How To Use Shodan Search Engine — A Step-By-Step Guide

The Internet is far more than websites and social media platforms. Behind the scenes, millions of devices—servers, routers, webcams, smart appliances, and even industrial systems—are quietly connected and communicating. Shodan is the search engine that reveals this hidden layer of the Internet.

In this step-by-step guide, you’ll learn how to use the Shodan search engine, what it’s used for, and how to explore it responsibly. Whether you’re interested in cybersecurity, research, or simply understanding how exposed the modern Internet really is, Shodan is a powerful tool worth mastering.

What Is Shodan? 🤔

Shodan is a specialized search engine that scans the Internet for connected devices rather than web pages. While Google indexes content meant for humans to read, Shodan indexes services, ports, banners, and device metadata.

It can identify:

• Web servers

• IoT devices (smart TVs, cameras, sensors)

• Routers and firewalls

• Industrial control systems

• Cloud and on-premise infrastructure

Because of this, Shodan is widely used by security professionals, researchers, system administrators, and penetration testers.

Despite its reputation, Shodan itself is not illegal or malicious. It simply displays information that devices publicly expose to the Internet.

👉 If you’re serious about online security, protect your data with NordVPN.

Why People Use Shodan 🔍

Shodan has many legitimate and practical use cases:

• Cybersecurity assessments to find exposed services

• Network visibility for organizations

• Academic and technical research

• Threat intelligence and risk analysis

• Learning how attackers discover targets

Understanding Shodan also helps you understand how attackers think, which is essential for building stronger defenses.

⚠️ Important: Shodan is a discovery tool. Accessing or exploiting systems without permission is illegal and unethical.

Step 1: Create a Shodan Account 📝

To get started, you’ll need a Shodan account.

1. Visit the official Shodan website

2. Sign up using your email address

3. Confirm your account via email

A free account allows basic searches and limited visibility. Paid plans unlock advanced filters, historical data, bulk exports, and API access—features mainly used by professionals.

👉 Want to secure your passwords? Simplify your digital life with NordPass.

Step 2: Get Familiar With the Interface 🖥️

Shodan’s interface is clean and minimal, but extremely powerful.

Key areas include:

• Search bar – where all queries begin

• Results panel – showing discovered devices

• Device details page – deep technical information for each result

• Explore section – trending searches and global insights

Each result represents a real device exposed to the internet, not a webpage.

Step 3: Understanding Shodan Search Filters 🔎

Filters are what make Shodan truly powerful. Instead of vague keyword searches, you can narrow results by technical and geographic attributes.

Common filters allow you to search by:

• Country or city

• Organization or ISP

• Open ports

• Device type or software

• Operating system

• Scan date

You can also combine filters to create very precise searches. For example, finding a specific type of server in a specific country with a specific port open.

Using filters effectively transforms Shodan from a curiosity into a professional-grade tool.

👉 Interested in encrypting your personal files? Try out NordLock.

Step 4: Running Your First Search 🕵️‍♂️

A simple keyword search is the easiest way to start.

When you search for a device type or service, Shodan returns:

• IP address

• Geographic location 🌍

• Internet service provider

• Open ports

• Banner information (software and versions)

Clicking on a result reveals deeper technical data, including how the device responds to network requests and whether it’s associated with known vulnerabilities.

Step 5: Using Advanced Searches 🚀

Advanced searches allow you to focus on exactly what you’re looking for.

You can:

• Identify servers running specific software

• Discover devices with risky configurations

• Locate Internet-facing systems in a region

• Track outdated or legacy technologies

This is especially useful for:

• Security audits

• Exposure assessments

• Research into global technology trends

Shodan’s precision is what separates it from traditional search engines.

👉 Buy the online protection that’s right for you. Check out Norton.

Step 6: Exploring Shodan Maps 🗺️

Shodan’s map feature provides a visual overview of internet-connected devices around the world.

Using the map, you can:

• See device concentration by country or city

• Identify hotspots of specific technologies

• Visualize global internet exposure

This feature is particularly valuable for presentations, research, and high-level analysis.

Step 7: Understanding Device Information 📑

Each Shodan result contains structured technical data, including:

• IP address and network ownership

• Open ports and services

• Software and versions detected

• Possible security issues or exposures

• Geolocation details

This information helps professionals quickly assess whether a system might be misconfigured or vulnerable.

👉  Stay safe online with Bitdefender’s award-winning protection.

Step 8: Ethical and Responsible Use ✅

Because Shodan reveals real systems, ethical use is critical.

Best practices include:

• Only analyzing systems you own or have permission to test

• Using Shodan for defensive and educational purposes

• Avoiding interaction with sensitive or critical infrastructure

• Respecting privacy and legal boundaries

Shodan itself does not “hack” anything—but misuse of its data can lead to serious legal consequences.

Common Use Cases for Beginners 🎯

If you’re new to Shodan, here are safe and educational ways to use it:

• Checking whether your own devices are exposed

• Learning how servers appear to the public Internet

• Studying how IoT devices are deployed globally

• Understanding real-world cybersecurity risks

These use cases help build awareness without crossing ethical lines.

Shodan vs Traditional Search Engines ⚖️

Shodan differs fundamentally from Google or Bing.

• Traditional search engines focus on content

• Shodan focuses on infrastructure

Google tells you what people publish.
Shodan tells you what machines expose.

This makes Shodan uniquely valuable for cybersecurity and network intelligence.

Limitations of Shodan 🚧

While powerful, Shodan is not perfect:

• Data may not always be real-time

• Some devices block scans

• Context is required to interpret results correctly

• Not all exposed services are vulnerable

Shodan should be used alongside other tools and human judgment—not as a standalone verdict.

Final Thoughts 🏁

Shodan offers a fascinating and sometimes unsettling look at the real structure of the Internet. By learning how to use it properly, you gain insight into how devices are exposed, how attackers discover targets, and how security gaps emerge.

Used responsibly, Shodan is:

• An educational resource

• A defensive security tool

• A powerful research platform

As the number of connected devices continues to grow, understanding tools like Shodan is no longer optional—it’s essential.

✨ Knowledge is protection. Visibility is power.