Censys MCP Server for Windsurf 9 tools — connect in under 2 minutes
Windsurf brings agentic AI coding to a purpose-built IDE. Connect Censys through Vinkius and Cascade will auto-discover every tool. ask questions, generate code, and act on live data without leaving your editor.
ASK AI ABOUT THIS MCP SERVER
Vinkius supports streamable HTTP and SSE.
Vinkius Desktop App
The modern way to manage MCP Servers — no config files, no terminal commands. Install Censys and 2,500+ MCP Servers from a single visual interface.
{
"mcpServers": {
"censys": {
"url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp"
}
}
}
* Every MCP server runs on Vinkius-managed infrastructure inside AWS - a purpose-built runtime with per-request V8 isolates, Ed25519 signed audit chains, and sub-40ms cold starts optimized for native MCP execution. See our infrastructure
About Censys MCP Server
Connect to Censys and explore the world's largest internet scanning platform through natural conversation.
Windsurf's Cascade agent chains multiple Censys tool calls autonomously. query data, analyze results, and generate code in a single agentic session. Paste Vinkius Edge URL, reload, and all 9 tools are immediately available. Real-time tool feedback appears inline, so you see API responses directly in your editor.
What you can do
- Host Search — Search internet-facing hosts by service, port, OS, location and more
- Host Details — Get comprehensive info on any IP including all services and certificates
- Host History — View how a host's services and ports have changed over time
- Certificate Search — Find SSL/TLS certificates by issuer, subject, validity and more
- Certificate Details — Get full parsed certificate data by fingerprint
- Certificate Hosts — Find all hosts using a specific certificate
- Aggregation — Analyze distributions of services, countries and ASNs
- Host Diff — Compare two hosts to identify infrastructure differences
The Censys MCP Server exposes 9 tools through the Vinkius. Connect it to Windsurf in under two minutes — no API keys to rotate, no infrastructure to provision, no vendor lock-in. Your configuration, your data, your control.
How to Connect Censys to Windsurf via MCP
Follow these steps to integrate the Censys MCP Server with Windsurf.
Open MCP Settings
Go to Settings → MCP Configuration or press Cmd+Shift+P and search "MCP"
Add the server
Paste the JSON configuration above into mcp_config.json
Save and reload
Windsurf will detect the new server automatically
Start using Censys
Open Cascade and ask: "Using Censys, help me...". 9 tools available
Why Use Windsurf with the Censys MCP Server
Windsurf provides unique advantages when paired with Censys through the Model Context Protocol.
Windsurf's Cascade agent autonomously chains multiple tool calls in sequence, solving complex multi-step tasks without manual intervention
Purpose-built for agentic workflows. Cascade understands context across your entire codebase and integrates MCP tools natively
JSON-based configuration means zero code changes: paste a URL, reload, and all 9 tools are immediately available
Real-time tool feedback is displayed inline, so you see API responses directly in your editor without switching contexts
Censys + Windsurf Use Cases
Practical scenarios where Windsurf combined with the Censys MCP Server delivers measurable value.
Automated code generation: ask Cascade to fetch data from Censys and generate models, types, or handlers based on real API responses
Live debugging: query Censys tools mid-session to inspect production data while debugging without leaving the editor
Documentation generation: pull schema information from Censys and have Cascade generate comprehensive API docs automatically
Rapid prototyping: combine Censys data with Cascade's code generation to scaffold entire features in minutes
Censys MCP Tools for Windsurf (9)
These 9 tools become available when you connect Censys to Windsurf via MCP:
aggregate_hosts
Groups results by a specified field (e.g. "services.port", "location.country", "autonomous_system.name") and returns bucket counts. Useful for understanding the distribution of services, countries or ASNs matching a query. Aggregate host search results by a specific field
get_account_info
Useful for checking remaining API quota and account limits. Get your Censys account information
get_certificate
Returns the full parsed certificate including subject, issuer, validity, key info, extensions, CT logs and raw PEM data. Get detailed info for a specific certificate by fingerprint
get_certificate_hosts
Useful for finding all domains sharing a certificate (SANs). Returns IP addresses, ports and timestamps. Pagination via cursor. Get hosts using a specific certificate
get_host
Returns all open ports, service banners, TLS certificates, operating system detection, geolocation, autonomous system info and last updated timestamps. Get detailed info for a specific IP address
get_host_history
Shows how the host's services, ports and certificates have changed over time. Returns timestamps, services observed and changes detected. Pagination via cursor. Get historical scan data for a specific IP
search_certificates
Supports query syntax: issuer names, subject fields, serial numbers, validity dates, key algorithms, certificate transparency logs and more. Returns fingerprints, subjects, issuers, validity periods and key info. Search for SSL/TLS certificates
search_hosts
Supports powerful query syntax: service names (e.g. "nginx"), ports (e.g. "services.port:443"), protocols, operating systems, autonomous systems, geographic locations and more. Returns IP addresses, open ports, services, banners and locations. Pagination via cursor. Search for internet-connected hosts
view_host_diff
Useful for identifying changes between hosts or finding similar infrastructure. Compare two hosts to see differences
Example Prompts for Censys in Windsurf
Ready-to-use prompts you can give your Windsurf agent to start working with Censys immediately.
"Find all nginx servers in Brazil."
"Get details for IP 8.8.8.8."
"Find certificates issued by Let's Encrypt expiring this month."
Troubleshooting Censys MCP Server with Windsurf
Common issues when connecting Censys to Windsurf through the Vinkius, and how to resolve them.
Server not connecting
Censys + Windsurf FAQ
Common questions about integrating Censys MCP Server with Windsurf.
How does Windsurf discover MCP tools?
mcp_config.json file on startup and connects to each configured server via Streamable HTTP. Tools are listed in the MCP panel and available to Cascade automatically.Can Cascade chain multiple MCP tool calls?
Does Windsurf support multiple MCP servers?
mcp_config.json. Each server's tools appear in the MCP panel and Cascade can use tools from different servers in a single flow.Connect Censys with your favorite client
Step-by-step setup guides for every MCP-compatible client and framework:
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Data-aware AI agent framework for structured and unstructured sources.
Microsoft's framework for multi-agent collaborative conversations.
Connect Censys to Windsurf
Get your token, paste the configuration, and start using 9 tools in under 2 minutes. No API key management needed.