As time goes by, cyber-criminals are looking for new ways to get hold of companies’ most valuable information. It’s a mistake to believe them incapable of looking for more innovative ways to damage your most sensitive assets. A vulnerability management solution can help you protect them.
You see, hackers are individuals with a deep knowledge of computer systems and programs. Black Hat Hackers handle this technology to perform their malicious-intent actions.
This is why it is important to rely on tools that constantly provide you with information about the security risks of your IT infrastructure.
Tenable, for example, provides an integrated solution for vulnerability management. Although this platform is made up of several products, Nessus Pro, Tenable.sc, and Tenable.io are three of the most demanded today.
However, when choosing one of them it may not be so easy to make a final decision. That’s why, in this blog post, we’ll seek to clarify your knowledge and highlight the main differences between these cybersecurity solutions.
Nessus Professional (Nessus Pro)
What is Nessus Professional?
Nessus Professional, or simply Nessus Pro, is a vulnerability scanner provided by Tenable. Many experts classify this software as the most complete vulnerability scanner on the market today.
Nessus Pro allows you to automate the identification of weaknesses in your IT infrastructure. Also, it provides you with visibility on the attack surface to manage, measure, and minimize all types of risk.
What are Nessus Professional main features?
- Real-time vulnerability updates.
- Vulnerability scanning.
- Unlimited scans.
- Unlimited number of IPs per scanner.
- Scanning of web applications.
- Exportable reports.
- Addressed email notifications.
- Scan programming.
- Configuration checks.
- Compliance checks.
- Searches for sensitive data.
- SCADA Plugins.
- VMware Virtual Appliance Access.
- PCI DSS compliance/configuration audits.
- Product Support.
What are the benefits of using Nessus Professional?
Easy to use
When using Nessus Pro you only have to give a few clicks to scan your entire IT network. It’s as simple as it sounds.
Greater protection
Nessus Pro is capable of analyzing up to 60,000 CVE (common vulnerabilities and exposures).
Highly cost-effective
Whether you use it individually or for your entire company, Tenable has made sure that Nessus Pro provides complete vulnerability detection with unlimited assessments at a low price.
Effective Visibility
This vulnerability analysis software provides accurate high-speed scanning with a minimum of false positives.
Efficient plug-ins
Nessus Pro is supported by add-ons that offer your company timely protection against the most up-to-date threats.
Adaptable to scalability
Nessus Pro is not the only digital security tool that Tenable provides, so you can easily migrate to other solutions when your vulnerability management needs increase.
What makes it different from Tenable.sc and Tenable.io?
Compared to Tenable.sc (formerly called SecurityCenter) and Tenable.io, Nessus Pro offers a less complex user experience. However, its functions are limited in relation to the other two Tenable software.
These features make this tool ideal for a single user whose intention is to download reports. Therefore, if you are taking your first steps in scanning for vulnerabilities in your company, Nessus Pro is the right software for you.
If, after a while, your needs change, you can upgrade to other tools such as Tenable.sc or Tenable.io. Both offer a wider range of functionalities than Nessus Professional.
Tenable.sc
What is Tenable.sc?
Tenable.sc is a comprehensive vulnerability management solution that provides complete visibility into the security measures of your IT infrastructure.
This software is in charge of collecting and evaluating vulnerability data obtained from multiple scanners distributed throughout your company. Likewise, it clears vulnerability trends over time to assess risk and help you prioritize it.
What are Tenable.sc main features?
Tenable.sc has several features that make it a different software from the rest of the industry’s vulnerability management tools.
- Wide coverage and continuous and complete visibility of your IT environment: systems, networks, and applications.
- Continuous monitoring of users, applications, and cloud infrastructure.
- Simplified compliance with industry standards with immediate visibility of your security posture.
- Features over 350 pre-built, highly customizable dashboards, and reports.
- Real-time alerts and notifications of network irregularities and high-priority security events.
- Identification and prioritization of the vulnerabilities of the greatest impact to your organization through the Vulnerability Priority Rating (VPR).
- Continuously measure, analyze, and visualize the effectiveness of your security program with Assurance Report Cards (ARCs).
What are the benefits of using Tenable.sc?
By using the features of Tenable.sc, you’ll enjoy the benefits of this tool, such as:
Erases blind spots in your IT infrastructure
Complete visibility of network-connected assets, activity, and events, with full vulnerability assessment coverage.
Provides immediate insight
Clear, actionable dashboards and reports to quickly measure and analyze safety effectiveness and risk.
Improves productivity
Save time by adjusting reports or spreadsheets
Addresses identified threats
Identify threats and unexpected changes in the network. Obtain specific alerts to quickly begin remediation.
Prioritizes vulnerabilities
It allows you to understand the impact of vulnerabilities on your network and prioritize remediation efforts.
What makes it different from Nessus Pro and Tenable.io?
Tenable.sc provides one of the most comprehensive vulnerability coverage in the industry. This is largely due to the fact that Tenable.sc runs on Nessus technology and offers more advanced features than Nessus Pro.
Also, Tenable.sc is an on-premise vulnerability management solution. On the other hand, Tenable.io operates directly from the cloud.
In addition, you take into consideration that scalability is a differentiating factor between both tools: while Tenable.io allows you to get the exact number of licenses you need, Tenable.sc’s licenses can only be increased from 512 to 512 assets.
Tenable.io
What is Tenable.io?
Tenable.io is a modern cloud-based vulnerability management platform that allows you to view and track all your assets with high accuracy.
What are Tenable.io main features?
- Managed from the cloud.
- Works as an internal and external scanner.
- Provides endless possibilities to create customized workflows.
- Schedules scans, drives policies and views the findings of the scans.
- Controls multiple Nessus scanners from the cloud.
- Integrates with Tenable.ot.
- Includes several products such as Tenable.io API, Tenable.io Lumin, Tenable.io Container Security, and Tenable.io Web Application Scanning.
- Configured with cloud scanners specific to the region where you are.
- Includes reports, cloud-based scanning of external assets, support for Nessus agents.
What are the benefits of using Tenable.io?
Fast performance
You can quickly identify, research, and prioritize vulnerabilities.
Modern approach
Tenable.io offers a new, asset-based approach that accurately tracks your digital assets.
Actionable information
Provides actionable information about the security risks of your entire IT infrastructure.
Total visibility
It gives you a risk-based view of your entire attack surface, from IT to the cloud, web applications, containers, and more.
Multiplatform detection
It allows you to monitor and detect threats both on the web and on the computers that make up your systems.
What makes it different from Nessus Professional and Tenable.sc?
Unlike Nessus Pro and Tenable.sc, Tenable.io is one of the most modern solutions offered by this company. Therefore, Tenable provides users with the option to migrate to its cloud solution.
Similarly, Tenable.io also provides users with more advanced vulnerability scanning options than Nessus Pro. In addition, Tenable.io mainly differs from Tenable.sc because the latter is a cloud-based solution; therefore, includes more up-to-date features.
However, scalability is also an important variable: Tenable.sc only allows you to increase its licenses from 512 to 512 assets, while Tenable.io gives you the opportunity to get the licenses you want.
In addition, Tenable.io is the only tool from Tenable that can perform web app scanning at the moment, mainly thanks to its Tenable.io WAS add-on. Nessus Pro and Tenable.sc don’t have that level of accuracy.
Which vulnerability assessment solution to choose?
While Nessus Pro is the go-to vulnerability scanner in the cybersecurity industry, Tenable.sc and Tenable.io have positioned themselves as two of the most advanced solutions offered by Tenable.
Nessus Pro has elementary functionalities to perform complete vulnerability analysis. However, Nessus Pro’s options are limited for those who want to apply more in-depth vulnerability management actions to their company’s digital assets.
That being said, if you are planning to strengthen your digital security for the very first time, we recommend you to try Nessus Pro for a better understanding in your first experience.
Then, if your needs increase or become more specific, scale to Tenable.sc or Tenable.io for more complete and profound vulnerability management features.
When you do, keep in mind that there will be a factor that will have a lot to do with the satisfaction you feel with these tools if your company is experiencing rapid growth: scalability.
Tenable.io allows you to get the exact number of licenses you need. On the other hand, you can only go for new licenses of 512 assets with Tenable.sc. Therefore, we recommend you to choose the application that best suits the growth of your business.
In conclusion, taking this step will allow you to include a more varied range of options to your vision such as comprehensive security and compliance dashboards, agents, support for multiple scanners, cloud and container scanning, and many more.
How can we help you?
In case you need guidance on which vulnerability management solution to choose, contact our expert team immediately.
At GB Advisors, we are specialists in the implementation of Digital Security and ITSM software. We want you to know that we’re eager to help you in the process of selecting the right tool to correct your company’s risks.
