How we ensure accuracy.

Aegisnode's commitment to factual, verifiable intelligence — and the protocols we use to keep it that way.

Our data sources

All scan data comes from direct observation — not inference. Every finding in an Aegisnode report traces back to a specific, observable signal collected by our scan engine.

  • DNS resolution against authoritative nameservers
  • Live TLS handshakes to verify certificates
  • Port scanning via Shodan InternetDB
  • HTTP response analysis for security headers
  • Certificate transparency log queries (crt.sh, HackerTarget)
  • Breach database lookups (Have I Been Pwned)
  • SPF, DKIM, DMARC DNS record verification

Every finding links back to the raw signal that produced it. No data is inferred, estimated, or modeled.

Deterministic scoring

Every score in an Aegisnode report is mathematically derived from observable facts — not subjectively assigned. There are no black-box algorithms.

Each of 8 categories produces a score based on what the scan engine directly observes. Those category scores are weighted to produce an overall grade:

Category Weight
SSL / TLS20%
Ports20%
Email Security15%
Technology15%
DNS10%
Headers10%
Breach Exposure10%

Grades are mathematically derived from these weighted scores. The scoring formula is transparent and reproducible — given the same scan data, the same score is always produced.

Claim verification methodology

Deterministic — No AI

When vendors make security claims, Aegisnode cross-references those claims against real scan data using deterministic pattern matching. No AI is used in claim verification today.

Every claim evaluation produces one of three outcomes:

Confirmed

Scan data supports the claim

Contradicted

Scan data conflicts with the claim

Unverifiable

Claim references internal controls not observable externally

We will always tell you when something cannot be verified rather than guess. Claims are matched against scan data using pattern matching — deterministic, repeatable, and traceable to the underlying evidence.

AI governance framework

Not yet in use — future framework

AI is not currently used in any Aegisnode scan, score, or report. The scan engine is 100% deterministic — DNS queries, TLS handshakes, API lookups, and regex pattern matching.

When AI is introduced, it will operate under seven non-negotiable principles. These are not aspirational guidelines — they are engineering constraints that will be enforced at the system level.

Principle 1

AI analyzes — it never generates.

AI will only process data that already exists from deterministic scans. It cannot create findings, fabricate evidence, or produce data that wasn't captured by the scan modules.

Principle 2

Evidence binding.

Every AI-generated insight must reference specific scan findings by ID. An insight without a traceable source is automatically discarded.

Principle 3

Confidence scoring.

AI outputs include a confidence score. Findings below our threshold are flagged for human review or suppressed entirely. Only high-confidence insights reach reports.

Principle 4

Contradiction detection.

AI insights are cross-checked against raw scan data. If the AI's interpretation conflicts with the underlying evidence, the contradiction is caught and the insight is rejected.

Principle 5

Severity ceiling.

AI cannot escalate the severity of a finding above what the raw data supports. It can explain and contextualize — it cannot upgrade risk levels beyond what the evidence shows.

Principle 6

Known-good baselines.

We maintain a library of verified scan-to-insight mappings. When AI generates an insight, it's compared against known-correct interpretations. Drift from baselines triggers review.

Principle 7

Full audit trail.

Every AI inference is logged with: input data, model version, raw output, confidence score, gates passed/failed, and final decision. Full reproducibility.

Human validation layer

All paid reports (Analyst and Command tiers) include human review by a CISSP/CISA certified professional. This is the final gate — a certified human reviews findings before they reach the client.

Automated output and professional judgment are not the same thing. The human reviewer can override, downgrade, or annotate any finding.

This layer exists precisely because no automated system — AI or otherwise — is infallible.

What the human reviewer does

  • Reviews all findings for accuracy and context
  • Can override, downgrade, or escalate any finding
  • Adds professional annotations where scan data needs interpretation
  • Ensures the final report reflects reality, not just data

Our commitment

We would rather report fewer findings with higher accuracy than flood your team with noise. Every finding in an Aegisnode report is backed by observable evidence, scored by transparent methodology, and — on paid tiers — reviewed by a certified professional. If we cannot verify something, we will tell you. If we are wrong, we will correct it. Accuracy is not a feature we added. It is the foundation the product is built on.

Questions about our methodology? Contact security@aegisnode.io