Link to Tenable.sc

During initial installation, you can install Nessus as a remote scanner linked to Tenable.sc. If you choose not to link the scanner during initial installation, you can link your Nessus scanner later.

Note: Once you link Nessus to Tenable.sc, it remains linked until you unlink it.

Note: Tenable.sc does not send plugins to linked Nessus Managers. Nessus Manager pulls plugins directly from Tenable's plugin sites. Therefore, to update plugin sets, Nessus Manager needs access to the internet and Tenable's plugin sites (for more information, see the Which Tenable sites should I allow? community article). If your Nessus Manager does not have internet access, you can manually update its version and plugins offline (for more information, see Manage Nessus Offline).

Before you begin:

  • Configure Nessus as described in Configure Nessus.
  • If the Nessus scanner is or was previously linked to Tenable.io, Tenable.sc, or Nessus Manager, you need to unlink the scanner or run the nessuscli fix --reset-all command (for more information, see Fix Commands).

To link Nessus to Tenable.sc:

  1. On the Welcome to Nessus, select Managed Scanner.

  2. Click Continue.

    The Managed Scanner screen appears.

  3. From the Managed by drop-down box, select Tenable.sc.

  4. (Optional) To configure advanced settings such as proxy, plugin feed, and encryption password, click Settings.

    • (Optional) In the Proxy tab:
      1. In the Host box, type the hostname or IP address of your proxy server.

      2. In the Port box, type the port number of the proxy server.

        Note: To view the ports that Tenable products require, see the What ports are required for Tenable products? knowledge base article.
      3. In the Username box, type the name of a user account that has permissions to access and use the proxy server.
      4. In the Password box, type the password of the user account that you specified in the previous step.
      5. In the Auth Method drop-down box, select an authentication method to use for the proxy. If you do not know, select AUTO DETECT.
      6. If your proxy requires a preset user agent, in the User-Agent box, type the user agent name; otherwise, leave it blank.
      7. Click Save.
    • (Optional) In the Plugin Feed tab:
      1. In the Custom Host box, type the hostname or IP address of a custom plugin feed.
      2. Click Save.
    • (Optional) In the Encryption Password tab:

      1. In the Password box, type an encryption password.

        If you set an encryption password, Nessus encrypts all policies, scans results, and scan configurations. You must enter the password when Nessus restarts.

        Caution: If you lose your encryption password, it cannot be recovered by an administrator or Tenable Support.

      2. Click Save.

  5. Click Continue.

    The Create a user account screen appears.

  6. Create a Nessus administrator user account, which you use to log in to Nessus:
    1. In the Username box, enter a username.

    2. In the Password box, enter a password for the user account.

      Note: Passwords cannot contain Unicode characters.

  7. Click Submit.

    Nessus finishes the configuration process, which may take several minutes.

  8. Using the administrator user account you created, Sign In to Nessus.

What to do next:

  • Add the Nessus scanner to Tenable.sc as described in Add a Nessus Scanner in the Tenable.sc User Guide.