Licensing Requirements

Nessus is available to operate either as a subscription or managed by Tenable.sc. Tenable Nessus requires a plugin feed Activation Code to operate in subscription mode. This code identifies which version of Tenable Nessus that Tenable licensed you to install and use, and if applicable, how many IP addresses you can scan, how many remote scanners you can link to Tenable Nessus, and how many Nessus Agents you can link to Tenable Nessus Manager. Tenable Nessus Manager licenses are specific to your deployment size, especially for large deployments or deployments with multiple Tenable Nessus Manager instances. Discuss your requirements with your Tenable Customer Success Manager.

Tenable recommends that you obtain the Activation Code before starting the installation process, as it is required before you can set up Tenable Nessus.

Your activation code:

  • is a one-time code, unless your license or subscription changes, at which point Tenable will issue you a new activation code.
  • must be used with the Tenable Nessus installation within 24 hours.
  • cannot be shared between scanners.
  • is not case-sensitive.

  • is required to manage Tenable Nessus offline.

    Note: For more information about managing Tenable Nessus offline, refer to the Nessus User Guide.

You may purchase a Tenable Nessus subscription through the Tenable, Inc. online store at https://store.tenable.com/ or via a purchase order through Authorized Nessus Partners. You will then receive an Activation Code from Tenable, Inc.. This code will be used when configuring your copy of Tenable Nessus for updates.

Note: See the Obtain an Activation Code page for instructions on how to obtain and use an Activation Code.

If you are using Tenable.sc to manage your Nessus scanners, the Activation Code and plugin updates are managed from Tenable.sc. You must start Nessus before it communicates with Tenable.sc, which it normally does not do without a valid Activation Code and plugins. To have Nessus ignore this requirement and start (so that it can get the information from Tenable.sc), when you register your scanner, select Managed by SecurityCenter.