OP 06 March, 2023 - 02:04 PM
(This post was last modified: 28 April, 2023 - 03:11 AM by startflash. Edited 1 time in total.)
Nessus is a vulnerability scanner developed by a cybersecurity company that allows you to perform detailed vulnerability scans on your network. The software has been designed to cover a variety of different technologies, such as operating systems and web servers, and find any possible vulnerabilities that affect these specific technologies. According to Nessus’s website, the scanner can check for more than 68,000 different Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures.
What is Nessus used for?
Vulnerability assessment: Nessus is often used to perform vulnerability assessments, which are scans that identify and assess security vulnerabilities in a system or network. Nessus can be used to scan for a wide range of vulnerabilities, including software vulnerabilities, configuration issues, and misconfigurations.
Compliance auditing: Nessus can also be used to perform compliance audits, which are scans that check whether a system or network is configured in compliance with a specific set of security standards, such as PCI-DSS, HIPAA, NIST, etc.
Penetration testing: Nessus can be used as a tool during penetration testing, which is the process of simulating an attack on a system or network to identify and assess security vulnerabilities. Nessus can be used to identify vulnerabilities that can be exploited by an attacker, as well as to gather information about the system or network for use in other stages of a penetration test.
Network scanning: Nessus can also be used to perform network scans, which are scans that identify and map the devices and systems on a network. Nessus can be used to gather information about the devices and systems on a network, such as IP addresses, operating systems, and open ports.
Asset inventory: Nessus can be used to gather information about the assets on a network, such as servers, workstations, laptops, and mobile devices. This information can be used to create an inventory of assets on a network, which can be used to identify vulnerabilities and track the status of security controls.
Intrusion detection and prevention: Nessus can be used to detect and prevent intrusions by identifying vulnerabilities that can be exploited by attackers. Nessus can be used to identify vulnerabilities that can be exploited by attackers and to monitor the network for suspicious activity.
General Steps for Using Nessus:
1. Install Nessus: Download and install Nessus on your computer. You will need to create an account in order to use the software.
2. Create a scan policy: Nessus allows you to create custom scan policies that define the scope and parameters of a scan. In the policy, you can specify the targets to be scanned, the plugins to be used, and the level of detail to be included in the scan results.
3. Launch a scan: Once you have created a scan policy, you can launch a scan by selecting the policy and clicking the "start scan" button. You can also schedule scans to run at a later time.
4. View scan results: Once a scan is completed, you can view the results by navigating to the "scans" tab in Nessus. The results will be organized by vulnerability and will include detailed information about the vulnerability, including its severity and potential impact.
5. Generate a report: Nessus allows you to generate a report of the scan results in several formats like HTML,PDF,CSV, etc. You can customize the report to include only the information that you need, such as a list of high-severity vulnerabilities.
6. Remediation: Nessus also provides remediation/fix guidance for identified vulnerabilities. You can use this information to help you fix the vulnerabilities and improve the security of your system or network.
What is Nessus used for?
Vulnerability assessment: Nessus is often used to perform vulnerability assessments, which are scans that identify and assess security vulnerabilities in a system or network. Nessus can be used to scan for a wide range of vulnerabilities, including software vulnerabilities, configuration issues, and misconfigurations.
Compliance auditing: Nessus can also be used to perform compliance audits, which are scans that check whether a system or network is configured in compliance with a specific set of security standards, such as PCI-DSS, HIPAA, NIST, etc.
Penetration testing: Nessus can be used as a tool during penetration testing, which is the process of simulating an attack on a system or network to identify and assess security vulnerabilities. Nessus can be used to identify vulnerabilities that can be exploited by an attacker, as well as to gather information about the system or network for use in other stages of a penetration test.
Network scanning: Nessus can also be used to perform network scans, which are scans that identify and map the devices and systems on a network. Nessus can be used to gather information about the devices and systems on a network, such as IP addresses, operating systems, and open ports.
Asset inventory: Nessus can be used to gather information about the assets on a network, such as servers, workstations, laptops, and mobile devices. This information can be used to create an inventory of assets on a network, which can be used to identify vulnerabilities and track the status of security controls.
Intrusion detection and prevention: Nessus can be used to detect and prevent intrusions by identifying vulnerabilities that can be exploited by attackers. Nessus can be used to identify vulnerabilities that can be exploited by attackers and to monitor the network for suspicious activity.
General Steps for Using Nessus:
1. Install Nessus: Download and install Nessus on your computer. You will need to create an account in order to use the software.
2. Create a scan policy: Nessus allows you to create custom scan policies that define the scope and parameters of a scan. In the policy, you can specify the targets to be scanned, the plugins to be used, and the level of detail to be included in the scan results.
3. Launch a scan: Once you have created a scan policy, you can launch a scan by selecting the policy and clicking the "start scan" button. You can also schedule scans to run at a later time.
4. View scan results: Once a scan is completed, you can view the results by navigating to the "scans" tab in Nessus. The results will be organized by vulnerability and will include detailed information about the vulnerability, including its severity and potential impact.
5. Generate a report: Nessus allows you to generate a report of the scan results in several formats like HTML,PDF,CSV, etc. You can customize the report to include only the information that you need, such as a list of high-severity vulnerabilities.
6. Remediation: Nessus also provides remediation/fix guidance for identified vulnerabilities. You can use this information to help you fix the vulnerabilities and improve the security of your system or network.
