Vulnerability Management Lab with Tenable Nessus Essentials

This documents my setup for running Tenable Nessus Essentials on an Ubuntu Server to scan a CasaOS home lab environment.

⚠️ Note: Nessus Essentials is free for personal/non-commercial use (up to 16 assets). All targets here are devices I own/control on my home network.

This lab is self-hosted and runs locally:

• Scanner: Ubuntu Server 20.04 LTS running Nessus Essentials (web UI on port 8834)
• Targets: CasaOS hosting containers and services
• Network: Typical home subnet (e.g., 192.168.1.0/24)

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✅ Prerequisites

• Ubuntu Server (VM or LXC)
• (Optional) SSH credentials on CasaOS host for credentialed scans

🚀 Setup Steps

1. Update Ubuntu

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

2. (Optional) Configure UFW Firewall

sudo ufw allow 22/tcp
sudo ufw allow 8834/tcp   # Nessus Web UI
sudo ufw enable

3. Install Nessus Essentials

• Download the Tenable Nessus package file from Tenable’s site.
• Install and start service:

dpkg -i Nessus-<version number>-debian6_amd64.deb
sudo systemctl start nessusd

4. Access Nessus Web UI

• Open https://<scanner-ip>:8834
• Choose Nessus Essentials
• Enter activation code & create admin user
• Wait for plugins to update

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🛠️ Create a Basic Scan

1. In Nessus, New Scan → Basic Network Scan

2. Targets: 192.168.1.20 (CasaOS host)
3. Add credentials (SSH) if available
4. Save & launch scan

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Why This Lab?

This lab not only provides hands-on experience with vulnerability management but also equips you with practical skills that can enhance your cybersecurity resume. By completing the lab, you'll gain familiarity with:

• Real-world vulnerability identification and remediation.
• Effective use of Tenable’s tools.

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