Documented by Censys ASM only: none.
Documented by CyCognito only: OWNED, PROVEN and RECHECKED.
Documented by both: FOUND and ROUTED.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Censys ASM vs CyCognito: which ASM tool takes an exposure further?
THE SHORT ANSWER
CyCognito scores higher overall on our weights, 6.90 to 5.15. Censys ASM scores higher on Fits the enterprise stack; CyCognito scores higher on Finds the unlisted estate, Routes to an owner, Proves exploitability, Closes the loop and Buying transparency; they tie on Contains before the patch. The table below gives the reason for every score.
Censys ASM
Rank 9 of 10
Best for: Threat intelligence and hunting teams that want raw internet scan evidence
CyCognito
Rank 3 of 10
Best for: Teams that want proof and a retested fix, starting from nothing but a company name
Which tool scores higher on each criterion?
| Criterion | Censys ASM | CyCognito | Higher |
|---|---|---|---|
Finds the unlisted estate 15%WhyCensys ASM: First-party scanning across all 65K ports, expanding from seeds the customer adds. CyCognito: Starts from the organization's name with no IP ranges or asset lists, covering subsidiaries, brands and business units. | 7 / 10 | 9 / 10 | CyCognito |
Routes to an owner 10%WhyCensys ASM: Assets found beyond your seeds appear under a "Found by Censys" tab; attribution logic is not described in detail. CyCognito: Each finding carries a trace of how it was found and which subsidiary, brand or business unit it belongs to. | 6 / 10 | 8 / 10 | CyCognito |
Proves exploitability 20%WhyCensys ASM: Confirms reachability and applies EPSS and KEV context; active exploitation testing is not documented. CyCognito: Runs 100,000+ unauthenticated black-box tests across 30+ categories without state changes, and added Continuous AI Pentesting in June 2026. | 5 / 10 | 9 / 10 | CyCognito |
Contains before the patch 20%WhyCensys ASM: No compensating control is described. CyCognito: No compensating control or automated mitigation is described; exposures wait for the owner's fix. | 2 / 10 | 2 / 10 | Tie |
Closes the loop 15%WhyCensys ASM: Auto-creates, routes and tracks remediation tasks; no retest after a fix is described. CyCognito: Step-by-step guidance, owner-linked workflows and a retest after each fix. | 6 / 10 | 9 / 10 | CyCognito |
Fits the enterprise stack 10%WhyCensys ASM: Names Jira, ServiceNow ITSM and CMDB, Tenable VM, Google Security Operations, Microsoft Sentinel, Axonius, Brinqa, Slack, Webex and the three major clouds. CyCognito: Names ServiceNow, Jira, Splunk and Zendesk for remediation workflows; edge and SOAR connections are not named on the pages reviewed. | 8 / 10 | 6 / 10 | Censys ASM |
Buying transparency 10%WhyCensys ASM: A free platform account and credits from $100 exist; ASM itself is contact sales. CyCognito: Publishes its pricing basis and an AWS Marketplace price: $30,000 per 12 months for ASM covering up to 250 assets. | 4 / 10 | 6 / 10 | CyCognito |
Which steps does each tool document?
Censys ASM
- FOUNDDocumented
65K-port first-party scanning, expanding from seeds.
- OWNEDNot documented
Attribution logic not described in detail.
- PROVENPartial
Reachability confirmation with EPSS and KEV; no exploitation.
- CONTAINEDNot documented
No compensating control described.
- ROUTEDDocumented
Auto-creates and routes remediation tasks.
- RECHECKEDNot documented
Retest after a fix not described.
CyCognito
- FOUNDDocumented
Seedless discovery from the organization's name.
- OWNEDDocumented
Subsidiary, brand or business unit with a trace per finding.
- PROVENDocumented
100,000+ black-box tests; Continuous AI Pentesting since June 2026.
- CONTAINEDNot documented
No compensating control or automated mitigation described.
- ROUTEDDocumented
Owner-linked workflows into ServiceNow, Jira, Splunk and Zendesk.
- RECHECKEDDocumented
Retest after each fix.
Partial counts as not documented for these three lines.
What do they cost?
Censys ASM
Not published
ASM: contact sales. A free Censys platform account exists, and platform credits start from $100.
To start: Seeds you add in the console or through the API.
CyCognito
Pricing basis published: total asset volume for ASM; active IPs and web applications for exposure validation. AWS Marketplace: CyCognito ASM 250 (up to 250 assets) $30,000 per 12 months; 24-month contracts "save up to 8%", 36-month "save up to 11%".
To start: The organization's name. "No IP ranges, no asset lists."
Which should you choose?
Choose Censys ASM if
- it matters most to you that it fits the enterprise stack (8/10)
- it matters most to you that it finds the unlisted estate (7/10)
Choose Censys ASM if your threat intelligence or hunting team wants raw scan evidence and broad integrations. Look elsewhere if you need exploitation proof or containment.
Choose CyCognito if
- it matters most to you that it proves exploitability (9/10)
- it matters most to you that it finds the unlisted estate (9/10)
Choose CyCognito if you have no reliable asset list and want proof and a verified fix for each finding. Look elsewhere if you need exposures blocked at the edge before the patch lands.
Frequently asked questions
Which proves exploitability better, Censys ASM or CyCognito?
CyCognito scores higher on our proof criterion (Censys ASM 5/10, CyCognito 9/10). Censys ASM: Confirms reachability and applies EPSS and KEV context; active exploitation testing is not documented. CyCognito: Runs 100,000+ unauthenticated black-box tests across 30+ categories without state changes, and added Continuous AI Pentesting in June 2026.
Can Censys ASM or CyCognito contain an exposure before the patch?
Censys ASM: not documented on the pages reviewed CyCognito: not documented on the pages reviewed Contain scores: Censys ASM 2/10, CyCognito 2/10.
Which is easier to buy, Censys ASM or CyCognito?
Censys ASM: contact sales. A free Censys platform account exists, and platform credits start from $100. CyCognito: Pricing basis published: total asset volume for ASM; active IPs and web applications for exposure validation. AWS Marketplace: CyCognito ASM 250 (up to 250 assets) $30,000 per 12 months; 24-month contracts "save up to 8%", 36-month "save up to 11%". Buying transparency scores: Censys ASM 4/10, CyCognito 6/10.
Read next
- Censys ASM profile
Scores, sources and pricing
- CyCognito profile
Scores, sources and pricing
- Beyond Censys ASM: alternatives
Eight alternatives ranked
- Beyond CyCognito: alternatives
Eight alternatives ranked
- Line them up
Add more tools to this comparison
- Exposure triage calculator
Set your own weights and must-haves