Step 1: Install Nessus on Kali Linux
1.1. Download the Nessus package from the official website
(https://www.tenable.com/products/nessus/select-your-operating-system) and save it to your
Kali Linux machine.
1.2. Open a terminal and navigate to the directory where you downloaded the Nessus
package.
1.3. Run the following command to install Nessus:
sudo dpkg -i Nessus-*
1.4. Once the installation is complete, run the following command to start the Nessus
service:
sudo /etc/init.d/nessusd start
Step 2: Configure Nessus
2.1. Open a web browser and navigate to https://localhost:8834. You will be prompted to log
in using the default username and password (admin/nessus).
2.2. Change the default password to a strong and unique password.
2.3. Click on the “Policies” tab and then click on the “New” button to create a new scan
policy.
2.4. Give the policy a name and configure the scan settings as desired (e.g. what ports to
scan, what types of vulnerabilities to check for, etc.).
Step 3: Perform Vulnerability Scan
3.1. Click on the “Scans” tab and then click on the “New” button to create a new scan.
3.2. Select the scan policy that you created in step 2 and enter the IP address or hostname
of the Windows machine that you want to scan.
3.3. Click on the “Launch” button to start the scan.
Step 4: Generate VA Report
4.1. Once the scan is complete, click on the “Reports” tab and then click on the “New” button
to create a new report.
4.2. Select the scan that you just completed and configure the report settings as desired
(e.g. what type of report to generate, what information to include, etc.).
4.3. Click on the “Generate” button to create the report. The report will be saved in the
specified location and can be viewed using a web browser.
Note: This is a basic step by step process for vulnerability scanning using Nessus, you may
need to further configure your Nessus according to your network infrastructure and scanning
requirement.
Now For Windows Installation – Optional
Step 1: Download Nessus from the Tenable website.
Step 2: Install Nessus on your Kali machine by running the installation package.
Step 3: Start Nessus by running the command “service nessusd start”
Step 4: Open a web browser and navigate to https://localhost:8834 to access the Nessus
web interface.
Step 5: Log in to Nessus using the default username and password (admin/nessus).
Step 6: Click on the “Scans” tab and then click on the “New Scan” button.
Step 7: In the “New Scan” page, enter a name for the scan and the target IP address of the
Windows machine you want to scan.
Step 8: Select the appropriate scan template and click on the “Save” button.
Step 9: Click on the “Launch” button to start the vulnerability scan.
Step 10: Once the scan is complete, click on the “Reports” tab and then click on the “Save
As” button to save the report in the desired format (e.g. PDF, HTML, CSV).
Step 11: The vulnerability scan report will contain detailed information about any
vulnerabilities found on the Windows machine, including a description of the vulnerability, its
severity, and any recommended remediation steps.
It is important to note that before scanning any machines, please ensure you have proper
authorization and permission to do so, as unauthorized scanning is illegal in many
jurisdictions.
Reference:
● The official Nessus website: https://www.tenable.com/products/nessus
● Nessus documentation: https://docs.tenable.com/nessus/index.html
● OWASP Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing guide:
https://owasp.org/www-project-vulnerability-assessment-and-penetration-testing-
vapt/
● SANS Institute’s guide on vulnerability scanning: https://www.sans.org/security-
resources/idfaq/vulnerability-scanning/
● National Cyber Security Centre guide on vulnerability scanning:
https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/guidance/vulnerability-scanning
