Install Nessus Essentials, Professional, Expert, or Manager

This option installs a standalone version of Nessus Essentials, Nessus Professional, Nessus Expert, or Nessus Manager. During installation, you must enter your Nessus Activation Code; this Activation Code determines which product is installed.

To configure Nessus as Nessus Essentials, Nessus Professional, Nessus Expert, or Nessus Manager:

  1. On the Welcome to Nessus screen, do one of the following:

    • Select Set up a Nessus purchase to install one of the following Nessus versions:

      • Nessus Professional — The de-facto industry standard vulnerability assessment solution for security practitioners.

      • Nessus Expert — The industry-leading vulnerability assessment solution for the modern attack surface.

      • Nessus Manager — The enterprise solution for managing Nessus Agents at scale.

    • Select Register for Nessus Essentials to install Nessus Essentials — The free version of Nessus for educators, students, and hobbyists.

  1. Click Continue.

    • If you selected Set up a Nessus purchase, the Login page appears. Do one of the following:

      • If you need an activation code:

        1. On the Login page, enter your email and password.

        2. Click Continue. The Activate Product page appears with your email address and Tenable customer ID.

        3. In the drop-down menu, select the product and activation code you want to activate.

        4. Click Activate Product. The License Information page appears.

        5. Click Continue. The Create a user account screen appears.

        6. Continue the process at step 5.

      • If you already have an activation code, click Skip.

    • If you selected Register for Nessus Essentials, the Get an activation code screen appears. Do one of the following:

      • If you need an activation code:

        1. On the Get an activation code screen, type your name and email address.
        2. Click Email.
        3. Check your email for your free activation code.

      • If you already have an activation code, click Skip.

    The Register Nessus page appears.

  2. On the Register Nessus screen, type your Activation Code.

    The Activation Code is the code you obtained from your activation email or from the Tenable Downloads Page.

  3. Click Continue.

    The Create a user account screen appears.

  4. Create a Nessus administrator user account that 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.

  5. Click Submit.

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

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

    Note: When you sign in to Nessus for the first time, you receive the following message: Plugins are compiling. Nessus functionality will be limited until compilation is complete. You cannot create scans, view policies or plugin rules, or use the upgrade assistant while Nessus compiles plugins.