Create a Password for the Initial Administrator User Account

If you deployed Tenable Core + Tenable Web App Scanning in a cloud environment and did not create a password during deployment, you cannot access the Tenable Core interface. Create a password for your administrator account via SSH to access the Tenable Core interface.

You do not need to create a password via SSH when deploying Tenable Core + Tenable Web App Scanning in any of the other supported environments.

Tip: Tenable Core prompts you with password expiration information upon logging in to the user interface. You can also check password expiration status in the Accounts tab.

Caution: Tenable Core does not prompt you with account expiration information upon logging in to the user interface. You can check account expiration status in the Accounts tab. If your account expires, your log in authentication fails and you must contact your system administrator.

Before you begin:

  • Confirm that you have an SSH client installed that can access your Tenable Core server.

To create a password for the initial administrator user account:

  1. Open a connection to Tenable Core with your SSH client via one of the following methods:

    • If your SSH client uses a user interface, open the interface and follow the prompts to connect to Tenable Core via SSH.

    • If your SSH client uses a command-line interface (CLI), you need to run a command appropriate for your SSH client. The following command is an example of a valid command for some clients:

      ssh -i <Path to your private key> <your administrator username>@<your Tenable Core hostname or IP address>

    Your ssh client connects to Tenable Core.

    Note: When prompted, provide your Tenable Core username via one of the following methods:

    • If you deployed in Amazon Web Service (AWS), type ec2-user as your username.
    • If you deployed in Microsoft Azure, type the username you configured during your deployment.

  2. Run the sudo passwd command.

    sudo passwd "$USER"

    The SSH client prompts you to provide a password.

  3. Type the password you want to use for your administrator account.

    Note: Your password must meet the following minimum requirements:

    • Minimum 14 characters long
    • Cannot be a palindrome (i.e., a word or phrased spelled the same backward and forward)

  4. Press Enter.

    Tenable Core assigns the password to your administrator account.

  5. Run the exit command to log out of Tenable Core.

What to do next:

  • Continue getting started with Tenable Core + Tenable Web App Scanning, as described in Get Started.