Practical Nessus Vulnerability Scanning

Master Nessus Scanning Techniques with Real Labs and Step-by-Step Tutorials

What you'll learn

Understand the fundamentals of vulnerability management

Install and configure Nessus on Windows and Linux

Explore Nessus product editions, licensing, and user interface.

Perform basic and advanced vulnerability scans using pre-built and custom scan templates.

Understand and use scan policies, credentials, and plugin configurations effectively.

Conduct authenticated and unauthenticated scans.

Analyze scan results, generate detailed reports, and interpret vulnerability severity.

Simulate real attacks by scanning vulnerable machines in a lab environment.

Use Nessus for compliance checking.

Create and manage scan policies, credentials, and plugin settings.

Requirements

Basic understanding of networking concepts.

Familiarity with operating systems like Windows and Linux.

Virtualization software like VMware Workstation and EVE NG.

No prior experience with Nessus is required.

A PC or laptop capable of running virtualization tools.

Description

Course Description:Are you ready to master one of the most powerful tools in vulnerability assessment?Welcome to Practical Nessus Vulnerability Scanning — a comprehensive, hands-on course designed to teach you how to effectively use Tenable Nessus, the industry-leading vulnerability scanner used by cybersecurity professionals around the world.Whether you're a cybersecurity beginner, network administrator, or a security analyst preparing for certifications like CEH, Security+, or OSCP, this course will help you build real-world skills to identify, assess, and report vulnerabilities in any environment.You'll gain hands-on experience by building a real-world lab using EVE-NG, configuring vulnerable targets, and performing both credentialed and non-credentialed scans. This course equips you with practical skills to identify, analyze, and mitigate vulnerabilities across a variety of operating systems and network devices.Who This Course is For:Cybersecurity students and IT professionals looking to upskillEthical hackers, SOC analysts, and penetration testersNetwork/system admins who want to enhance their organization’s securityAnyone interested in learning Nessus through real-world, practical examplesWhat You'll Learn:Introduction & Fundamentals:Start by understanding the core concepts of vulnerabilities and vulnerability management. Learn about the lifecycle of vulnerability handling, common vulnerabilities and exposures (CVE), and how to interpret risk using the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS). Dive into the Nessus ecosystem, exploring its product editions and licensing options.Lab Environment Setup with EVE-NG:Gain practical experience by setting up a full virtual lab environment using EVE-NG. You’ll install and configure Kali Linux, switches, Nessus lab images, and firewalls to simulate a realistic network topology — the perfect playground to test and scan.Installing Nessus:Get step-by-step guidance on obtaining the Nessus Essentials license and installing Nessus on multiple platforms, including Windows 11, Ubuntu Linux, and Kali Linux. Explore the web interface to get comfortable with its features and navigation.Scanning & Analysis:Master Nessus scanning with detailed lessons on scan templates, severity levels, and different scanning methods. Perform discovery scans like ping-only and host discovery, as well as OS identification. Understand the critical difference between credentialed and non-credentialed scans through practical labs.Advanced Scanning:Advance your skills with complex scanning techniques including Active Directory, FortiGate firewalls, and Cisco switches vulnerability assessments. Explore dynamic scans tailored for large and diverse networks.By the end of this course, you'll confidently perform vulnerability assessments using Nessus, interpret results accurately, and apply your skills in real-world security environments.

Overview

Section 1: Introduction

Lecture 1 Course Introduction

Lecture 2 Overview of Vulnerability

Lecture 3 Vulnerability Management

Lecture 4 Vulnerability Management Lifecycle

Lecture 5 Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures

Lecture 6 Common Vulnerability Scoring System

Lecture 7 Exploring CVE and NVD Database

Lecture 8 Introduction to Nessus

Lecture 9 Nessus Product Editions & Licensing

Section 2: Lab Environment Setup with EVE-NG

Lecture 10 Installing EVE-NG for Virtual Lab

Lecture 11 Adding Switches Images to EVE-NG

Lecture 12 Adding Kali Linux 2025 to EVE NG

Lecture 13 Convert Kali Linux 2025 VM

Lecture 14 Add Nessus Lab Images to EVE-NG

Lecture 15 Building Nessus Lab Topology

Lecture 16 Importing Labs Into EVE-NG

Lecture 17 Configuring Servers in the Lab

Lecture 18 Setting Up External Devices

Lecture 19 Firewall Configuration for Lab

Section 3: Installing Nessus

Lecture 20 Getting Nessus Essentials License

Lecture 21 Install Nessus on Windows 11

Lecture 22 Install Nessus on Linux Ubuntu

Lecture 23 Install Nessus on Linux Kali

Lecture 24 Web Interface Overview

Section 4: Understanding Nessus Scans:

Lecture 25 Scanning templates Categories

Lecture 26 Understanding Severity Levels

Section 5: Discovery Scans:

Lecture 27 Ping-Only Discovery Overview

Lecture 28 Ping-Only Discovery Lab

Lecture 29 Host Discovery Scan Overview

Lecture 30 Host discovery Scan Lab

Lecture 31 OS Identification Lab

Section 6: Network Scanning:

Lecture 32 Basic Network Scan Overview

Lecture 33 Basic Network Scan Lab

Section 7: Credentialed & Non-Credentialed Scans:

Lecture 34 Credential Validation Overview

Lecture 35 Credential Validation Lab

Lecture 36 Credentialed & Non-Credentialed Scanning

Lecture 37 Unauthenticated Scanning Lab

Lecture 38 Prerequisite for Credentialed Scan

Lecture 39 Authenticated Scanning Lab

Section 8: Advanced & Targeted Scans:

Lecture 40 Advanced Scan Overview

Lecture 41 Active Directory Advanced Scan Lab

Lecture 42 FortiGate Vulnerability Scan Lab

Lecture 43 Cisco Switch Vulnerability Scan Lab

Lecture 44 Advanced Dynamic Scan Overview

Lecture 45 Advanced Dynamic Scan Lab

Section 9: Web & Application Scans:

Lecture 46 Malware and Web Application Scan

Lecture 47 Web Application Test Lab

Lecture 48 Active Directory Starter Scan

Lecture 49 Overview of Vulnerabilities Tab

Section 10: Policy Compliance:

Lecture 50 Policy Compliance Auditing

Lecture 51 Policy Compliance Auditing Lab

Lecture 52 Template and Policy Overview

Lecture 53 Create Custom Policy Lab

Section 11: Reporting and Analysis:

Lecture 54 Reports Overview

Lecture 55 Reports Lab

Ethical Hackers & Penetration Testers,Network admins and system engineers,Students preparing for security certifications,Cybersecurity beginners and IT professionals,Anyone interested in hands-on Nessus experience,Anyone Interested in Scanning