Nessus is a household name in the world of vulnerability scanning. It is widely acclaimed for its ability to detect potential security risks on computer systems. But do you know who owns Nessus? Well, it turns out that Tenable now owns Nessus, and the deal was finalized back in 2008. That means that Nessus is no longer an independent scanner, but instead, it has become a part of the broader portfolio of Tenable’s security solutions.
With Tenable’s proven track record in vulnerability management and Nessus’s reputation as one of the most versatile security tools out there, it’s no surprise that the two now operate together to provide an even more robust security offering. Nessus’s powerful engine can scan a wide range of network devices and applications, while Tenable provides the backend infrastructure to manage and prioritize vulnerabilities. Together, the two ensure that your organization is equipped to detect and respond to any potential threats.
While many users may not have realized that Tenable owns Nessus, it’s no reason to panic. Instead, it’s an opportunity to learn about the synergies between the two and how they work together to provide enhanced security solutions for businesses of all sizes. So if you’re using Nessus or considering it for your organization, rest assured that Tenable is providing the support and resources needed to keep your systems safe and secure.
Nessus Overview
Nessus is a popular vulnerability scanner that provides one of the most comprehensive assessments of network and system security. It was originally developed by Renaud Deraison in 1998 as a free and open-source tool that quickly gained popularity among cybersecurity professionals and enterprises.
Features of Nessus
- Active scanning to identify vulnerabilities and misconfigurations
- Patch management integration to prioritize and remediate issues
- Scanning of cloud assets, mobile devices, and virtualized environments
- Compliance checks with industry standards like PCI DSS and HIPAA
- Integrations with SIEM solutions for threat detection and response
Is Nessus owned by Tenable?
Yes, Nessus is currently owned by Tenable, Inc., a cybersecurity company headquartered in Maryland, USA. Tenable acquired Nessus in 2005, and since then, it has continued to develop and enhance the scanner with additional features and functionalities. Today, Nessus is part of Tenable’s broader portfolio of cybersecurity solutions, including Tenable.io, Tenable.sc, and Tenable.ot.
Nessus Licensing and Pricing
Nessus is available in various licensing models, ranging from the free Nessus Home for personal use to the Professional, Manager, and Cloud offerings for enterprises. The pricing varies depending on the edition and the number of nodes to scan, with annual subscriptions starting from $2,390 for Nessus Professional.
| Nessus Edition | Features | Pricing (Annual Subscription) |
|---|---|---|
| Nessus Home | Scanning for up to 16 IP addresses | Free |
| Nessus Professional | Unlimited scanning, advanced compliance checks, patch management integration | Starting at $2,390 |
| Nessus Manager | Centralized management and reporting, distributed scanning | Starting at $3,190 |
| Nessus Cloud | Cloud-based scanning, API access, integrations with AWS, Azure, and GCP | Starting at $2,390 |
Overall, Nessus remains one of the leading vulnerability scanners on the market due to its comprehensive features, constant updates, and integration with other cybersecurity tools. Whether you’re a small business owner or a large enterprise, Nessus can help you identify and address security gaps before they are exploited by attackers.
Tenable Overview
Tenable is a cybersecurity company specializing in vulnerability management. Founded in 2002, they have grown to be a leader in the industry, servicing a wide range of clients from small businesses to large enterprises, government agencies, and universities.
- Headquarters: Columbia, Maryland, USA
- CEO: Amit Yoran
- Employees: 1,200+ (as of 2021)
Tenable’s mission is to help organizations understand and reduce their cybersecurity risks. Their flagship product, Nessus, is widely regarded as the industry standard for vulnerability scanning and is used by millions of users across the world.
Tenable has expanded its offerings to include a range of products that integrate with Nessus to provide more comprehensive cybersecurity solutions, including:
- Tenable.io: a cloud-based vulnerability management platform
- Tenable.sc: an on-premise vulnerability management solution
- Tenable.ot: an operational technology protection platform
Tenable has also made a name for itself in the cybersecurity industry through its research arm, Tenable Research, which regularly publishes reports and analysis on the latest security trends and threats.
| Product | Description |
|---|---|
| Nessus Professional | The industry-leading vulnerability scanner for the identification of security vulnerabilities, configuration issues, and malware |
| Tenable.io | A cloud-based vulnerability management platform that provides real-time visibility into vulnerabilities across your entire attack surface. |
| Tenable.sc | An on-premise vulnerability management solution that provides a unified view of your security posture across your entire organization. |
| Tenable.ot | An operational technology protection platform that provides visibility and protection for industrial control systems (ICS) and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) networks. |
Overall, Tenable is a trusted cybersecurity company with a broad range of solutions that cater to different organizational needs. Nessus remains a key component of their offerings and is considered by many to be the gold standard in vulnerability scanning.
Nessus Ownership
Nessus is a popular vulnerability scanner used by many organizations to identify and manage security risks. It was created by Renaud Deraison in 1998, and has undergone several ownership changes over the years.
- In 2002, Nessus was released as open source software under the General Public License (GPL) by Deraison.
- In 2005, Tenable Network Security (now known as Tenable, Inc.) acquired Nessus from Deraison and made it a proprietary product.
- In 2019, Tenable announced that Nessus would be released as a free, open source version named Nessus Essentials, while the commercial version would be known as Nessus Professional.
The acquisition of Nessus by Tenable brought significant changes to the product itself, including new features and improvements. Tenable also leveraged their expertise in cybersecurity to make Nessus a more robust vulnerability scanner.
Despite the change in ownership, Nessus remains a popular choice among security professionals due to its accuracy, ease of use, and ability to detect a wide range of vulnerabilities.
Nessus Ownership: Company Timeline
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1998 | Nessus created by Renaud Deraison |
| 2002 | Nessus released as open source software under the GPL |
| 2005 | Tenable Network Security acquires Nessus |
| 2019 | Nessus released as free, open source version (Nessus Essentials), and commercial version (Nessus Professional) |
Overall, Nessus has evolved over the years and continues to provide organizations with a reliable way to identify and manage vulnerabilities. Its ownership changes have brought about significant improvements, making it a more powerful tool in the hands of security professionals.
Tenable’s Acquisition of Nessus
Tenable Network Security, the company behind the cyber exposure technology, first gained notability with its Nessus vulnerability scanner that has been helping security professionals identify and patch vulnerabilities in their networks for almost 20 years. Since its release in 1998, Nessus has been one of the most extensively used vulnerability scanners around the world. In October 2016, Tenable announced its acquisition of Nessus, which has since been rebranded as Tenable.io Vulnerability Management, as one of the significant moves in the cybersecurity industry.
- The acquisition helped to enrich Tenable’s technology stack and further establish itself as a leading provider of cybersecurity solutions.
- Tenable.io Vulnerability Management still utilizes Nessus technology as its foundation. It continues to be one of the most popular and effective vulnerability scanners in the market.
- The acquisition also helped Tenable to compete with other well-established security companies like Qualys and Rapid7 effectively.
With Tenable’s expanded growth strategy and vision of having a unified view of all cyber exposures across an organization, the acquisition of Nessus is just one of the many initiatives the company is taking to have a comprehensive understanding of cybersecurity. Tenable is in a constant state of innovation, moving beyond vulnerability management to provide a new category of solutions that help modern organizations continuously understand and reduce cyber risk.
Tenable’s Journey
Founded in 2002, Tenable Network Security has come a long way since its inception. With its innovative solutions and technology, the company has grown to a team of more than 1,200 employees globally, serving over 30,000 organizations around the world. Tenable’s journey of growth and innovation has been marked with significant milestones such as acquisitions, partner network expansion, and technology advancements. Today, Tenable continues to be a leading provider of security solutions that help organizations of all sizes to manage their enterprise cyber risk.
Conclusion
Tenable’s acquisition of Nessus marked a significant turning point for both companies, which have since worked together in delivering innovative solutions that help organizations build a robust cybersecurity posture. As Tenable continues to expand its reach in the global cybersecurity market, its commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction remains its priority. The company’s vision of having a unified view of all cyber exposures is becoming a reality with the release of Tenable.io, an advanced platform that provides visibility into all the assets and vulnerabilities across an organization’s attack surface.
| Tenable Product | Description |
|---|---|
| Tenable.io Vulnerability Management | Enables organizations to identify their vulnerabilities across all assets, including cloud, mobile, and containerized environments. |
| Tenable.io Web Application Scanning | Delivers comprehensive web application scanning to help organizations address web application vulnerabilities. |
| Tenable.io Container Security | Provides visibility across container images and hosts, and helps organizations to assess and prevent cyber threats targeting container environments. |
| Tenable.io SecurityCenter | Allows organizations to gain a unified view of their entire security landscape and can be deployed in any environment. |
Tenable’s platform provides a comprehensive suite of solutions for vulnerability management, web application scanning, container security, and more, making it one of the leading providers of cybersecurity solutions.
Nessus Features
As a leading vulnerability scanner, Nessus is constantly expanding its featureset to provide businesses and security teams with comprehensive vulnerability management solutions. Here are some of Nessus’ top features:
Scanning Capabilities
- Nessus is capable of scanning a variety of operating systems, network devices, and applications, providing vulnerability scanning for over 70,000 plugins.
- The scanner allows for custom scans and can be scheduled to run automatically, providing consistent and regular vulnerability management.
- Nessus can also integrate with third-party tools such as SIEMs and ticketing systems, streamlining the vulnerability management process.
Compliance Checks and Reporting
Nessus provides custom compliance checks for a variety of industry standards (e.g. HIPAA, PCI DSS, GDPR), ensuring that businesses stay compliant with regulatory requirements. The scanner also offers advanced reporting features that provide detailed, actionable information through customizable dashboards, reports and alerts. Nessus’ reports are exportable in a variety of formats, including CSV and PDF, for easy sharing with stakeholders from IT staff to management.
Integration
Nessus can be integrated with various security tools and frameworks, including SecurityCenter and Tenable.io, providing businesses and security teams with a seamless vulnerability management process. Such integration allows for unlimited users, comprehensive management capabilities and an in-depth visibility into the security posture of the organization.
Powerful RESTful API
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| API Security | The API uses token-based authentication, which provides secure communication for companies that leverage Nessus’ API tools. |
| Scanning Management | The API allows the creation of custom scan policies, schedule scan runs, and manage scan results remotely. |
| Scanning Leadership | The API gives advanced vulnerability scanning capabilities, thus making Nessus a great fit for complex IT environments. |
Finally, Nessus offers a RESTful API, allowing users to integrate it into other tools in their environment. The API allows users to create custom scan policies, schedule scan runs, and manage scan results remotely. Nessus’ API offers advanced vulnerability scanning capabilities that make it a great fit for complex IT environments and scenarios.
Nessus Vulnerability Scanning
Nessus vulnerability scanning is a popular tool used by organizations to identify and assess any potential vulnerabilities in their networks. Nessus is a vulnerability scanner that was first released in 1998, and has since then been acquired by Tenable, a cybersecurity company that offers a range of security solutions.
Is Nessus Owned by Tenable?
- Yes, Tenable acquired Nessus in 2008.
- Since then, Tenable has continued to develop and enhance Nessus, and today it’s one of the most widely-used vulnerability scanners in the world.
- However, it’s worth noting that Nessus is an open-source tool, which means that anyone can use and modify the source code freely.
Features of Nessus Vulnerability Scanning
Nessus has a number of features that make it a powerful and effective vulnerability scanner. Here are some of its key features:
- Extensive vulnerability database: Nessus has a vast database of known vulnerabilities, including those that are published by the National Vulnerability Database (NVD).
- Customizable scanning: Users can configure the scans according to their specific needs, such as specifying ports, targets, and scan types.
- Real-time reporting: Nessus provides real-time reporting of vulnerabilities that are identified during the scan.
- Integration with other tools: Nessus can be integrated with other tools such as SIEM, endpoint management, ticketing systems, and more.
Nessus Licensing
Nessus is available in both free and paid versions. The free version, Nessus Essentials, provides basic vulnerability scanning for individual use only. The paid version, Nessus Professional, is designed for commercial and enterprise use and offers advanced features such as compliance checks, configuration auditing, and more.
Conclusion
| The acquisition of Nessus by Tenable has helped to enhance the tool’s capabilities and make it one of the most widely-used vulnerability scanners in the world. |
Nessus is a powerful tool that can help organizations identify and assess vulnerabilities in their networks. With its vast vulnerability database and customizable scanning options, Nessus is a tool that can be tailored to meet the specific needs of an organization. Whether you’re using the free or paid version, Nessus is a tool that can be a valuable addition to any cybersecurity arsenal.
Nessus Pricing and Licensing
If you’re interested in using Nessus, it’s important to understand its pricing and licensing structure. Here’s what you need to know:
- Nessus offers both commercial and free versions of their vulnerability scanner.
- The free version, Nessus Essentials, is limited to scanning up to 16 IP addresses and does not include support from Tenable. However, it is still an effective tool for small businesses and individual users.
- The commercial version, Nessus Professional, has no limitations on the number of IP addresses and includes support from Tenable. Pricing for Nessus Professional ranges from $2,190/year for a single user to $6,990/year for up to 10 users.
- Larger organizations can purchase Nessus Manager, which includes additional features such as report sharing and collaboration. Pricing for Nessus Manager starts at $3,490/year for up to 128 IPs.
- All Nessus products require an annual subscription, which includes access to new features, updates, and technical support.
- Tenable also offers enterprise-level products, such as SecurityCenter, which include Nessus as a component.
- It’s important to note that there are also open source alternatives to Nessus, such as OpenVAS, which are free and can be useful for some users and organizations.
Here’s a breakdown of the pricing options for Nessus Professional:
| Number of Users | Price (per year) |
|---|---|
| 1 | $2,190 |
| 2 | $3,490 |
| 3 | $4,890 |
| 4 | $6,190 |
| 5 | $7,490 |
| 6 | $8,790 |
| 7 | $10,090 |
| 8 | $11,390 |
| 9 | $12,690 |
| 10 | $13,990 |
Overall, Nessus is a powerful tool for identifying vulnerabilities in your organization and ensuring that your systems are secure. Whether you choose the free or commercial version, it’s important to use this tool regularly to stay on top of your security posture.
Is Nessus Owned by Tenable? FAQs
Q: Who is Nessus?
A: Nessus is a vulnerability scanner used to identify potential security risks in computer networks and systems.
Q: Who owns Nessus?
A: Nessus was originally developed by Renaud Deraison in 1998. In 2005, Tenable Network Security acquired Nessus.
Q: How is Nessus used?
A: Nessus is used by security professionals to scan computer systems and networks for vulnerabilities. The scanner then generates a report detailing any security risks detected.
Q: What are the main features of Nessus?
A: Nessus has a wide range of features including vulnerability scanning, compliance checks, malware detection, and policy audits.
Q: How much does Nessus cost?
A: Nessus offers a free version, Nessus Home, for personal use. For commercial use, Nessus Professional starts at $2,190/year.
Q: What is Tenable?
A: Tenable is a cybersecurity company that provides vulnerability management and continuous network monitoring solutions for enterprises and government organizations.
Q: What other products does Tenable offer?
A: Tenable offers other cybersecurity products such as Tenable.io, a cloud-based vulnerability management platform, and Tenable.sc, a platform for continuous network monitoring and vulnerability management.
Closing Thoughts
Thank you for reading our FAQs about whether Nessus is owned by Tenable. As you have learned, Tenable acquired Nessus in 2005 and has since continued to develop and improve the vulnerability scanner. With a range of features and pricing options, Nessus remains a popular choice for security professionals. Be sure to visit again for more informative articles about cybersecurity!