This step is for people that using Nessus on Mac OS X.

Step 1: Stop Nessus service on your machine
sudo launchctl unload -w /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.tenablesecurity.nessusd.plist

Step 2: Download and copy the necessary registration and plugin files.
Now we have to download the registration file (nessus-fetch.rc) to register your license offline and latest plugin updates file (all-2.0.tar.gz).

run command:
/opt/nessus/bin/nessus-fetch --challenge

This will produce a string called “challenge” that looks like the following:
Challenge code: 67e1690d05c8608e959d5983de66688b5c3acae1

Next, go to https://plugins.nessus.org/offline.php and paste the “challenge” string as well as the Activation Code that you received previously into the appropriate text boxes. If you didn’t have the code or the code is invalid, register new activation code. This will produce a custom URL that can be used to download the latest Nessus plugin feed (all-2.0.tar.gz) along with a link to the nessus-fetch.rc file at the bottom of the screen.

Copy the nessus-fetch.rc file to your computer in the following directory:
/Library/Nessus/run/etc/nessus/nessus-fetch.rc

Now let’s register the scanner in offline mode.
Run the following command.
cd /Library/Nessus/run/bin/
nessus-fetch --register-offline nessus-fetch.rc

You will receive a message output saying registration was successful.

Step 3: Obtain and install latest plugins
To obtain the newest plugins, go to the URL that was provided in the previous step, download the file named “all-2.0.tar.gz” and save it in the directory /opt/nessus/sbin/. To install the plugins, perform the following command:
/opt/nessus/sbin/nessus-update-plugins all-2.0.tar.gz

Step 5: Rebuild the installed plugins
Run the following command to rebuild the plugins on your system:
/Library/Nessus/run/sbin/nessusd -R

This usually takes time…. So please be patience.

Step 6: Start the nessus server
Start your nessus server and try to login using a browser:
https://127.0.0.1:8834

use the credentials you created before and login.

By zam

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3 thoughts on “Update Nessus via offline update mode”
  1. Hi,

    I went to your blog regarding offline nessus update, will send me with cmd snap on my mail id [email protected]
    I would like to know how to prepare reports on nessus from csv file.

    Request you to kindly help me in this. I have been facing this regulary because Iam new to this application and reports.

    awaiting your prompt responce.

    Regards
    Satish

  2. Hi,

    Thank you for the great walkthrough, worked for me with very few issues on Ubuntu 14.04 with Nessus 5.2.7

  3. After updating to 6.5.2 version I got below message in UI —

    Nessus installation has expired

    We had checked the license is valid till next year

    Let me know if any pointers..

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