What is the key difference between KernelScan and MCP Shodan?

KernelScan belongs to the Security category with cloud HTTP/SSE execution, while MCP Shodan belongs to the Security category with local stdio execution.

How do I install KernelScan or MCP Shodan in Claude Desktop or Cursor?

Copy the mcpServers JSON configuration snippet provided on this page into your claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json file and restart your AI client.

Are KernelScan and MCP Shodan free or paid?

KernelScan operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required). MCP Shodan operates under a BYOK (Pay Provider Direct) model (API Key required).

Which MCP server has more tools and community activity?

KernelScan lists 0 tools with 0 views and 0 GitHub stars. MCP Shodan lists 22 tools with 3 views and 164 GitHub stars.

Can I use both KernelScan and MCP Shodan together in the same MCP host?

Yes! MCP hosts like Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, Cline, and VS Code support configuring multiple servers under the mcpServers object simultaneously.

Side-by-Side Model Context Protocol Comparison

KernelScan vs MCP Shodan

In-depth architectural comparison of the KernelScan and MCP Shodan MCP servers. Compare execution transports, security boundaries, tool capabilities, quality scores, and ready-to-paste client installation snippets for Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, and VS Code.

At a Glance & Executive Verdict

KernelScan

Security · Remote HTTP/SSE

Quality: 25/100 (Emerging) | Auth: No auth required

MCP Shodan

Security · Local stdio

Quality: 61/100 (Good) | Auth: API Key required

Verdict Summary: Choose KernelScan if you need specialized Security tools running via a hosted cloud SSE transport. Choose MCP Shodan if your workspace requires Security integration with local subprocess execution. Both servers can be configured concurrently in your client's mcpServers manifest.

Which MCP Server Should You Choose?

Choose KernelScan when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Security domain.
You prefer remote streaming HTTP/SSE transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).

Explore KernelScan Details

Choose MCP Shodan when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Security domain.
You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: API Key required (BYOK (Pay Provider Direct)).
You have access to required keys: SHODAN_API_KEY.
Primary tools included: ip_lookup, ip, shodan_search.

Explore MCP Shodan Details

Feature & Specification Comparison

Specification	K KernelScan Security	MCP Shodan BurtTheCoder Security
Summary	Linux kernel CVE analyzer: upload a .config, get a CycloneDX VEX report of affecting CVEs.	MCP server for querying the Shodan API and Shodan CVEDB. This server provides tools for IP lookups, device searches, DNS lookups, vulnerability queries, CPE lookups, and more.
Category & Scope	Security

Tools & Capabilities Breakdown

KernelScan Tools (0)

No explicit tool names declared in metadata yet. Check project README on main listing page.

MCP Shodan Tools (22)

ip_lookup

shodan_search

query

max_results

cve_lookup

cve

dns_lookup

Ready-to-Paste Client Configurations

Paste either (or both) of these JSON server blocks into your client config file (e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json).

KernelScan Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "kernelscan": {
      "url": "https://kernelscan.io"
    }
  }
}

MCP Shodan Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "burtthecoder-mcp-shodan": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@burtthecoder/mcp-shodan"
      ],
      "env": {
        "SHODAN_API_KEY": "YOUR_SHODAN_API_KEY_HERE"
      }
    }
  }
}

Frequently Asked Questions

KernelScan is categorized under Security and uses a remote streaming HTTP/SSE transport. In contrast, MCP Shodan belongs to Security using local stdio subprocess. Select KernelScan when you need capabilities focused on security and MCP Shodan when you require tools for security.

More alternatives to KernelScan More alternatives to MCP Shodan Security category hub Canonical compare URL