John Matherly, founder, Shodan
John Matherly, founder of Shodan, a search engine that can find devices connected to the internet using a variety of filters, explains why some cyber insurers and companies considering mergers and acquisitions are using the search engine to probe for network vulnerabilities.
Some cyber insurers are using Shodan to help them assess whether potential clients have security shortcomings, Matherly says, adding that insurers want to address such questions as Are you doing a good job patching your devices? because that helps them to determine how much the premiums should be.
Companies considering acquiring another firm can use Shodan to help determine whether the acquisition target has adequate security measures, Matherly says.