Censys provides Internet intelligence and threat intelligence through continuous scanning and monitoring of Internet-facing infrastructure. The company was founded in 2017 by researchers from the University of Michigan who created ZMap, an open-source fast Internet scanning tool.

Censys operates a proprietary scan engine that continuously scans Internet protocols to collect data about hosts, websites, certificates, and other Internet-connected assets. The company offers several products including Censys Search, which provides access to Internet scan data and allows users to query information about Internet infrastructure, and Censys Attack Surface Management (ASM), which helps organizations discover and monitor their external attack surface.

The platform serves security teams, researchers, and analysts across private and public sectors. Users can identify exposed assets, track infrastructure changes, hunt for threats, and investigate adversary infrastructure. The company maintains a community of over 350,000 users who access their search capabilities for security research and investigations.

Censys combines Internet-wide scanning data with analysis capabilities to provide visibility into Internet-connected infrastructure. The platform is used for threat hunting, vulnerability management, attack surface discovery, and security research. The company publishes regular research reports on Internet security trends, adversary infrastructure, and command-and-control systems.