Nessus Vulnerability Scanner is a widely used tool for identifying security vulnerabilities in computer systems. In this article, we will guide you through the process of installing and using Nessus on a Debian 12 system.
Installation:
1. Visit the Tenable website and create an account to download the Nessus software. Once you have logged in, navigate to the Downloads section and select the appropriate version for Debian systems.
2. Download the Nessus .deb package to your Debian 12 system.
3. Open a terminal and navigate to the directory where you downloaded the .deb package.
4. Install the Nessus package using the following command:
sudo dpkg -i Nessus-
5. After the installation is complete, start the Nessus service by running the following command:
sudo service nessusd start
6. Open a web browser and navigate to https://localhost:8834 to access the Nessus web interface.
7. When prompted, enter the activation code provided on the Tenable website to activate your Nessus installation.
Usage:
1. Once you have activated Nessus, you can log in to the web interface using the default credentials (username: nessus, password: nessus).
2. In the web interface, you can create a new scan by clicking on the “Scans” tab and then selecting “New Scan”.
3. Configure the scan settings by specifying the target IP addresses or hostnames, selecting the scan template (such as a basic network scan or a web application scan), setting up the scan schedule, and defining the scan policies.
4. Start the scan by clicking on the “Launch” button. Nessus will begin scanning the target systems for vulnerabilities and generating a report of the findings.
5. Once the scan is complete, you can view the scan results in the web interface, which will provide details on the vulnerabilities identified, along with recommendations for remediation.
6. You can also schedule automated scans, set up notifications for specific vulnerabilities, and generate reports for compliance audits.
By following these steps, you can easily install and use the Nessus Vulnerability Scanner on your Debian 12 system to identify and mitigate security risks in your environment. Remember to regularly run scans and apply the necessary patches and updates to keep your systems secure.