, or deleting data. This is a classic Read operation.
From the tool's definition Tool description states it 'Retrieve[s] comprehensive information' and 'Returns service banners and HTTP server information when present.' The verb 'retrieve' and the passive information gathering nature indicate no modifications or side effects.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
Retrieve comprehensive information about an IP address, including geolocation, open ports, running services, SSL certificates, hostnames, and cloud provider details if available. Returns service banners and HTTP server information when present. 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 ip_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.
ip_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 ip_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 ip_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.
ip_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.