censys-enumeration vs Knock: 2026 Comparison
censys-enumeration is a free external attack surface management tool. Knock is a free external attack surface management tool. Compare features, ratings, integrations, and community reviews side by side to find the best external attack surface management fit for your security stack.
CST VerdictBased on our analysis of available product data, here is our conclusion:
Security teams running lean reconnaissance workflows will extract subdomains faster with censys-enumeration than querying certificate databases manually, since it automates SSL/TLS enumeration across Censys' dataset at zero cost. The 152 GitHub stars signal active use among practitioners who value simplicity over UI polish. Skip this if you need continuous monitoring or automated alerting on new discoveries; this is a one-time enumeration script, not a managed platform that rescans your attack surface on a schedule.
Security teams doing external attack surface reconnaissance on a budget should start with Knock; it's free, it works, and the 4,054 GitHub stars reflect actual adoption rather than marketing hype. The tool excels at the narrow job of subdomain enumeration, which maps NIST Govern and Identify functions by forcing you to know what's actually exposed before you can defend it. Skip Knock if you need continuous monitoring or API integration into your existing ASM stack; this is a point-in-time scanner you run manually, not a platform that feeds ongoing discovery into your risk register.
