Top Search Engines used by Security Experts

Introduction

We are all familiar with search engines and their applications. Indeed, we use Google, Bing, Safari, or any other traditional online browser if we want to investigate the most commonplace item imaginable. However, what if we want information that isn't typically located on those popular search engines?

Security professionals usually need to quickly look up and relate information related to OSINT, surveillance, vulnerability identification, system security breaches, and more. Fortunately, they have search engines available in their arsenal of tools that cybersecurity teams and security analysts can use. For their security activities, this can provide useful information.

The search engines that security experts use are crucial tools for both the red team and blue team, as well as security analysts, investigators, and others. These can offer assistance in finding uncovered gadgets, following dangers, planning for skewer phishing recreations, and much, much more within the region of security operations.

Shodan

Shodan is the first obvious candidate, as it is referred to as both "the search engine for hackers" and "the world's first search engine for Internet-connected devices." A network security monitor and search engine, Shodan indexes information from any kind of electronic device that has ever had an Internet connection. We mean any kind of device, including traffic lights, servers, smart TVs, webcams, routers, refrigerators, heating systems, and much more.

Imagine Google, except instead of the typical images that appear next to various websites and their content, Shodan displays results in a variety of formats, such as IP addresses, device types, country, and, of course, banners for SSH, Telnet, and HTTP servers. However, Shodan's true worth lies in its capacity to support both blue and red teams.

2. Censys

Similar to Shodan, Censys keeps an eye on all devices that are accessible over the Internet and, in the form of a search engine, compiles reports and data on the configuration and deployment of devices, websites, and certificates.

To provide you with the most up-to-date information about any device connected to the internet, including information on open ports, protocols, and valid certificates, Censys continuously gathers data on connected devices and internet servers. In addition, it detects routers, OS versions, server versions, unpatched vulnerabilities, and more. In order to locate IP address information, there is also an IPv4 search engine and a separate certificate search engine.

Monitoring the ever-changing attack surface, identifying unknown digital assets, checking those assets for CVEs, tracking threats, automating the vulnerability management process, and stopping malware and phishing attempts are just a few of the numerous applications for Censys.

3. ZoomEye

ZoomEye, an IoT OSINT search engine, is known as "the cyberspace search engine" and allows users to locate connected devices. It searches for Internet-connected devices using Xmap and Wmap, compares fingerprints with all information discovered, and provides users with access to the curated data from exposed devices and services.

You can use ZoomEye as a search engine by just typing in a query or by looking through the devices and services that the engine has already indexed. A few of ZoomEye's many features include finding out about open ports on distant servers, calculating the total number of hosted websites and devices, and providing you with a vulnerability report. You can enter any query, IP address, device, or just a keyword.

4. GreyNoise

While Shodan and Censys are search engines that look for devices, GreyNoise is the exact opposite. It can identify who is searching the internet using both the benign scanners mentioned above and more malevolent ones, like botnets searching for devices that are vulnerable.Regular internet users aren't affected by background noise on the internet, so they wouldn't be interested in GreyNoise. However, GreyNoise is the ideal search engine for security experts employed by companies with thousands of IP addresses and extensive networks in general. It assists in filtering out security warnings from all directions, preventing background noise from the internet that has no purpose from interfering with SOC security activities.

ProTips for distinguishing between notifications resulting from real targeted attacks and those caused by internet background noise: Simply type in a term or IP address, and the GreyNoise visualiser will display relevant information. Utilise its integrations with other OSINT and threat intelligence platforms to find compromised devices, new opportunistic threats, and threat intelligence. Even the Shodan UI or API allows you to look for GreyNoise IPs.

5. Hunter

Hunter is a straightforward search engine that assists you in locating every email address associated with a domain or company. Entering the firm name will provide you with a detailed list of all verified emails under that domain, together with information on their activities and the public sources that were used to find the address.

Additionally, you may perform these actions in bulk, check an email address's deliverability, and even start email accounts using the addresses you find. Their service is also available as a Google Chrome extension, which allows you to locate email addresses associated with websites you are now viewing. Additionally, you can use their API to verify the deliverability of an email address and obtain more details about the company.

6. PublicWWW

Imagine being able to search the web for websites based on the code that powers them. Sounds like a niche task, but it's a game changer for certain professionals. That's where PublicWWW comes in, a search engine that indexes source code, allowing you to hunt down specific snippets, signatures, or keywords within the code.

On the surface, PublicWWW seems like a tool tailored for digital marketers and affiliate researchers. But scratch beneath the surface, and you'll find it's also a potent ally for security experts. By searching for libraries linked to malware campaigns, security pros can uncover compromised sites and track the spread of malicious code. It's a capability that sets PublicWWW apart from more conventional search engines, making it a go-to resource for those in the security trenches.

7. WiGLE

WiGLE is a wireless network mapping search engine. Indeed, the first thing you see when you access the WiGLE interface is a map that displays neighbouring networks and hotspots when you zoom in. It accomplishes this by combining wireless network location and data into a central database accessible through desktop and online applications.

WiGLE is used by security experts to keep an eye out for networks that aren't secure and to determine whether they are susceptible to attacks. However, regular users can utilise WiGLE to locate nearby open networks. Even if all you want to see are local open networks, telecom antennas, and the like, it's an entertaining service.

8. Pipl

One primer of OSINT are the people. To conduct a spear phishing evaluation, for instance, you would need to gather as much personal information as you can about the people involved. A person's search engine can provide a wealth of information about them in one location. Pipl is one such search engine for this purpose.

Pipl is the real 'people' search engine, used globally by media businesses, government agencies, and major financial and insurance institutions. It offers comprehensive personal, professional, social, demographic, and contact details about a specific person by interacting with searchable, public databases and gathering relevant information from open sources and the deep web.

Additionally, Pipl helps security experts authenticate identification and prevent account takeovers and credential breaches by providing their own API, which developers can use to easily incorporate Pipl's identity information into their apps.

9. HaveIBeenPwned

These days, even regular Internet users should check HaveIBeenPwned on occasion. Asking yourself these questions will help us stay secure when using the internet: Have any of the many security breaches we hear about ever had an impact on our accounts? Has there been any compromise of our personal information?

Users can determine if they have been impacted by a data breach by using HaveIBeenPwned, often known as HIBP, a free data breach service. HIBP, which was created by cybersecurity legend Troy Hunt, compiles and examines database dumps and pastes that contain information about hacked accounts and distributes it as a public service. You can check if you've been "pwned" by entering your email address or username. Unfortunately, at least one data breach has affected a large number of email addresses.

HIBP serves as a "search engine" for non-technical users and provides guidance on how to improve your online safety.

10. OSINT Framework

Last but not least. Since OSINT is an open-source intelligence framework, it compiles data from openly accessible sources for use in intelligence analysis. This search engine is a framework for cybersecurity. Law enforcement, corporate intelligence, and national security are the main uses for this search engine. Username, email address, contact details, language translation, public records, domain name, IP address, threat intelligence, malicious file analysis, and more are all included in this framework.

It's recommended for professionals and researchers in the fields of cybersecurity, intelligence, law enforcement, and media to use the Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) Framework.

By gathering information from the public, it assists in investigations, threat analysis, and situational awareness. The framework arranges resources and tools for collecting and evaluating open data from social media, the internet, and other sources. Additionally, it helps scholars and students in related fields improve their analytical and information-gathering abilities. However, responsible use of legally and ethically accessible information is required.

Conclusion

In summary, using the right search engines is important for penetration testers and security experts to find information quickly and effectively. The ones listed above are great starting points for research and staying informed about security issues.

If you know of any other useful search engines, please share them in the comments. Your input can help everyone improve their skills in cybersecurity.

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