Osint tool that finds exposed files on domains

hey guys, wanted to show one of my side projects i just made public.the idea is basically another osint tool for pentesters and bug bounty hunters. it watches certificate transparency logs and checks newly-seen domains for exposed stuff like .env files, open .git dirs, config files, db dumps and so on, and puts whatever it finds into a searchable db. you just search a domain (or part of one) and see what's exposed.it's read-only and free. one thing i've been thinking about adding is a way to register for certain keywords and get notified when something new shows up for that search.would love to hear if you have other ideas for useful features, and also ideas for how to reduce abuse of the data, since that's the part i'm least sure about.https://search.cerast-intelligence.com/

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FL score

72

out of 100

Verdict

VALIDATE

medium confidence

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A searchable database of exposed files found on newly-registered domains, built by passively monitoring certificate transparency logs.

The pain

Security teams and pentesters waste hours manually searching for exposed credentials, config files, and source code across domains they're testing. Bug bounty hunters need to find low-hanging fruit quickly to maximize earnings per hour spent.

The gap

Existing OSINT tools require active scanning (slow, detectable, resource-intensive) or manual checking. This tool passively collects data from public cert logs and pre-scans domains, making discovery instant and free. The gap is automation + passive collection + searchability.

Build angle

The founder has already built and shipped a working product with real users. The immediate question isn't whether to build, it's whether to monetize and scale. The real business decision is: does the free model with keyword alerts create enough value to justify ongoing infrastructure costs, or does this need a paid tier to survive?

Strengths

  • Already live with working product and user feedback loop
  • Solves a real, repeated problem for a defined audience (pentesters, bug bounty hunters)
  • Passive data collection is defensible, uses only public cert logs
  • Low marginal cost per search once infrastructure is built
  • Clear monetization path (alerts, API access, premium filters)

Risks

  • Legal exposure: exposing sensitive data could trigger CFAA or GDPR complaints, even if data is technically public
  • Abuse vector: attackers could use this to find targets faster than defenders can patch
  • Sustainability: free model with no revenue won't cover infrastructure costs long-term
  • Competition: larger security vendors (Shodan, Censys, SecurityTrails) could replicate this feature in weeks
  • Retention: without monetization, user engagement will plateau, people use free tools sporadically
  • Regulatory risk: unclear if hosting this data violates responsible disclosure norms in some jurisdictions

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