Imagine a search engine like Google, but instead of website content, it shows you the technology that runs the content. ZoomEye can offer this.

For the average user, this information won't be of any value. Still, for those in cybersecurity, such information can be used to look for possible vulnerabilities in a system, which can then be patched before any malicious hacker can find them.

So, what exactly is ZoomEye? How does it work, and how can it be useful for your cybersecurity?

What Is ZoomEye?

ZoomEye is a freemium reconnaissance platform that cybersecurity professionals, researchers, and organizations can use to gather insights on existing services and internet-connected devices, assess their security, and identify potential vulnerabilities.

Although various reconnaissance tools, such as Nmap and Masscan, can provide even deeper analysis on a certain range of IP addresses and their ports, ZoomEye is a broader tool that gives a better general view of the overall landscape of the exposed cyberspace.

How Does ZoomEye Work?

With ZoomEye, cybersecurity professionals can search and browse through a database that indexes IPv4, IPv6, and website domain databases visible across the internet. Since cyberspace is a vast and ever-growing network, ZoomEye relies on surveying nodes spread around the world to scan a good portion of cyberspace effectively.

To break it down, ZoomEye works in four stages: scanning, banner grabbing, indexing, and search and query.

1. Scanning: ZoomEye uses its surveying nodes located around the globe to scan for open ports of services and internet-connected devices.
2. Banner Grabbing: After the existence of a service or device has been verified, ZoomEye then collects the banner information of the specific service running port. Banner information may include details about the service, such as a list of running ports, utilities it uses, version of such utilities, what hardware the service is running on, and other identifying characteristics
3. Indexing:The data collected from the banner grabbing phase is then stored and indexed in ZoomEye's database.
4. Search and Query: The database is then connected to the ZoomEye API, where users can search and query for any information stored on the ZoomEye database. Users may search keywords and apply filters to find specific types of devices or services.

ZoomEye charges various fees if users want to access additional kinds of data. For instance, if you want to monitor 50 IP addresses monthly, it'll cost you $70. If you want to monitor 250 IP addresses monthly, it'll cost $140. You can access 10,000 results monthly for free, or get an extra 20,000 results for $70 monthly.

How Is ZoomEye Useful For Your Cybersecurity?

With the scope of data that ZoomEye and similar reconnaissance platforms could potentially bring, malicious actors may misuse this platform. However, keeping vulnerable networks hidden does little to protect them from hackers. Instead, platforms like ZoomEye expose these networks to the public so everyone can check their networks and devices for any possible weak points a hacker might exploit.

So, how exactly does ZoomEye help make a more secure cyberspace?

1. External Visibility: Having possibly vulnerable networks and devices exposed on platforms like ZoomEye can help alert the community as well as the owners of the weak points in their system. Larger organizations could utilize ZoomEye to better view their digital presence from an outsider’s perspective.
2. Assets Discovery: Configuring and taking inventory of all the devices connected to a network may be easy when the network is small. However, for bigger networks, such as those utilized in governments and other organizations, keeping track may not be possible. Having the ability to externally check possible loose ends such as webcams, repeaters, and IoT devices can help cybersecurity personnel identify those assets and keep them in check.
3. Vulnerability Assessment: ZoomEye can help identify potential vulnerabilities and misconfigurations in a network. While cybersecurity personnel can perform vulnerability assessments, reconnaissance platforms like ZoomEye can reveal issues that might have been missed, such as open ports, outdated software, or insecure configurations.
4. Third-party Risk Management: ZoomEye allows you to check the security of third-party vendors and partners connected to your business. After ensuring your system is safe, checking on partner networks through ZoomEye and similar platforms can help you alert them of any problems concerning their security.
5. Research and Threat Intelligence: Cybersecurity professionals can use ZoomEye to know what types of technologies are often used, emerging threats, and research potential attack vectors.

The Possible Dangers of ZoomEye

ZoomEye is a freemium online tool aimed to help aid cybersecurity in the areas of reconnaissance and threat evaluation. However, like any tool readily available for anyone to use, ZoomEye can potentially be misused by hackers and employ different types of reconnaissance attacks.

With the amount of information one can get from ZoomEye, hackers could potentially gain unauthorized access to devices in a network, install malware, disrupt services, and steal sensitive data which can be used for all kinds of nefarious activities.

Furthermore, skilled hackers may automate the process by continuously scanning through ZoomEye and integrating the obtained information into their toolkit to try and gain unauthorized access to every network possible.

Should You Be Afraid of ZoomEye?

With ZoomEye potentially being misused by hackers to locate possible targets, it is understandable that people might fear ZoomEye. However, you must remember that all the datasets on the ZoomEye database are already publicly available. ZoomEye is simply a massive port scanner that indexes exposed websites, services, and connected devices on the internet.

With or without ZoomEye or similar platforms, if your network is vulnerable, hackers can always find a way to find and attack your system. Yes, ZoomEye can make it easier for hackers to locate vulnerable systems. Bur that isn't really the problem. The real problem is that a network located somewhere is vulnerable, and the owners failed to secure it properly.

ZoomEye can be useful from both sides of the playing field. Hackers can always find a vulnerable network if they try hard enough, but on the other hand, people with no cybersecurity experience can use the tool and see if their network is exposed.

ZoomEye Has Its Pros and Cons

Although ZoomEye is a powerful platform for initial reconnaissance work, the amount of information one gets from the platform is often lacking.

With how ZoomEye operates and its limitations, cybersecurity professionals often use other reconnaissance platforms such as Shodan, Censys, FOFA, and LeakIX in conjunction with ZoomEye. They would then proceed to gather even more data using more specialized tools like Nmap, BurpSuit, and WireShark on a specific network. Keep this in mind if you want to use ZoomEye yourself.