How to Use the Censys MCP in Claude

Q: How does Claude Desktop handle comparing two different servers using Censys?

Your Claude Desktop agent runs viewhostdiff to compare the configuration of two target IP addresses. It highlights differences in active ports, geographic locations, and running services in a side-by-side markdown table.

Get live internet scan data and SSL certificates directly in Claude Desktop to map attack surfaces without leaving your chat.

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Connect Censys MCP to Claude Desktop

Create your Vinkius account to connect Censys to Claude Desktop and route execution through our secure gateway. The platform manages server hosting, runtime updates, and security layers. Configuration requires no manual server provisioning.

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Setup Censys with Claude Desktop

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Map host attack surfaces inside Claude Desktop

`get_host` pulls real-time open ports, service banners, and TLS configurations for any IP address directly into your Claude Desktop chat window. Instead of jumping to a browser tab to run a manual Censys lookup, you ask Claude to investigate an address, and it returns the exact geographic location and operating system details. This setup lets you trace exposed Censys services without shifting focus away from your chat. You can immediately ask Claude follow-up questions about the banners found, letting your agent parse raw service data on the fly.

Track infrastructure changes with this MCP Server

`get_host_history` tracks how an IP address's open ports and active certificates changed over time inside your Claude Desktop interface. Using this historical Censys log, your Claude agent pinpoints exactly when a new service went live or when a certificate expired. Analyzing past exposures becomes a conversational task on Claude Desktop. You get a clean timeline of Censys modifications directly in your chat, making it easy to spot unauthorized open ports or sudden configuration shifts.

Audit SSL certificates during security reviews

`search_certificates` queries the global Censys database for SSL/TLS certificates matching specific issuers, subject fields, or validity dates directly inside Claude Desktop. Your Claude agent parses these certificates to identify weak key algorithms or expired credentials instantly. Combining `get_certificate_hosts` with this MCP search lets Claude Desktop map out every domain sharing a specific Censys certificate. You expose hidden infrastructure and find forgotten staging sites with a single natural language request to Claude.

Setup guide

Set up Censys MCP in Claude Web or Desktop

1

Open Claude Settings

Go to claude.ai, click your profile icon, then navigate to Customize → Connectors.
2

Add Custom Connector

Click the "+" button and select Add custom connector. Paste your Vinkius endpoint URL: https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp Replace [YOUR_TOKEN_HERE] with your token from cloud.vinkius.com. For OAuth-protected servers, expand Advanced settings to add credentials.
3

Start a conversation

Open a new chat. The Censys MCP tools are available immediately — no restart needed.

Endpoint URL

https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp

No configuration file needed — paste the URL directly in the Claude web interface.

Available on Free (1 connector), Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise plans.

Prerequisites

Claude Desktop installed (macOS or Windows)
Active Vinkius subscription with a valid endpoint token

1

Open Claude Desktop Settings

Click the menu icon at the top-left corner, go to Settings → Developer → Edit Config. This opens claude_desktop_config.json in your default text editor.
2

Paste the Censys MCP configuration

Copy the JSON snippet on the right into the mcpServers object. Replace [YOUR_TOKEN_HERE] with your endpoint token from cloud.vinkius.com.
3

Restart Claude Desktop

Close and reopen the application. Claude needs a full restart to load new MCPs — refreshing a conversation is not enough.
4

Verify the connection

Open a new conversation. Click the 🔌 icon at the bottom of the message input. You should see tools listed under censys-mcp.

json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "censys-mcp": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Get your connection token →

Independent Platform Disclaimer: Vinkius is an independent platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, verified by, or otherwise authorized by Censys. All third-party trademarks, logos, and brand names are the property of their respective owners. Their use on this website is strictly for informational purposes to identify service compatibility and interoperability.

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Common questions about Censys MCP in Claude Desktop

You ask Claude Desktop to find hosts with specific open ports or service banners. The underlying MCP server runs `search_hosts` to pull live IP addresses and active protocols directly into your conversation.

Yes, you can check your remaining query limits at any time. Your Claude Desktop agent triggers `get_account_info` to show your active quota directly in the chat window.

Your Claude Desktop agent runs `view_host_diff` to compare the configuration of two target IP addresses. It highlights differences in active ports, geographic locations, and running services in a side-by-side markdown table.

Yes, you can request bucket counts for any query field. The server executes `aggregate_hosts` to break down the distribution of services, countries, or ASNs for your agent to analyze.

Your Censys API credentials stay strictly within your local Claude Desktop configuration file or your private Vinkius MCP sandbox. No search queries, IP addresses, or certificate fingerprints are stored or shared with external parties.

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