The invention discloses a sensitive image search method and device and belongs to the field of image processing. The method includes the steps of extracting a local feature vector set of an image to be searched, generating feature vectors of the image, searching a reverse index of a set sensitive image library according to the feature vectors to acquire all sensitive images related to the image to be searched, calculating the similarity between the image to be searched and all the sensitive images, initially sequencing all the sensitive images according to the similarity, screening all the sensitive images acquired by initial sequencing by using image feature points, and giving an alarm if returned result images are the sensitive images. According to the sensitive image search method and device, search on sensitive images or pictures in video content is achieved by utilizing the image analysis and retrieval technique based on content, a large amount of labor is saved, good real-time performance is achieved, real-time analysis and detection can be achieved during video display, and an alarming signal is sent out immediately once the sensitive images or pictures appear in the video content.