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Use ZoomEye to find internet-visible services that may be artifact repositories—not to prove that a repository is exposed or compromised. ZoomEye documents searches for devices and websites, but does not promise repository-specific detection. Treat each match as a lead: confirm it is within your authorized scope, verify what it actually serves, and have the asset owner assess access controls before deciding what to change.
What ZoomEye can—and cannot—tell you
ZoomEye is an internet asset discovery platform. Its API documentation describes searches across devices and websites, with service and protocol-related information. That can help defenders identify services to investigate, but the documentation does not establish a reliable way to find every Maven, npm, Docker, or other artifact repository.
A visible IP address, port, domain, or service indication is not proof that the service is a package repository. Nor does visibility establish that package contents are readable, credentials are exposed, access controls are absent, or an attacker has gained access. Those are separate questions requiring authorized validation and review by the system owner.
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How to investigate potential repositories safely
1. Define the authorized scope
Start with assets your organization owns or has explicit permission to assess. Confirm domains, IP ranges, cloud accounts, and third-party boundaries with the asset owner. A result appearing in a public search does not establish your authority to probe it. CISA recommends assessing current internet exposure and reviewing whether public access is operationally necessary.
2. Search for leads, not conclusions
Use ZoomEye’s documented device and website search capabilities to identify candidate services within that scope. The documentation supports broad asset discovery; it does not provide a verified, repository-specific detection guarantee. Do not assume that an unverified search expression or service fingerprint will identify artifact repositories reliably.
ZoomEye API behavior and syntax can change. Its API v2 documentation lists an update time of December 4, 2024; consult the current official documentation before relying on particular query syntax or interpreting a field. Review ZoomEye API v2 documentation for the current reference.
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For each candidate, record the observed domain or IP address, port, protocol or service evidence, observation time, and known organizational owner. The ZoomEye Python client documentation shows fields such as IP, port, domain, and update time in displayed results. Compare the candidate with authoritative internal inventories and ask the asset owner to confirm whether the service is theirs before attempting any further validation.
The PyPI page for the ZoomEye Python client lists version 3.0.0, released February 7, 2025, and describes API-key authentication, CLI/SDK use, and result fields. Version details and account requirements can change, so check the current project page before adopting its client in an operational workflow: ZoomEye Python client on PyPI.
4. Validate access only with permission
Once ownership and authorization are established, have the service owner determine what is actually reachable and whether authentication and repository controls behave as intended. Keep discovery evidence separate from validation findings: a banner or protocol observation is not the same as confirming anonymous access to package contents. Avoid downloading artifacts, testing credentials, or changing service state unless those actions are explicitly authorized and necessary for the assessment.
5. Decide whether public access is needed
Ask the business owner what operational requirement justifies internet access. If none exists, restrict the service to approved networks or otherwise remove unnecessary exposure. If it must remain reachable, mitigate the exposure with controls appropriate to the product and use case. CISA recommends assessing exposure, deciding whether internet access is necessary, restricting systems that do not need it, mitigating necessary exposure, and repeating assessments routinely: CISA guidance on identifying and reducing attack-surface exposure.
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What to review in the repository controls
Artifact repositories may support formats such as Maven, npm, and Docker. When selecting or reviewing a repository service, consider the formats your teams use and whether identity and access management can be integrated. CISA names JFrog Artifactory and Sonatype Nexus Repository as examples; the right product and configuration depend on organizational requirements. CISA’s Secure Software Development Framework resources provide related software-supply-chain context.
- Authentication and authorization: Confirm that access is limited to intended users, services, and build systems, and that permissions match their roles.
- Managed access paths: Check that clients and build pipelines use the approved repository rather than bypassing its controls through direct upstream access or ungoverned endpoints.
- Artifact review: Ensure the organization can review incoming artifacts in a way that makes its approval and trust decisions meaningful.
- Identity protections: Use suitable IAM integration and, where applicable, stronger authentication such as MFA for administrative or sensitive access.
- Maintenance and monitoring: Keep the service maintained, monitor relevant access paths, and reassess exposure periodically.
A private artifact repository can give an organization more control over supply-chain artifacts, but it is not automatically safer merely because it is private. OWASP notes that repository operation involves maintenance and agility tradeoffs; controls must be implemented so review matters and clients cannot simply bypass the intended repository. OWASP Software Supply Chain Security guidance discusses these considerations.
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How to report findings without overstating them
Separate what the search observed from what the assessment confirmed. A useful finding records the candidate asset, evidence and observation time, ownership status, validation performed under authorization, business need for public access, and the owner’s remediation decision.
- Observed: An internet asset search returned a domain or IP address with specified port or protocol evidence.
- Confirmed: The asset owner verified the service identity and authorized checks established the actual access behavior.
- Not established by visibility alone: Whether package contents are publicly readable, credentials are exposed, configuration is defective, or compromise occurred.
Prioritize confirmed unnecessary exposure and control failures over unverified product guesses. Track remediation with the responsible owner, then repeat the assessment to check whether the service’s exposure has changed.
