Install Tenable Nessus on macOS

You can install Tenable Nessus on macOS with the GUI installation package or from the command line.

Caution: If you install a Tenable Agent, Tenable Nessus Manager, or Tenable Nessus scanner on a system with an existing Tenable Agent, Tenable Nessus Manager, or Tenable Nessus scanner running nessusd, the installation process terminates all other nessusd processes. You may lose scan data as a result.

Note: Tenable Nessus does not support using symbolic links for /opt/nessus/.

Install Tenable Nessus with the GUI Installation Package

  1. Download the Tenable Nessus package file.

  2. Double-click the Nessus-<version number>.dmg file to extract the files.

  3. Double-click Install Nessus.pkg.

    When the installation begins, the Install Tenable Nessus Server screen appears and provides an interactive navigation menu.

  4. Read the installer information.
  5. Click Continue.
  6. On the Software License Agreement screen, read the terms of the Tenable Nessus software license and subscription agreement.
  7. (Optional) To retain a copy of the license agreement, select Print or Save.
  8. Click Continue.
  9. To continue installing Tenable Nessus, select Agree.

  10. On the Standard Install on <DriveName> screen, choose one of the following options:

    • Select Change Install Location.
    • Select Install to continue using the default installation location.

    When the Preparing for installation screen appears, you are prompted for a username and password.

  11. Enter the Name and Password of an administrator account or the root user account.

  12. On the Ready to Install the Program screen, select Install.

    Next, the Installing Tenable Nessus screen appears and shows a Status indication bar for the remaining installation progress. The process may take several minutes.

    When the installation is complete, the The installation was successful screen appears.

  13. After the installation completes, select Close.

  14. Open Tenable Nessus in your browser.

    • To access a remotely installed Nessus instance, go to https://<remote IP address>:8834 (for example, https://111.49.7.180:8834).

    • To access a locally installed Nessus instance, go to https://localhost:8834.

  15. Perform the remaining Nessus installation steps in your browser.

Install Tenable Nessus from the Command Line

  1. Download the Tenable Nessus package file.

  2. Open Terminal.

  3. Run the following commands in the listed order:

    1. sudo hdiutil attach <Nessus .dmg package>

    2. sudo installer -package /Volumes/Nessus\ Install/Install\ Nessus.pkg -target /

    3. sudo hdiutil detach /Volumes/Nessus\ Install

  4. Open Tenable Nessus in your browser.

    • To access a remotely installed Tenable Nessus instance, go to https://<remote IP address>:8834 (for example, https://111.49.7.180:8834).

    • To access a locally installed Tenable Nessus instance, go to https://localhost:8834.

  5. Perform the remaining Tenable Nessus installation steps in your browser.