Install and Configure Tenable/Nessus Agent

Manual Installation on Linux Machine (Ubuntu 16.04):

Nessus Agent Download link is not directly accessible for the command line usage in most of the companies, so please do check your team about local file.

1. SSH to machine and download the installer file

cd  /tmp
sudo wget http://agents.hidcloud.com/Linux/ubuntu/NessusAgent-7.0.3-ubuntu11.10or12.04or12.10or13.04or14.04or16.04or17.10_64.deb (Or the latest version debian file)

1. Run the installer command

#> sudo apt install ./ NessusAgent-7.0.3-ubuntu11.10or12.04or12.10or13.04or14.04or16.04or17.10_64.deb

After the installation, run the following command to configure and link to Tenable.io instance command You can also include optional parameters such as --name=<Agent name > --groups=<groups in which you want to add this agent. Add multiple groups command separated. Please don’t use optional parameters for now.  Use example command directly all thinks are configured in example command.

#> sudo /opt/nessus_agent/sbin/nessuscli agent link --host=<host> --port=<port>  --key=<linking key>  --groups=<group name> --name=<agent name to show on dashboard>
Example:
#> sudo /opt/nessus_agent/sbin/nessuscli agent link --host=cloud.tenable.com --port=443  --key=bbdb8add4bb0e8f8491c356ab0758ea8eb52c88d9c1102fa72166a83bb7a2ac6 --groups=AWS ---- Agent group where you want to scan your agents.


The agent will register and show as offline on the tenable dashboard. Start the agent service to perform scans

#> sudo service nessusagent start

To check the status of the agent, please run this command.
#> /opt/nessus_agent/sbin/nessuscli agent status

Agent linked

0 jobs pending

To Unlink the agent from the group, please run this command,
#> sudo /opt/nessus_agent/sbin/nessuscli agent unlink

To check the tag hash, please run this command,
#> sudo cat /etc/tenable_tag
a424395b2b3441fc850725da16585648

Manual Installation on Windows Machine (Server 2016 base):

Open Internet Explorer and download Nessus Agent for the required operating system.


Download agent and enter the following parameters during the installation
Key:       bbdb8add4bb0e8f8491c356ab0758ea8eb52c88d9c1102fa72166a83bb7a2ac6
Server:  cloud.tenable.com:443
Groups: AWS,<prouduct specific group>

Caution

** Please replace above highlighted group name with one created for your product environment in Tenable Account.
** AWS group should be include while you registering the instance/server

The agent will register and show Tenable.io dashboard.