tools

Overview

OpenVAS is an open-source vulnerability scanner. Part of the Greenbone Vulnerability Management (GVM) ecosystem. Scans systems for known vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and security weaknesses.

Target / Context

Internal systems and network hosts. Commonly used in small organizations or by individuals for basic vulnerability management. Docker-based installation simplifies dependency management.

Installation

ℹ︎Installation Commands:

Install Docker and run the OpenVAS container:

sudo apt install docker.io
sudo docker run -d -p 443:443 --name openvas mikesplain/openvas
docker start openvas

Note: Docker bundles all OpenVAS dependencies — avoids complex manual installation.

Basic Usage

ℹ︎Basic Usage:

Start the container, then access the web interface at http://127.0.0.1

Flags & Options

ℹ︎Flags & Options:
OptionDescription
-dRun container in detached (background) mode
-p 443:443Map container port 443 to host port 443
—name openvasName the container for easy reference

Common Use Cases

Run a Vulnerability Scan

ℹ︎Steps:
  1. Access the web interface at http://127.0.0.1
  2. Navigate to Scans -> Tasks
  3. Click the star icon -> New Task
  4. Enter a task name (e.g., target machine name)
  5. Click the star next to Scan Targets and enter the target IP
  6. Select a Scan Config
  7. Click the green Play button to start the scan

Access Scan Results

ℹ︎Steps:
  1. Wait for scan status to show Done
  2. Click the task name
  3. Click the results count to view detailed findings

References / Images