How to Use the Censys MCP in Windsurf

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Connect Censys MCP to Windsurf

Create your Vinkius account to connect Censys to Windsurf 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 Windsurf

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Automate Attack Surface Discovery

Start with just a domain name. Windsurf's Cascade agent can use `search_hosts` to find associated IP addresses, then automatically chain `get_host` and `get_certificate` to pull all services and TLS certs for each one. You just give Cascade a target. It builds a plan using the Censys tools, runs the sequence, and hands you a full report of open ports, running services, and certificate details. No more manual searching and cross-referencing IPs and fingerprints. This is what an MCP server should do.

Find and Compare Infrastructure

The `get_certificate_hosts` tool finds every host sharing a single SSL certificate. It's a classic technique for uncovering related, sometimes forgotten, infrastructure. An agent armed with this tool is incredibly effective. Tell Windsurf to find servers related to a known asset. Cascade can grab a cert fingerprint with `get_host`, then feed it to `get_certificate_hosts` to map out the whole network. It can even use `view_host_diff` to spot subtle configuration changes between two different servers.

Query the Internet with this MCP Server

Use `search_certificates` and `search_hosts` to run deep queries across Censys's global dataset. You can look for specific software versions, vulnerable configurations, or certificates from a certain issuer, all from your editor. With Windsurf, you don't even need to learn the Censys query syntax. Just describe what you're looking for in plain English. Cascade translates your request into a precise query for this MCP connection, runs it, and organizes the results for you.

Setup guide

Set up Censys MCP in Windsurf

Prerequisites

Windsurf IDE installed (macOS, Windows, or Linux)
Active Vinkius subscription with a valid endpoint token

1

Open MCP configuration

Click the Cascade assistant icon in the sidebar, then click the hammer icon (🔨) at the top of the panel. Select "Configure" to open ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json.
2

Add the Censys MCP

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

Refresh MCPs

Go back to the hammer icon (🔨) in Cascade and click "Refresh". Windsurf will detect the new server. No full restart is needed — the connection is hot-reloaded.
4

Verify in Cascade

Start a new Cascade conversation and ask something like "Show my Censys payment history." If connected, Cascade will call the Censys tools directly. You will see a green dot next to the server name in the MCP panel.

mcp_config.json

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

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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 Windsurf

Prompt Cascade to search for certificates matching the company's domain name. It can use `search_certificates` with a query like 'names:example.com', then parse the results to build a unique list of subdomains.

Yes. Just ask Windsurf, "Check my Censys quota." Cascade will use the `get_account_info` tool and give you the remaining query count and other account limits directly in the chat.

Give Cascade an IP address and ask it to get the host's history. It will use the `get_host_history` tool to pull a log of observed changes to services, ports, and certificates over time.

Absolutely. Provide two IP addresses and ask Cascade to compare them. It will execute the `view_host_diff` tool and show you a summary of what's different between the two hosts.

Your Censys API key is stored securely by Vinkius, not your local client. When Windsurf calls a tool, Vinkius injects the key into the request within a secure, ephemeral sandbox. The only data processed is the query itself and the host, certificate, and account info you request from Censys.

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