Automating Nessus Scans with AutoNessus

AutoNessus automates regular vulnerability scans with Nessus or OpenVAS and provides delta reporting. AutoNessus effectively reduces the analysis time for subsequent scans of the same infrastructure by only reporting delta findings. AutoNessus runs Nessus scans at regular intervals and compares the findings of the last scan with the findings of the previous scan. The delta of this scan is presented in a web GUI when findingscan be easily marked as either real findings or non-issues. Non issues get ignored until they change. This causes a dramatic reduction of the analysis time.

Embedded below is a screencast by Frank Breedijk, the author of AutoNessus, on the basics of AutoNessus and how to use it. You can download AutoNessus from his website. This will definitely be a great tool for penetration testers who spend a lot of time creating reports by comparing past / present Nessus scan reports to find new and interesting things.

Vivek Ramachandran is a security evangelist and has been working in computer security related fields for the past 7 years. In 2007, Vivek spoke at world renowned conferences Defcon (WEP Cloaking Exposed) and Toorcon (The Caffe Latte Attack). The discovery of the Caffe Latte Attack was covered by CBS5 news, BBC online, Network World etc news agencies.In 2006, Vivek was announced as one of winners of the Microsoft Security Shootout contest held in India among 65,000 participants. He has also been a recipient of a Team Achievement at Cisco Systems for his work on 802.1x and Port Security modules on the Catalyst 6500 switches. Currently he spends all of his time maintaining Security- Freak.Net , SecurityTube.Net and is the co-founder of Axonize. Vivek, is a Bachelor in Electronics and Communications Engineering from the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati.You can contact him at vivek[at]securitytube.net