Module 4: Running a Basic Nessus Network Scan

Step 1: Obtain the Virtual Machine's IP Address

1. Access the Virtual Machine:

   • Go to your VMware Workstation Player and open the Windows 11 virtual machine.

2. Retrieve the IP Address:

   • On the virtual machine, click Start and open the Command Prompt by typing cmd.

   • In the Command Prompt, type ipconfig and press Enter. This will display network details, including the IPv4 address (e.g., 10.0.0.189).

   • Note down this IP address as it will be needed for the Nessus scan.

Step 2: Verify Network Connectivity

1. Ping the Virtual Machine from Your Host:

   • On your host computer, open the Command Prompt.

   • Type ping [VM_IP_Address] -t, replacing [VM_IP_Address] with the IP address you retrieved from the virtual machine (e.g., ping 10.0.0.189 -t).

   • The -t option allows continuous pinging to check for connectivity.

   • If you see a "Request timed out" message, continue with the next steps to disable the firewall on the virtual machine.

Step 3: Disable the Windows Firewall on the Virtual Machine

1. Open Firewall Settings:

   • On the virtual machine, press Win + R to open the Run dialog, type WF.msc, and press Enter to open the Windows Firewall settings.

2. Turn Off Firewall Profiles:

   • In the Windows Firewall settings, go to Windows Defender Firewall Properties.

   • For each of the three profiles (Domain, Private, and Public), select Off to disable the firewall. This is done to ensure uninterrupted communication for testing purposes (Note: Disabling the firewall is not recommended in production environments).

3. Verify Connectivity:

   • Return to your host computer’s Command Prompt and check the ping results. You should now see successful replies from the VM’s IP address.

   • Press Ctrl + C to stop the ping test once connectivity is confirmed.

Step 4: Create a Basic Network Scan in Nessus Essentials

1. Access Nessus Essentials:

   • Open a web browser on your host computer and go to the Nessus interface (https://localhost:8834).

2. Create a New Scan:

   • In Nessus, go to Scans and click New Scan.

   • Choose Basic Network Scan as the type.

3. Configure Scan Details:

   • Name: Enter a descriptive name, such as "Windows 11 VM Basic Scan."

   • Targets: Paste the IP address of your virtual machine (e.g., 10.0.0.189).

   • You can leave other settings at their defaults for a simple scan, but note that Nessus offers options for scheduling scans, scanning all ports, and setting custom configurations.

4. Save the Scan:

   • Click Save to create the scan. This saves the configuration and prepares it for execution.

Step 5: Run the Basic Scan

1. Launch the Scan:

   • Click on the newly created scan in Nessus, and select Launch to start the scan.

2. Monitor Scan Progress:

   • You can click on the scan to view progress in real-time. Nessus will log its findings as it scans the target.

3. Wait for the Scan to Complete:

   • The scan may take a few minutes, depending on the target configuration and network conditions. Once complete, a checkmark will appear next to the scan, indicating it has finished.

Step 6: Review Scan Results

1. View Scan Results:

   • Click on the completed scan to open the results. Nessus categorizes findings by severity: informational (blue), low (green), medium (yellow), high (orange), and critical (red).

2. Analyze Vulnerabilities:

   • Click Vulnerabilities to review the detailed results. For example:

     • SMB Signing Not Required: This indicates a potential vulnerability if your organization requires secure SMB communication.

     • Trace Route Information: Listed as informational, meaning it is not necessarily a vulnerability but something to be aware of.

     • SMB Detected on Port 445: Shows that SMB service is available on port 445, although no credentials were provided.

3. Understanding Credentialed Scans:

   • In the Credentials tab, you can enter login credentials (such as the username and password created for the VM) to perform a deeper scan. This allows Nessus to analyze the registry, file system, and other areas within the VM to detect vulnerabilities in outdated software or insecure services.

   • For this basic scan, credentials were not used, so the scan results focus on external vulnerabilities and services.

4. Optional: Plan a Deeper Scan:

   • To further explore vulnerabilities, consider setting up a credentialed scan using the VM’s login credentials. This will reveal additional information, especially if the VM has deprecated software or other internal security issues.