Nessus

Set and forget, just read the reports and edit systems to scan as needed! The reports are easily readable and all the plugins let you customize scans VERY well.

Nothing really. Scans are slow, but that's expected.

Be prepared to spend a lot of time initially documenting all the systems you want to scan, and then setting up the relevant tests. But once done, it's a cake walk to change things later.

Keeping our IT staff on their toes about basic security. Rollouts of new gear are scanned immediately to find basic things like forgotten password changes and open ports.

The software is customizable, does everything we need for our compliance. The support has been fantastic. Always get helpful and knowledgeable assistance.

Occasionally have to reset the Nessus services but it is an easy fix.

None

We are required by the Federal Government to scan certain computers. We use the Nessus software to do this.

Quick to implement patching updates and new product updates in baseline files. Tenable audit files are useful, along with step by step guides on how to implement the audit files. Tenable seems to keep up with the changes in the DISA STIGs, CIS baselines, etc. Also, the user community also fills in some of the slack on getting things changed as well.

Sometimes remote scanning takes a long time, but may have to do with the bandwidth provided. Every year the offline activation is required, which isn't bad. Some other programs require a more frequent check-in than yearly, so that is helpful for offline systems.

Offline activation/update easier than most other competitors. Quick to adapt patching baselines, new vulnerabilities and product updates. One of the most complete solutions for scanning, patching and vulnerability scanning. Audit files are also useful for CIS, DISA STIGs, etc. Online help seems to be a good place to get help not only from Tenable employees but other users experiencing similar issues to you as well. Opening a support ticket gets an answer quickly as well. The company understands offline use, which is nice for those of us without internet connectivity 24/7.

Verify patches, verify products correctly updated. Find out we need patches vendor didn't tell us about. Find out that some of the old software we have on the machines is causing us to be in a less secure environment than initially thought. The scanning updates after patch Tuesday are quick, which helps to have before/after scans on the Microsoft patching. Most other product updates for non-Microsoft products (Adobe, Java, etc.) also seem to be quick to make it in the plugin database.

Easy to use

Easy to install

Million users

Unlimited and sold directly on their website

Buy from reseller that can support you

If you are a small company with lots of emails Nessus gives you the protection you may need

Easy to use, to configure, you can trust in the vuln they found, they are where it say in any host, server or webservice you have scaned. Other thing is the number os assets you can scan is more than other where you have to pay per host number, in this you can pay for license and you can scan any number of host in your own network.

Is not easy to analize data from the reports and some times is teddious to find the plugin name or number to find the error or for example, to know if the credentials for the current scan is ok or no

If you are looking for the best vulnerability scanner for host, you have to try Nessus. If you want to know about credentials, blackbox scans, are part of red team or security at home or little bussines you can do a scan to know the vulnerabilities that have you infraestructure (all of them)

To know the host in the network (host discover), scan for vulnerabilities in the assets and the web services we have. All the information we need is given by Nessus.