OpenVAS Vulnerability Scanner

OpenVAS (Open Vulnerability Assessment System), now part of the Greenbone Vulnerability Management (GVM) framework, is a comprehensive open-source vulnerability scanning and management solution. Originally developed by the GNOME Foundation in 2005, later maintained by Greenbone Networks GmbH since 2008, the project has over 3,300 stars as of 2026 and is the leading open-source alternative to commercial vulnerability scanners. Key features include: vulnerability scanning (scanning network-connected devices for over 100,000 known vulnerabilities using the Greenbone Community Feed of Network Vulnerability Tests), scanner architecture (executing Network Vulnerability Tests written in NASL against target hosts), scan configuration (predefined scan configurations including Full and fast, Full and fast ultimate, and custom configurations with credential-based authenticated checks), authenticated scanning (using SSH, SMB, and ESXi credentials for deeper vulnerability detection including missing patches and configuration issues), CVE and OVAL integration (mapping vulnerabilities to CVE entries, OVAL definitions, and CVSS scores), asset management (tracking discovered hosts, services, operating systems, and installed software across scan sessions), report generation (HTML, PDF, XML, CSV, and ITG reports with vulnerability details, CVSS scores, CVE references, and remediation guidance), scheduled scans (automating recurring vulnerability assessments with email notification), compliance scanning (checking systems against compliance policies including PCI-DSS, HIPAA, NIST, and DISA STIG), role-based access control (multi-user management with per-asset and per-scan permissions), REST API (programmatic access for scan creation, result retrieval, and integration with SIEM and ticketing), and virtual appliance (pre-configured Docker and ISO images for quick deployment).