npx skills add mukul975/Anthropic-Cybersecurity-SkillsMITRE ATT&CK
Overview
Tenable Nessus is the industry-leading vulnerability scanner used to identify security weaknesses across network infrastructure including servers, workstations, network devices, and operating systems. This skill covers configuring scan policies, running authenticated and unauthenticated scans, interpreting results, and integrating Nessus into continuous vulnerability management workflows.
When to Use
- When conducting security assessments that involve scanning infrastructure with nessus
- When following incident response procedures for related security events
- When performing scheduled security testing or auditing activities
- When validating security controls through hands-on testing
Prerequisites
- Nessus Professional or Essentials license installed and activated
- Network access to target systems (firewall rules allowing scanner IP)
- Administrative credentials for authenticated scanning
- Understanding of TCP/IP networking and common services
- Written authorization for scanning target environments
Core Concepts
Nessus Architecture
Nessus operates as a client-server application where the Nessus scanner engine runs as a service (nessusd) on the host system. It uses a plugin-based architecture with over 200,000 plugins updated weekly by Tenable's research team. Each plugin tests for a specific vulnerability, misconfiguration, or compliance check.
Scan Types
- Host Discovery - Identifies live hosts using ICMP, TCP, UDP, and ARP
- Basic Network Scan - Default policy covering common vulnerabilities
- Advanced Scan - Custom policy with granular plugin selection
- Credentialed Patch Audit - Authenticated scan checking installed patches
- Web Application Tests - Scans for web-specific vulnerabilities
- Compliance Audit - Checks against CIS, DISA STIG, PCI DSS benchmarks
Plugin Families
Nessus organizes plugins into families including:
- Operating Systems: Windows, Linux, macOS, Solaris
- Network Devices: Cisco, Juniper, Palo Alto, Fortinet
- Web Servers: Apache, Nginx, IIS, Tomcat
- Databases: Oracle, MySQL, PostgreSQL, MSSQL
- Services: DNS, SMTP, FTP, SSH, SNMP
Workflow
Step 1: Initial Configuration
# Start Nessus service
sudo systemctl start nessusd
sudo systemctl enable nessusd
# CLI management with nessuscli
/opt/nessus/sbin/nessuscli update --all
/opt/nessus/sbin/nessuscli fix --list
# Verify plugin count
/opt/nessus/sbin/nessuscli update --plugins-onlyStep 2: Create Scan Policy
Configure a custom scan policy through the Nessus web UI at https://localhost:8834:
- Navigate to Policies > New Policy > Advanced Scan
- Configure General settings: name, description, targets
- Set Discovery settings:
- Host Discovery: Ping methods (ICMP, TCP SYN on ports 22,80,443)
- Port Scanning: SYN scan on common ports or all 65535 ports
- Service Discovery: Probe all ports for services
- Configure Assessment settings:
- Accuracy: Override normal accuracy (reduce false positives)
- Web Applications: Enable if scanning web servers
- Select Plugin families relevant to target environment
Step 3: Configure Credentials
For authenticated scanning, configure credentials under the Credentials tab:
- SSH: Username/password or SSH key pair
- Windows: Domain credentials via SMB, WMI
- SNMP: Community strings (v1/v2c) or USM credentials (v3)
- Database: Oracle, MySQL, PostgreSQL connection strings
- VMware: vCenter or ESXi credentials
Step 4: Run the Scan
# Using Nessus REST API via curl
# Authenticate and get token
curl -k -X POST https://localhost:8834/session \
-d '{"username":"admin","password":"password"}' \
-H "Content-Type: application/json"
# Create scan
curl -k -X POST https://localhost:8834/scans \
-H "X-Cookie: token=<TOKEN>" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"uuid": "<TEMPLATE_UUID>",
"settings": {
"name": "Infrastructure Scan Q1",
"text_targets": "192.168.1.0/24",
"enabled": true,
"launch": "ON_DEMAND"
}
}'
# Launch scan
curl -k -X POST https://localhost:8834/scans/<SCAN_ID>/launch \
-H "X-Cookie: token=<TOKEN>"
# Check scan status
curl -k -X GET https://localhost:8834/scans/<SCAN_ID> \
-H "X-Cookie: token=<TOKEN>"Step 5: Analyze Results
Nessus categorizes findings by severity:
- Critical (CVSS 9.0-10.0): Immediate remediation required
- High (CVSS 7.0-8.9): Remediate within 7-14 days
- Medium (CVSS 4.0-6.9): Remediate within 30 days
- Low (CVSS 0.1-3.9): Remediate during next maintenance window
- Informational: No immediate action required
Step 6: Export and Report
# Export via REST API
curl -k -X POST "https://localhost:8834/scans/<SCAN_ID>/export" \
-H "X-Cookie: token=<TOKEN>" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"format":"nessus"}'
# Supported formats: nessus (XML), csv, html, pdfBest Practices
- Schedule scans during maintenance windows to minimize production impact
- Use authenticated scanning for 45-60% more vulnerability detection
- Exclude fragile systems (medical devices, legacy SCADA) from aggressive scans
- Maintain separate scan policies for different network segments
- Update plugins before every scan to catch recently disclosed CVEs
- Validate critical findings manually before escalating to remediation teams
- Implement scan result trending to track remediation progress over time
- Store scan results in Tenable.sc or Tenable.io for centralized management
Common Pitfalls
- Running unauthenticated scans only (misses 45-60% of vulnerabilities)
- Scanning without written authorization (legal and ethical violations)
- Ignoring scan performance impact on production systems
- Failing to tune plugins leading to excessive false positives
- Not validating scanner network connectivity before launching scans
- Using default scan policies without customization for the environment
References and resources
Everything below is rendered for inspection. Script files are read-only and never run.
References 3
api-reference.md1.9 KB
API Reference: Scanning Infrastructure with Nessus
Nessus REST API Endpoints
| Method | Endpoint | Description |
|---|---|---|
| POST | /session |
Authenticate and get token |
| GET | /scans |
List all scans |
| POST | /scans |
Create new scan |
| POST | /scans/{id}/launch |
Launch a scan |
| GET | /scans/{id} |
Get scan results |
| POST | /scans/{id}/export |
Export scan results |
| GET | /scans/{id}/export/{fid}/status |
Check export status |
| GET | /scans/{id}/hosts/{hid} |
Get host details |
Scan Types
| Type | Template UUID | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Network Scan | ab4bacd2-... |
Standard vulnerability scan |
| Advanced Scan | ad629e16-... |
Custom plugin selection |
| Credentialed Patch Audit | 0c3a6b1f-... |
Authenticated patch check |
| Web Application Tests | 1c35d5a5-... |
Web vulnerability scan |
| Compliance Audit | bbd4f805-... |
CIS/STIG/PCI checks |
Severity Levels
| Level | Value | CVSS Range | SLA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Critical | 4 | 9.0 - 10.0 | Immediate |
| High | 3 | 7.0 - 8.9 | 7-14 days |
| Medium | 2 | 4.0 - 6.9 | 30 days |
| Low | 1 | 0.1 - 3.9 | Next window |
| Info | 0 | N/A | No action |
Export Formats
| Format | Description |
|---|---|
nessus |
XML format for import into other tools |
csv |
Comma-separated for spreadsheet analysis |
html |
Human-readable HTML report |
pdf |
Formatted PDF report |
Python Libraries
| Library | Version | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
requests |
>=2.28 | Nessus REST API calls |
json |
stdlib | Parse API responses |
urllib3 |
>=1.26 | SSL warning suppression |
References
- Nessus REST API: https://developer.tenable.com/reference/navigate
- Tenable Documentation: https://docs.tenable.com/nessus/
- Nessus CLI: https://docs.tenable.com/nessus/Content/NessusCLI.htm
standards.md1.9 KB
Standards and References - Scanning Infrastructure with Nessus
Industry Standards
- NIST SP 800-115: Technical Guide to Information Security Testing and Assessment
- NIST SP 800-53 RA-5: Vulnerability Monitoring and Scanning control family
- PCI DSS v4.0 Requirement 11.3: Internal and external vulnerability scanning
- CIS Controls v8 Control 7: Continuous Vulnerability Management
- ISO 27001:2022 A.8.8: Management of technical vulnerabilities
Tenable Documentation
- Tenable Nessus User Guide: https://docs.tenable.com/nessus/
- Nessus REST API Reference: https://docs.tenable.com/nessus/api/
- Nessus Command Line Reference (January 2026): https://docs.tenable.com/nessus/command-line-reference/
- Nessus Plugin Families: https://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/families
- Tenable Agent CLI Commands: https://docs.tenable.com/agent/Content/NessusCLIAgent.htm
CVE and Vulnerability Databases
- National Vulnerability Database (NVD): https://nvd.nist.gov/
- MITRE CVE Program: https://cve.mitre.org/
- Tenable Plugin Database: https://www.tenable.com/plugins
- CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities: https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog
Compliance Audit Files
- CIS Benchmarks: https://www.cisecurity.org/benchmark
- DISA STIGs: https://public.cyber.mil/stigs/
- PCI DSS ASV Scanning: https://www.pcisecuritystandards.org/assessors_and_solutions/approved_scanning_vendors
Scan Configuration Standards
| Parameter | Recommended Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Port Range | 1-65535 (full) | For comprehensive scanning |
| Scan Speed | Normal | Balance between speed and accuracy |
| Max Concurrent Hosts | 30 | Adjust based on network capacity |
| Max Concurrent Checks per Host | 5 | Prevent host overload |
| Network Timeout | 5 seconds | Increase for high-latency networks |
| Plugin Timeout | 320 seconds | Default; increase for slow targets |
workflows.md4.4 KB
Workflows - Scanning Infrastructure with Nessus
Workflow 1: Initial Infrastructure Assessment
┌─────────────────┐ ┌──────────────────┐ ┌────────────────────┐
│ Asset Discovery │────>│ Policy Creation │────>│ Credential Config │
│ (Host Enum) │ │ (Custom/Default)│ │ (SSH/WinRM/SNMP) │
└─────────────────┘ └──────────────────┘ └────────────────────┘
│
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
v
┌──────────────────┐ ┌──────────────────┐ ┌────────────────────┐
│ Launch Scan │────>│ Monitor Status │────>│ Export Results │
│ (On-Demand) │ │ (API Polling) │ │ (CSV/HTML/PDF) │
└──────────────────┘ └──────────────────┘ └────────────────────┘
│
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
v
┌──────────────────┐ ┌──────────────────┐ ┌────────────────────┐
│ Analyze Findings │────>│ Prioritize Vulns │────>│ Create Tickets │
│ (Severity/CVSS) │ │ (Risk-Based) │ │ (Jira/ServiceNow) │
└──────────────────┘ └──────────────────┘ └────────────────────┘Workflow 2: Recurring Scheduled Scanning
- Weekly: Scan DMZ and internet-facing assets
- Bi-weekly: Scan internal production servers
- Monthly: Full infrastructure scan including workstations
- Quarterly: Comprehensive scan with compliance audits
- Ad-hoc: Post-patch verification scans
Workflow 3: Scan Result Processing Pipeline
Nessus Export (.nessus XML)
│
├──> Parse with Python (xml.etree / defusedxml)
│ │
│ ├──> Filter by severity (Critical/High)
│ ├──> Deduplicate findings across hosts
│ ├──> Enrich with EPSS scores
│ └──> Map to MITRE ATT&CK techniques
│
├──> Import to Vulnerability Management Platform
│ │
│ ├──> Tenable.sc / Tenable.io
│ ├──> DefectDojo
│ └──> Faraday
│
└──> Generate Executive Report
│
├──> Vulnerability count by severity
├──> Top 10 most critical findings
├──> Remediation progress trending
└──> Risk score by business unitWorkflow 4: API Automation Flow
# Nessus API Workflow Steps:
# 1. POST /session -> Get auth token
# 2. GET /editor/scan/templates -> List available templates
# 3. POST /scans -> Create scan with template UUID
# 4. POST /scans/{id}/launch -> Start the scan
# 5. GET /scans/{id} -> Poll until status == "completed"
# 6. POST /scans/{id}/export -> Request export (format: nessus/csv/html)
# 7. GET /scans/{id}/export/{file_id}/status -> Poll export status
# 8. GET /scans/{id}/export/{file_id}/download -> Download results
# 9. DELETE /session -> LogoutWorkflow 5: Multi-Scanner Coordination
For large enterprises with multiple Nessus scanners:
- Central Management: Use Tenable.sc to manage multiple scanners
- Zone Assignment: Assign scanners to specific network zones
- Scan Windowing: Stagger scans to prevent network saturation
- Result Aggregation: Consolidate results in central repository
- Deduplication: Merge findings from overlapping scan ranges
Scripts 2
agent.py6.1 KB
#!/usr/bin/env python3
"""Agent for scanning infrastructure with Tenable Nessus.
Interacts with the Nessus REST API to create scan policies,
launch scans, monitor progress, retrieve results, and generate
vulnerability reports with severity-based prioritization.
"""
import json
import os
import sys
import time
import urllib3
from pathlib import Path
from datetime import datetime
try:
import requests
except ImportError:
requests = None
urllib3.disable_warnings(urllib3.exceptions.InsecureRequestWarning)
class NessusScanAgent:
"""Manages Nessus vulnerability scans via REST API."""
def __init__(self, host=None, username="admin",
password="", output_dir="./nessus_scan"):
self.base_url = (host or os.environ.get("NESSUS_URL", "https://localhost:8834")).rstrip("/")
self.username = username
self.password = password
self.token = None
self.output_dir = Path(output_dir)
self.output_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
def _req(self, method, path, data=None):
"""Make authenticated request to Nessus API."""
if not requests:
return {"error": "requests library required: pip install requests"}
headers = {"Content-Type": "application/json"}
if self.token:
headers["X-Cookie"] = f"token={self.token}"
url = f"{self.base_url}{path}"
resp = requests.request(method, url, json=data, headers=headers,
verify=not os.environ.get("SKIP_TLS_VERIFY", "").lower() == "true", timeout=30) # Set SKIP_TLS_VERIFY=true for self-signed certs in lab environments
try:
return resp.json()
except (json.JSONDecodeError, ValueError):
return {"status_code": resp.status_code, "text": resp.text[:200]}
def authenticate(self):
"""Authenticate and obtain session token."""
result = self._req("POST", "/session",
{"username": self.username, "password": self.password})
self.token = result.get("token")
return bool(self.token)
def list_scans(self):
"""List all configured scans."""
result = self._req("GET", "/scans")
scans = []
for s in result.get("scans", []):
scans.append({
"id": s.get("id"),
"name": s.get("name"),
"status": s.get("status"),
"last_modification_date": s.get("last_modification_date"),
})
return scans
def create_scan(self, name, targets, template_uuid=None):
"""Create a new scan configuration."""
data = {
"uuid": template_uuid or "ab4bacd2-05f6-425c-9d79-3f5a0a1f28b0",
"settings": {
"name": name,
"text_targets": targets,
"enabled": True,
"launch": "ON_DEMAND",
},
}
return self._req("POST", "/scans", data)
def launch_scan(self, scan_id):
"""Launch a configured scan."""
return self._req("POST", f"/scans/{scan_id}/launch")
def get_scan_status(self, scan_id):
"""Get current scan status."""
result = self._req("GET", f"/scans/{scan_id}")
info = result.get("info", {})
return {
"status": info.get("status"),
"host_count": info.get("hostcount", 0),
"name": info.get("name"),
}
def get_scan_results(self, scan_id):
"""Retrieve scan results with vulnerability details."""
result = self._req("GET", f"/scans/{scan_id}")
hosts = []
for h in result.get("hosts", []):
hosts.append({
"hostname": h.get("hostname"),
"host_id": h.get("host_id"),
"critical": h.get("critical", 0),
"high": h.get("high", 0),
"medium": h.get("medium", 0),
"low": h.get("low", 0),
"info": h.get("info", 0),
})
vulns = []
for v in result.get("vulnerabilities", []):
vulns.append({
"plugin_id": v.get("plugin_id"),
"plugin_name": v.get("plugin_name"),
"severity": v.get("severity"),
"count": v.get("count", 0),
"family": v.get("plugin_family"),
})
return {
"scan_id": scan_id,
"hosts": hosts,
"vulnerabilities": sorted(vulns, key=lambda x: x.get("severity", 0), reverse=True),
"total_vulns": len(vulns),
}
def export_scan(self, scan_id, fmt="nessus"):
"""Export scan results in specified format."""
result = self._req("POST", f"/scans/{scan_id}/export", {"format": fmt})
file_id = result.get("file")
if not file_id:
return {"error": "Export failed"}
for _ in range(60):
status = self._req("GET", f"/scans/{scan_id}/export/{file_id}/status")
if status.get("status") == "ready":
break
time.sleep(5)
return {"file_id": file_id, "format": fmt, "status": "ready"}
def generate_report(self, scan_id):
results = self.get_scan_results(scan_id)
report = {
"report_date": datetime.utcnow().isoformat(),
"scan_id": scan_id,
"results": results,
}
out = self.output_dir / "nessus_report.json"
with open(out, "w") as f:
json.dump(report, f, indent=2)
print(json.dumps(report, indent=2))
return report
def main():
if len(sys.argv) < 3:
print("Usage: agent.py <nessus_url> <scan_id> [--user admin] [--pass password]")
sys.exit(1)
host = sys.argv[1]
scan_id = int(sys.argv[2])
user = "admin"
password = ""
if "--user" in sys.argv:
user = sys.argv[sys.argv.index("--user") + 1]
if "--pass" in sys.argv:
password = sys.argv[sys.argv.index("--pass") + 1]
agent = NessusScanAgent(host, user, password)
if agent.authenticate():
agent.generate_report(scan_id)
else:
print("Authentication failed")
sys.exit(1)
if __name__ == "__main__":
main()
process.py20.8 KB
#!/usr/bin/env python3
"""
Nessus Infrastructure Scanning Automation Script
Automates vulnerability scanning workflows using the Nessus REST API:
- Creates and launches scans
- Monitors scan progress
- Exports and parses results
- Generates summary reports with severity breakdown
Requirements:
pip install requests defusedxml pandas jinja2
Usage:
python process.py --host https://localhost:8834 --user admin --password <pass> --targets 192.168.1.0/24
"""
import argparse
import json
import os
import sys
import time
from datetime import datetime
from pathlib import Path
import requests
import defusedxml.ElementTree as ET
import pandas as pd
# Suppress SSL warnings for self-signed Nessus certs
requests.packages.urllib3.disable_warnings(requests.packages.urllib3.exceptions.InsecureRequestWarning)
class NessusScanner:
"""Manages Nessus vulnerability scanning via REST API."""
def __init__(self, host: str, username: str, password: str, verify_ssl: bool = False):
self.host = host.rstrip("/")
self.username = username
self.password = password
self.verify_ssl = verify_ssl
self.token = None
self.headers = {"Content-Type": "application/json"}
def authenticate(self) -> bool:
"""Authenticate to Nessus and obtain session token."""
url = f"{self.host}/session"
payload = {"username": self.username, "password": self.password}
response = requests.post(url, json=payload, verify=self.verify_ssl)
if response.status_code == 200:
self.token = response.json()["token"]
self.headers["X-Cookie"] = f"token={self.token}"
print(f"[+] Authenticated successfully to {self.host}")
return True
else:
print(f"[-] Authentication failed: {response.status_code} {response.text}")
return False
def logout(self):
"""Destroy the current session."""
if self.token:
url = f"{self.host}/session"
requests.delete(url, headers=self.headers, verify=self.verify_ssl)
print("[+] Session destroyed")
def list_scan_templates(self) -> list:
"""Retrieve available scan templates."""
url = f"{self.host}/editor/scan/templates"
response = requests.get(url, headers=self.headers, verify=self.verify_ssl)
if response.status_code == 200:
templates = response.json().get("templates", [])
return [{"uuid": t["uuid"], "name": t["name"], "title": t["title"]} for t in templates]
return []
def get_template_uuid(self, template_name: str = "advanced") -> str:
"""Get UUID for a specific scan template."""
templates = self.list_scan_templates()
for t in templates:
if t["name"] == template_name:
return t["uuid"]
if templates:
return templates[0]["uuid"]
raise ValueError(f"No template found matching '{template_name}'")
def create_scan(self, name: str, targets: str, template_name: str = "advanced",
credentials: dict = None, policy_id: int = None) -> int:
"""Create a new scan configuration."""
url = f"{self.host}/scans"
template_uuid = self.get_template_uuid(template_name)
settings = {
"name": name,
"text_targets": targets,
"launch": "ON_DEMAND",
"enabled": True,
"description": f"Automated infrastructure scan created {datetime.now().isoformat()}"
}
if policy_id:
settings["policy_id"] = policy_id
payload = {"uuid": template_uuid, "settings": settings}
if credentials:
payload["credentials"] = credentials
response = requests.post(url, headers=self.headers, json=payload, verify=self.verify_ssl)
if response.status_code == 200:
scan_id = response.json()["scan"]["id"]
print(f"[+] Scan created: ID={scan_id}, Name='{name}'")
return scan_id
else:
raise RuntimeError(f"Failed to create scan: {response.status_code} {response.text}")
def launch_scan(self, scan_id: int) -> str:
"""Launch a scan and return the scan UUID."""
url = f"{self.host}/scans/{scan_id}/launch"
response = requests.post(url, headers=self.headers, verify=self.verify_ssl)
if response.status_code == 200:
scan_uuid = response.json().get("scan_uuid", "")
print(f"[+] Scan {scan_id} launched (UUID: {scan_uuid})")
return scan_uuid
else:
raise RuntimeError(f"Failed to launch scan: {response.status_code}")
def get_scan_status(self, scan_id: int) -> dict:
"""Get current scan status and summary."""
url = f"{self.host}/scans/{scan_id}"
response = requests.get(url, headers=self.headers, verify=self.verify_ssl)
if response.status_code == 200:
data = response.json()
info = data.get("info", {})
return {
"status": info.get("status", "unknown"),
"host_count": info.get("hostcount", 0),
"scanner_name": info.get("scanner_name", ""),
"policy": info.get("policy", ""),
"hosts": data.get("hosts", []),
"vulnerabilities": data.get("vulnerabilities", [])
}
return {"status": "error"}
def wait_for_scan(self, scan_id: int, poll_interval: int = 30, timeout: int = 7200) -> bool:
"""Poll scan status until completion or timeout."""
start_time = time.time()
print(f"[*] Waiting for scan {scan_id} to complete (timeout: {timeout}s)...")
while time.time() - start_time < timeout:
status = self.get_scan_status(scan_id)
current = status["status"]
elapsed = int(time.time() - start_time)
if current == "completed":
print(f"[+] Scan completed in {elapsed}s. Hosts scanned: {status['host_count']}")
return True
elif current in ("canceled", "aborted"):
print(f"[-] Scan {current} after {elapsed}s")
return False
elif current == "running":
print(f"[*] Scan running... ({elapsed}s elapsed, {status['host_count']} hosts)")
else:
print(f"[*] Scan status: {current} ({elapsed}s elapsed)")
time.sleep(poll_interval)
print(f"[-] Scan timed out after {timeout}s")
return False
def export_scan(self, scan_id: int, export_format: str = "nessus",
output_dir: str = ".") -> str:
"""Export scan results to file."""
url = f"{self.host}/scans/{scan_id}/export"
payload = {"format": export_format}
if export_format == "csv":
payload["reportContents"] = {
"csvColumns": {
"id": True, "cve": True, "cvss": True, "risk": True,
"hostname": True, "protocol": True, "port": True,
"plugin_name": True, "synopsis": True, "description": True,
"solution": True, "see_also": True, "plugin_output": True
}
}
response = requests.post(url, headers=self.headers, json=payload, verify=self.verify_ssl)
if response.status_code != 200:
raise RuntimeError(f"Export request failed: {response.status_code}")
file_id = response.json()["file"]
print(f"[*] Export requested (file_id: {file_id}, format: {export_format})")
# Poll export status
status_url = f"{self.host}/scans/{scan_id}/export/{file_id}/status"
for _ in range(60):
status_resp = requests.get(status_url, headers=self.headers, verify=self.verify_ssl)
if status_resp.status_code == 200 and status_resp.json().get("status") == "ready":
break
time.sleep(5)
# Download file
download_url = f"{self.host}/scans/{scan_id}/export/{file_id}/download"
download_resp = requests.get(download_url, headers=self.headers, verify=self.verify_ssl)
ext = {"nessus": "nessus", "csv": "csv", "html": "html", "pdf": "pdf"}.get(export_format, "xml")
output_path = os.path.join(output_dir, f"scan_{scan_id}_{datetime.now().strftime('%Y%m%d_%H%M%S')}.{ext}")
with open(output_path, "wb") as f:
f.write(download_resp.content)
print(f"[+] Results exported to: {output_path}")
return output_path
class NessusResultParser:
"""Parse and analyze Nessus scan results (.nessus XML format)."""
SEVERITY_MAP = {0: "Informational", 1: "Low", 2: "Medium", 3: "High", 4: "Critical"}
def __init__(self, nessus_file: str):
self.nessus_file = nessus_file
self.tree = ET.parse(nessus_file)
self.root = self.tree.getroot()
self.findings = []
def parse(self) -> list:
"""Parse all findings from the .nessus XML file."""
self.findings = []
for report in self.root.findall(".//Report"):
for host in report.findall("ReportHost"):
hostname = host.get("name", "unknown")
host_ip = ""
host_os = ""
# Extract host properties
for tag in host.findall(".//HostProperties/tag"):
if tag.get("name") == "host-ip":
host_ip = tag.text or ""
elif tag.get("name") == "operating-system":
host_os = tag.text or ""
for item in host.findall("ReportItem"):
severity = int(item.get("severity", "0"))
plugin_id = item.get("pluginID", "")
plugin_name = item.get("pluginName", "")
port = item.get("port", "0")
protocol = item.get("protocol", "")
svc_name = item.get("svc_name", "")
finding = {
"hostname": hostname,
"host_ip": host_ip,
"host_os": host_os,
"plugin_id": plugin_id,
"plugin_name": plugin_name,
"severity": severity,
"severity_name": self.SEVERITY_MAP.get(severity, "Unknown"),
"port": port,
"protocol": protocol,
"service": svc_name,
"cvss_base": item.findtext("cvss3_base_score", item.findtext("cvss_base_score", "0")),
"cve": item.findtext("cve", ""),
"synopsis": item.findtext("synopsis", ""),
"description": item.findtext("description", ""),
"solution": item.findtext("solution", ""),
"see_also": item.findtext("see_also", ""),
"plugin_output": item.findtext("plugin_output", ""),
"exploit_available": item.findtext("exploit_available", "false"),
"exploitability_ease": item.findtext("exploitability_ease", ""),
}
self.findings.append(finding)
print(f"[+] Parsed {len(self.findings)} findings from {self.nessus_file}")
return self.findings
def to_dataframe(self) -> pd.DataFrame:
"""Convert findings to a pandas DataFrame."""
if not self.findings:
self.parse()
return pd.DataFrame(self.findings)
def severity_summary(self) -> dict:
"""Generate severity breakdown summary."""
df = self.to_dataframe()
summary = df["severity_name"].value_counts().to_dict()
return {
"Critical": summary.get("Critical", 0),
"High": summary.get("High", 0),
"Medium": summary.get("Medium", 0),
"Low": summary.get("Low", 0),
"Informational": summary.get("Informational", 0),
"Total": len(df),
"Unique Hosts": df["hostname"].nunique(),
"Unique Plugins": df["plugin_id"].nunique(),
"Exploitable": len(df[df["exploit_available"] == "true"])
}
def top_vulnerabilities(self, n: int = 20) -> pd.DataFrame:
"""Get top N vulnerabilities by severity and host count."""
df = self.to_dataframe()
vuln_df = df[df["severity"] >= 2].copy()
top = (vuln_df.groupby(["plugin_id", "plugin_name", "severity_name", "cvss_base", "cve"])
.agg(affected_hosts=("hostname", "nunique"))
.reset_index()
.sort_values(["severity_name", "affected_hosts"], ascending=[True, False])
.head(n))
return top
def host_risk_scores(self) -> pd.DataFrame:
"""Calculate risk score per host based on vulnerability severity."""
df = self.to_dataframe()
severity_weights = {4: 10, 3: 5, 2: 2, 1: 0.5, 0: 0}
df["weight"] = df["severity"].map(severity_weights)
host_scores = (df.groupby(["hostname", "host_ip", "host_os"])
.agg(
risk_score=("weight", "sum"),
critical=("severity", lambda x: (x == 4).sum()),
high=("severity", lambda x: (x == 3).sum()),
medium=("severity", lambda x: (x == 2).sum()),
low=("severity", lambda x: (x == 1).sum()),
total_findings=("severity", "count")
)
.reset_index()
.sort_values("risk_score", ascending=False))
return host_scores
def generate_report(self, output_path: str):
"""Generate an HTML summary report."""
summary = self.severity_summary()
top_vulns = self.top_vulnerabilities()
host_risks = self.host_risk_scores().head(20)
html = f"""<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Nessus Scan Report - {datetime.now().strftime('%Y-%m-%d')}</title>
<style>
body {{ font-family: Arial, sans-serif; margin: 20px; background: #f5f5f5; }}
.header {{ background: #1a1a2e; color: white; padding: 20px; border-radius: 8px; }}
.summary {{ display: flex; gap: 15px; margin: 20px 0; }}
.card {{ background: white; padding: 20px; border-radius: 8px; flex: 1;
box-shadow: 0 2px 4px rgba(0,0,0,0.1); text-align: center; }}
.critical {{ border-top: 4px solid #e74c3c; }}
.high {{ border-top: 4px solid #e67e22; }}
.medium {{ border-top: 4px solid #f1c40f; }}
.low {{ border-top: 4px solid #3498db; }}
.card h3 {{ margin: 0; font-size: 2em; }}
.card p {{ margin: 5px 0 0; color: #666; }}
table {{ width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background: white;
border-radius: 8px; overflow: hidden; box-shadow: 0 2px 4px rgba(0,0,0,0.1); }}
th {{ background: #2c3e50; color: white; padding: 12px; text-align: left; }}
td {{ padding: 10px 12px; border-bottom: 1px solid #eee; }}
tr:hover {{ background: #f8f9fa; }}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<div class="header">
<h1>Vulnerability Scan Report</h1>
<p>Generated: {datetime.now().strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S')} | Source: {self.nessus_file}</p>
</div>
<div class="summary">
<div class="card critical"><h3>{summary['Critical']}</h3><p>Critical</p></div>
<div class="card high"><h3>{summary['High']}</h3><p>High</p></div>
<div class="card medium"><h3>{summary['Medium']}</h3><p>Medium</p></div>
<div class="card low"><h3>{summary['Low']}</h3><p>Low</p></div>
</div>
<p><strong>Total Findings:</strong> {summary['Total']} |
<strong>Unique Hosts:</strong> {summary['Unique Hosts']} |
<strong>Exploitable:</strong> {summary['Exploitable']}</p>
<h2>Top Vulnerabilities</h2>
<table>
<tr><th>Plugin ID</th><th>Name</th><th>Severity</th><th>CVSS</th><th>CVE</th><th>Affected Hosts</th></tr>
{''.join(f'<tr><td>{r.plugin_id}</td><td>{r.plugin_name}</td><td>{r.severity_name}</td><td>{r.cvss_base}</td><td>{r.cve}</td><td>{r.affected_hosts}</td></tr>' for r in top_vulns.itertuples())}
</table>
<h2>Host Risk Scores (Top 20)</h2>
<table>
<tr><th>Host</th><th>IP</th><th>OS</th><th>Risk Score</th><th>Critical</th><th>High</th><th>Medium</th><th>Total</th></tr>
{''.join(f'<tr><td>{r.hostname}</td><td>{r.host_ip}</td><td>{str(r.host_os)[:50]}</td><td>{r.risk_score:.0f}</td><td>{r.critical}</td><td>{r.high}</td><td>{r.medium}</td><td>{r.total_findings}</td></tr>' for r in host_risks.itertuples())}
</table>
</body>
</html>"""
with open(output_path, "w", encoding="utf-8") as f:
f.write(html)
print(f"[+] Report generated: {output_path}")
def main():
parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="Nessus Infrastructure Scanning Automation")
subparsers = parser.add_subparsers(dest="command", help="Available commands")
# Scan command
scan_parser = subparsers.add_parser("scan", help="Create and run a vulnerability scan")
scan_parser.add_argument("--host", required=True, help="Nessus server URL (e.g., https://localhost:8834)")
scan_parser.add_argument("--user", required=True, help="Nessus username")
scan_parser.add_argument("--password", required=True, help="Nessus password")
scan_parser.add_argument("--targets", required=True, help="Target IPs/ranges (comma-separated or CIDR)")
scan_parser.add_argument("--name", default=None, help="Scan name")
scan_parser.add_argument("--template", default="advanced", help="Scan template name")
scan_parser.add_argument("--export-format", default="nessus", choices=["nessus", "csv", "html", "pdf"])
scan_parser.add_argument("--output-dir", default=".", help="Directory for exported results")
scan_parser.add_argument("--timeout", type=int, default=7200, help="Scan timeout in seconds")
# Parse command
parse_parser = subparsers.add_parser("parse", help="Parse and analyze .nessus scan results")
parse_parser.add_argument("--file", required=True, help="Path to .nessus XML file")
parse_parser.add_argument("--report", default=None, help="Output HTML report path")
parse_parser.add_argument("--csv-output", default=None, help="Export findings to CSV")
parse_parser.add_argument("--min-severity", type=int, default=0, choices=[0, 1, 2, 3, 4],
help="Minimum severity to include (0=Info, 4=Critical)")
args = parser.parse_args()
if args.command == "scan":
scanner = NessusScanner(args.host, args.user, args.password)
if not scanner.authenticate():
sys.exit(1)
try:
scan_name = args.name or f"Infrastructure_Scan_{datetime.now().strftime('%Y%m%d_%H%M%S')}"
scan_id = scanner.create_scan(scan_name, args.targets, args.template)
scanner.launch_scan(scan_id)
if scanner.wait_for_scan(scan_id, timeout=args.timeout):
os.makedirs(args.output_dir, exist_ok=True)
export_path = scanner.export_scan(scan_id, args.export_format, args.output_dir)
# Auto-parse if exported in nessus format
if args.export_format == "nessus":
result_parser = NessusResultParser(export_path)
result_parser.parse()
summary = result_parser.severity_summary()
print("\n=== Scan Summary ===")
for key, value in summary.items():
print(f" {key}: {value}")
report_path = os.path.join(args.output_dir, f"report_{scan_id}.html")
result_parser.generate_report(report_path)
else:
print("[-] Scan did not complete successfully")
sys.exit(1)
finally:
scanner.logout()
elif args.command == "parse":
result_parser = NessusResultParser(args.file)
result_parser.parse()
summary = result_parser.severity_summary()
print("\n=== Vulnerability Summary ===")
for key, value in summary.items():
print(f" {key}: {value}")
if args.min_severity > 0:
df = result_parser.to_dataframe()
filtered = df[df["severity"] >= args.min_severity]
print(f"\n[*] Findings with severity >= {args.min_severity}: {len(filtered)}")
if args.report:
result_parser.generate_report(args.report)
if args.csv_output:
df = result_parser.to_dataframe()
df.to_csv(args.csv_output, index=False)
print(f"[+] CSV exported to: {args.csv_output}")
print("\n=== Top 10 Vulnerabilities ===")
top = result_parser.top_vulnerabilities(10)
print(top.to_string(index=False))
print("\n=== Top 10 Riskiest Hosts ===")
hosts = result_parser.host_risk_scores().head(10)
print(hosts.to_string(index=False))
else:
parser.print_help()
if __name__ == "__main__":
main()