Although OpenVAS is a popular open source vulnerability scanner, Tenable now offers its Nessus scanner product in three versions. You can purchase a Nessus Professional license as a one-time purchase or as a subscription. The Nessus Professional license includes one of the most advanced and up-to-date vulnerability scanning solutions available. Tenable also offers the Nessus Essentials license. The Essentials license is free to use for up to 16 IP addresses, and makes it a great option for students and entry-level security practitioners.

Nessus makes it easy to conduct many types of vulnerability scans with options that fit almost any security practitioner’s needs. The Essentials license doesn’t include some of the more advanced options, but it will show you what the more advanced licenses can do for you. The Nessus product relatively straightforward to use. Unless you need to modify specific settings, you select the type of scan you want, tell Nessus what target IPs to scan, and then start the scan. Nessus carries out the requested scans and provides detailed results of what it finds.

FIGURE 7-14 Nessus Essentials desktop.

FIGURE 7-15 shows the results of and advanced scan with summary information listed for each target, and FIGURE 7-16 shows a sample page form the Nessus Essentials exported summary report.