Have you taken the time recently to perform comprehensive vulnerability scans across your key Windows and Linux servers? If not, your organization could be at serious risk. With hacks and data breaches accelerating at an alarming rate, regularly auditing server infrastructure for security gaps using tools like Nessus is no longer optional – it‘s imperative.
In this detailed guide, I‘ll explain why continuous vulnerability management is crucial for every IT environment. You‘ll learn how to leverage Nessus to uncover dangers like misconfigurations and unpatched flaws across networks before attackers exploit them. I‘ll provide actionable instructions on installing Nessus, customizing server scans, analyzing results and facilitating swift remediation. You‘ll also see real-world examples of businesses leveraging Nessus. Let‘s get started!
Why Regular Scanning is Essential
Before we dive into using Nessus, it‘s important to understand why proactively scanning for vulnerabilities should be a regular part of operations.
While many organizations still take a reactive approach – waiting until after an incident occurs to shore up security – the scale and impact of modern cyber threats necessitates a shift towards prevention. Just look at these alarming statistics:
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Vulnerability related data breaches rose by over 13% in 2021 according to IBM‘s report – exposing billions of sensitive records last year alone.
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70% of businesses do not scan for vulnerabilities regularly. And over 75% learn of security incidents from third parties rather than internal tools.
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Patched vulnerabilities are still exploited in upwards of 30% of breaches according to Verizon‘s research. Speed of detection and remediation is key.
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The average cost of a data breach now exceeds $4 million according to IBM and Ponemon Institute data. The financial damages can be significant.
These sobering figures make it clear – avoiding hacks and maintaining resilient security in today‘s threat landscape requires early and frequent vulnerability detection across your attack surface. Native server protections are not enough. Tools like Nessus enable comprehensive discovery and analysis of risks – both known and zero day – across infrastructure.
Now let‘s explore Nessus capabilities…
Introducing Nessus: The Gold Standard for Scanning
Used by 23 of the Fortune 100 and over 30,000 organizations total, Nessus by Tenable is the world‘s most widely deployed and trusted vulnerability assessment platform. With over 25 years of continual innovation, Nessus delivers unmatched breadth, accuracy and customization for server scanning.
Here are some highlights:
Broad Coverage – Nessus tests for vulnerabilities across 50,000+ unique technologies – from MS Exchange to Apache to Docker and more. The sheer coverage for detection is unmatched.
Accuracy – Extensive QA and validation ensures industry-leading accuracy upwards of 95%, near eliminating false positives that waste security teams time.
Custom Scanning – Nessus enables extensive customization of scans based on assets, vulnerabilities and more. Prebuilt templates also available.
Compliance – Map findings against compliance frameworks like PCI DSS, HIPAA for audits.
Prioritization – Features like predictive scoring determine the riskiest flaws for teams to tackle first. Minimize guesswork.
Integration – API and ecosystem support smooth integrating Nessus with existing tools – SIEMs, ticketing systems and more.
Reporting – Generate reports with detailed vulnerability data and trends to share with stakeholders across the organization.
Now let‘s jump in to getting Nessus set up and running scans…
Installing & Configuring Nessus
Installing Nessus scanners only takes a few minutes using these steps:
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Visit tenable.com and register to access Nessus downloads and your activation code
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Select the appropriate Nessus package based on scanning needs and environment size
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Launch installer and proceed through the set up wizard agreements and options
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Access the Nessus interface through the web browser URL provided after installation
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Follow the onboarding walkthrough to finish configuring preferences, settings and users
Once installed, scanners will need targets defined to begin assessing. Nessus offers extensive control here with the ability to scan by IP, address range, network segment or even supply hostnames for DNS resolution. Credentialed scans provide deeper analysis as well – supporting many authentication schemes like SSH key pairs, domain credentials and more.
Let‘s configure a Windows host…
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Navigate to settings and select the credentials menu
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Click on add and fill in the host, Windows domain, username, password and any special parameters required
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Save the credential object once successfully validated
Now your Windows servers are accessibility for in-depth vulnerability scanning!
Executing and Tuning Your Scans
The real power of Nessus comes from its advanced scanning capabilities. Using either pre-built template policies or creating fully customized scans, you can tailor assessments to your specific server landscape and needs.
Here are some key options to leverage for maximum effectiveness:
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Credentialed Scans – As shown above, supply domain, local or cloud provider credentials for deeper analysis of vulnerabilities and misconfigurations.
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Dynamic Scanning – Continuously scans targets on the network in real-time without needing to repeatedly run full assessments manually. Great for dynamic environments prone to frequent changes.
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Tunable OpenGL – Tweak the intensity of scans through parameters like port coverage, bandwidth utilization and concurrent host scanning levels depending on infrastructure capacity and scan frequency needed.
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Scan Windowing – Configure around critical business processes by setting restricted scan time windows to avoid performance impacts or false security triggers during key application usage periods.
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Object Grouping – Combine assets like databases, web apps and file shares into groups for reporting simplicity. Also assign access restrictions and audit responsibilities.
Nessus leaves no stone uncovered when it comes to flexibility in analyzing your server landscape.
Auditing and Assigning the Results
Once scans complete, auditing the findings should be the top priority. Detailed vulnerability results and elegant reporting make this process painless. Some key features include:
Prioritization – Nessus highlights the riskiest flaws through metrics like vulnerability priority ratings and temporal proximity scores. Easily identify the most urgent issues.
Trending – Track patterns over time on whether infrastructure risk posture improving or worsening.
Remediation Planning – Detailed remediation steps provided for every vulnerability discovered. Integrates with tools like ServiceNow.
Collaboration – Assign vulnerabilities to server owners for remediation, send notifications and track progress.
Compliance Mapping – Maps findings against common regulatory frameworks to streamline audits for PCI DSS, HIPAA and more.
Let‘s look at some real world examples of using Nessus…
Use Cases: Retail, Finance and SaaS Companies
National Retailer – A large US clothing retailer manages thousands of POS terminals across hundreds of locations powered by customized Windows infrastructure. By leveraging remote Nessus scans weekly, they cost-effectively audit all systems in one centralized manner detecting weaknesses. They invested in Nessus complete for added cloud scanning and management capabilities.
Investment Bank – An investment bank with over 3000 employees has vast internal infrastructure running modeling applications. Nessus is critical for continuous Windows/Linux server and database scanning helping meet FDIC and financial regulatory mandates by demonstrating security best practices. The depth of vulnerability checks is unmatched.
SaaS Company – A mid-size SaaS company offers customized HR solutions remotely hosted on cloud infrastructure. By integrating Nessus with their DevSecOps programs and Azure environment, they embed vulnerability management into the development lifecycle achieving "shift left" security. Scalable licensing via Tenable.io was also leveraged allowing unlimited assets.
Comparing Nessus to Other Scanners
Although competitive options exist, Nessus leads the market thanks to:
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Breadth of vulnerability coverage for modern attack surfaces
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Highest accuracy minimizing false positives
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Real-world usage and testing at the world‘s largest organizations
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Over 25 years of continuous vulnerability research and innovation
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Scalable implementation from free to enterprise-grade
Popular alternatives like OpenVAS or Qualys offer capable scanning at lower price points – but none match the depth of assessments across hardware, software and platforms that Nessus enables.
Which Nessus Version is Right For You?
Now that you‘ve seen Nessus capabilities for securing servers – which package makes the most sense for your needs?
Nessus Essentials – Free and ideal for students, educators or very small teams just getting started. Lacks some advanced functions.
Nessus Professional – For mid size organizations that need scalable scanning with customization and integration capabilities. Flexible subscription licensing.
Nessus Complete – The flagship bundle combining capabilities from Professional, Expert and cloud-management via Tenable.io for enterprise-grade management. Volume discounts available.
No matter the size of your server environment – Nessus offers assessments tailored to your budget and risk tolerance preferences.
Conclusion: Adopt Proactive Protection
With costly data breaches now the norm, relying on native server security controls is no longer prudent. Hacks and exploits are growing ever more sophisticated. By regularly scanning infrastructure for both known and zero day flaws using Nessus, you‘ll gain unmatched visibility into your organization‘s vulnerability risks – enabling threat prevention.
From the feature-packed free Nessus Essentials to the enterprise-ready Nessus Complete package – solutions for every server landscape exist. But the most important first step is committing to continuous vulnerability management through scanning. Don‘t wait until headline grabbing incident occurs at your company. Adopt comprehensive assessments with Nessus now to protect infrastructure!
