What is Crypto Discovery?
Crypto discovery finds cryptographic evidence before teams build an inventory or plan migration.
Discovery Evidence Pipeline
Crypto discovery works best when multiple evidence sources feed a usable cryptographic inventory.
Network and certificates
Network evidence
Protocols, TLS versions, endpoints, exposed services
Certificates
Certificate algorithms, issuers, expiry, ownership clues
Vulnerability scans
Crypto-related weaknesses or configuration issues
Systems and code
Source / binaries / containers
Libraries, hardcoded algorithms, crypto APIs, dependencies
Configuration
TLS settings, VPN profiles, certificate paths, cipher settings
Platforms and vendors
Cloud / HSM / KMS
Managed keys, encryption settings, key policies, platform dependencies
Vendor answers
Product roadmap, algorithm use, upgrade path, limitations
OT / embedded documentation
Long-lifecycle systems, firmware constraints, hard-to-change crypto
Cryptographic inventory
Evidence becomes useful only when it is organised into an operational view.
No single scanner sees everything. Discovery is stronger when several evidence sources are combined.
Discovery finds cryptographic evidence. Inventory makes that evidence usable.
Short Answer
Crypto discovery is the process of finding where cryptography is used across systems, traffic, certificates, applications, code, cloud services, configurations, vendors, and products.
Cryptography is often hidden
It may sit inside TLS, VPNs, APIs, identity platforms, certificates, libraries, containers, firmware, HSMs, KMS services, and supplier-managed products.
Discovery is evidence gathering
It is not the final answer; it collects signals that can become inventory, CBOM, readiness assessment, and roadmap input.
No single scanner sees everything
Discovery methods vary in maturity, coverage, and evidence quality.
Core Explanation
Cryptography is spread across many places
A company may use cryptography in websites, APIs, TLS, VPNs, certificates, PKI, identity systems, software signing, endpoint tools, cloud platforms, HSM or KMS services, containers, libraries, OT systems, embedded systems, and supplier products.
No single team usually sees all of this. That is why discovery work is needed.
Discovery collects evidence
Crypto discovery should collect signals from several sources, including traffic, TLS scans, certificate inventories, scanners, endpoint telemetry, source code, binaries, containers, configuration files, cloud configuration, HSM or KMS services, asset tools, procurement questionnaires, vendor documentation, and OT records.
The aim is not perfection on day one. The aim is to build a useful first view and improve it over time.
Discovery methods vary in maturity, coverage, and evidence quality; no single scanner should be assumed to find all cryptographic usage.
Discovery is different from inventory
Discovery is the process. Inventory is the organised result.
A scan might say that a certificate uses ECDSA. An inventory should connect that finding to the system, owner, vendor, business use, data protected, protocol, confidence level, priority, and next action.
Discovery should be repeated
Cryptography changes over time. Certificates renew, libraries update, cloud services change, vendors release versions, teams deploy APIs, and legacy systems remain in use.
A one-time scan can be useful, but serious discovery should become repeatable.
Good Discovery vs Weak Discovery
- combines multiple evidence sources
- includes network and application-level evidence
- maps certificates to systems
- considers code, binaries, containers, and configuration
- includes cloud, HSM, KMS, vendor, and supplier evidence
- documents confidence levels and coverage gaps
- links findings to systems, owners, and repeatable updates
- relies on one scanner only
- treats scanner output as a complete inventory
- ignores OT, embedded systems, vendors, and third parties
- ignores runtime configuration
- has no confidence level or update process
- has no link to business criticality
- has no path from findings to decisions
Weak discovery may produce a list, but not visibility.
Why It Matters
Crypto discovery matters because hidden cryptography creates hidden migration risk.
Obvious systems are not enough
Public websites and VPNs are only part of the picture.
Hard systems may be elsewhere
Software updates, internal APIs, supplier portals, identity federation, embedded products, old appliances, cloud-managed services, firmware trust chains, and code signing can matter.
Coverage beats false certainty
If discovery only checks obvious systems, the organisation may miss the difficult ones.
Practical Example
Starting with a certificate scan
A company starts with a certificate scan and finds several ECDSA certificates. That is useful, but not enough.
A stronger process asks which systems use those certificates, whether they are public, internal, or vendor-managed, which TLS libraries and configurations are used, whether VPNs, APIs, identity systems or code signing use similar cryptography, which cloud services manage cryptography, and which findings are confirmed, likely, or uncertain.
The result should become an inventory, not just a scan export.
Questions to Ask Vendors or Consultants
Which discovery sources do you use?
Do you inspect traffic, certificates, code, configuration, cloud services, and vendor documentation?
How do you handle systems that cannot be scanned directly?
Can you identify cryptography inside OT, embedded, or long-lifecycle products?
How do you connect findings to owners and business systems?
Do you record confidence level and evidence source?
What is out of scope?
How is the discovery process repeated or updated?
How do raw findings become an inventory, CBOM, or roadmap?
Common Misunderstanding
We ran a certificate scan, so we have completed crypto discovery.
A certificate scan is useful, but it is only one evidence source. Serious crypto discovery combines multiple sources and connects findings to systems, owners, vendors, and business context.
What to Remember
One-Sentence Summary
Crypto discovery finds cryptographic evidence so the organisation can build an inventory and plan migration with real visibility.
Three Key Points
- Discovery is the process; inventory is the organised result.
- One scanner is not enough for serious PQC readiness.
- Good discovery combines technical evidence with ownership, vendor, and business context.