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OpenVAS audits an authorized remote system by probing its services, matching responses against Greenbone vulnerability tests, and producing findings that you can validate and remediate. On Ubuntu, the practical workflow is to deploy or connect to a Greenbone Vulnerability Management (GVM) stack, define a target and port list, choose an alive-test method, attach credentials when you need authenticated checks, run a task, and review the evidence rather than treating every result as an automatic security failure.
This guide covers the complete process, including Ubuntu installation choices, remote-target configuration, SSH-authenticated scans, feed and service dependencies, and the common case where a reachable host is reported as down.
What OpenVAS is and what runs on Ubuntu
OpenVAS is the scanner associated with Greenbone Vulnerability Management. Greenbone describes its Community Edition as the source-code-based GVM software stack, also known as OpenVAS. In a normal deployment, several components work together:
- gvmd manages targets, credentials, scan configurations, tasks, users, and reports.
- OpenVAS performs vulnerability tests against the selected targets.
- OSPD-OpenVAS provides the Open Scanner Protocol service through which the manager controls the scanner. OpenVAS itself is not an OSP service.
- Greenbone Security Assistant provides the browser interface in many installations.
- Feed data supplies the vulnerability tests, product data, and advisories used by scans.
This architecture explains why a web interface can load while a scan cannot start: the manager, scanner service, feed, database, and browser interface are separate dependencies. Check each component and its logs independently instead of reinstalling the entire stack whenever one layer is unavailable.
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Prepare an authorized audit position
Only scan systems that you own or have explicit permission to test. A vulnerability scan can trigger alarms, consume bandwidth, alter application logs, or expose sensitive configuration. Before installation, document the approved scope and the person responsible for each asset.
Confirm network reachability
- Run the scanner from an Ubuntu host with a route to the target network.
- Confirm DNS resolution for every hostname you plan to use, and record the resolved addresses where this matters.
- Check firewalls, security groups, VPN routes, and segmentation rules. A scanner that cannot reach a service cannot assess it reliably.
- Agree on maintenance windows for intrusive checks, especially against production systems.
- Decide whether the audit covers one host, a subnet, selected services, or a larger authorized range. Do not enter a broader range merely because it is convenient.
Record the audit assumptions
Write down the Ubuntu release, GVM/OpenVAS version, feed revision, scanner location, target list, exclusions, credentials mode, and scan date. Feed content changes over time, so a report without these details is difficult to reproduce or compare with a later scan.
Choose an Ubuntu deployment model
Greenbone documents distribution-package installation as one route, but warns that a distribution’s packages and dependencies may differ from the versions, scripts, extensions, and dependency set Greenbone tests. Select one deployment model deliberately and keep its components from the same release family.
| Deployment | Advantages | Risks and responsibilities | When it fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu distribution packages | Native service management, familiar updates, and straightforward integration with the host. | Package names, versions, patches, initialization scripts, and feeds can differ from Greenbone’s tested combination. You own compatibility troubleshooting. | A small lab or an organization that accepts Ubuntu-package maintenance and has verified its chosen Ubuntu release. |
| Containerized Community Edition | More reproducible component versions and isolation from the host’s libraries. | You must persist databases and feeds, expose the management interface safely, update images, and ensure the container network can reach every target. | Teams that already operate containers and want a repeatable deployment. |
| Source-based build | Control over versions and build options. | Highest maintenance burden: dependencies, service units, feed synchronization, upgrades, and security fixes are your responsibility. | Engineers who need a controlled build and can maintain it over time. |
| Managed or appliance scanner | Greenbone or an internal platform team handles much of the service and feed administration. | Ubuntu may only be the operator workstation; routing, credentials, scanner permissions, and access to the management service still need configuration. | Organizations that do not want to operate the scanner stack locally. |
If Ubuntu is only your operator machine, use it to connect to the remote GVM manager. The gvm-tools project documents GMP connections over secure SSH and Unix-domain sockets for local Community Edition access. In that arrangement, install only the client tools you need on Ubuntu and verify that the remote manager can reach the audit targets.
Install or connect to GVM on Ubuntu
Identify the Ubuntu release before choosing packages
Package availability is release-sensitive. Check the release and candidate versions before changing the system:
cat /etc/os-release
apt-cache policy gvm openvas gvmd ospd-openvasIf the package list does not contain the components required by the Greenbone instructions for your release, do not mix random packages from another Ubuntu version. Move to a documented container, source, or managed deployment instead.
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Distribution-package route
For a release with a supported package set, refresh the package index and install the GVM package set named by the current Greenbone and Ubuntu documentation. A typical package workflow is:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install gvmTreat that command as conditional, not universal: the package name and the post-install procedure vary by Ubuntu release. Follow the release-specific instructions for database creation, administrator setup, TLS, service units, and feed initialization. Do not assume that a package called openvas provides the complete manager, scanner, web interface, and feed stack.
Container or source route
Use the current Greenbone Community Edition instructions for the exact image tags, compose files, source revisions, and persistent-volume layout. Keep the database and feed directories on durable storage, restrict the management interface to an administration network, and map only the ports you actually need. For a source build, pin component versions, capture build dependencies, create dedicated service accounts, and create service definitions that start in the correct order.
Verify the stack before creating a scan
After installation or connection, confirm all of the following in the management interface and service logs:
- The manager can authenticate your administrator account.
- The configured scanner appears online and is associated with the manager through OSP.
- OSPD-OpenVAS is running and can accept scanner requests.
- The feed has completed its initial import and is not still rebuilding or locked.
- The browser interface can create a target, port list, credential, and task without an internal server error.
- The scanner host has DNS, routing, and firewall access to the remote network.
Initial feed synchronization can be substantial, and the official manuals do not promise a universal completion time. Wait for the feed status to become usable rather than launching a partial scan and assuming missing tests mean the target is clean.
Create a target for the remote system
In the Greenbone Security Assistant, open the target-management area and create a target. Enter an IP address, resolvable hostname, or an explicitly authorized address range. Give the target a name that identifies the owner and purpose, not just an address.
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Select a port list
The port list determines which TCP and UDP ports the scanner probes. Match it to the audit objective:
- Use a focused list when you are auditing a known application and want a shorter, lower-noise assessment.
- Use a broad or all-port list only when discovery of unexpected services is in scope and the network owner has approved the additional traffic.
- Include UDP coverage when the service being assessed uses UDP; a TCP-only list cannot establish that a UDP service is absent or vulnerable.
- Keep a copy of the selected list in the audit record. Changing the list changes what the scan can discover.
The target form also provides the place to associate credentials. Create the credential first if the interface requires an existing object, then return to the target and select it.
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Before port and vulnerability checks, the scanner decides whether a host appears alive. Greenbone provides ICMP Ping, TCP-ACK Service Ping, TCP-SYN Service Ping, and ARP Ping. The methods have different behavior for IPv4 and IPv6 and are affected by firewalls and routers.
| Method | Useful when | Typical limitation |
|---|---|---|
| ICMP Ping | The network permits echo requests and you want a simple host-liveness check. | Firewalls commonly drop ICMP even when application ports are reachable. |
| TCP-ACK Service Ping | You need a TCP-based test through networks that filter ICMP. | Filtering devices may drop or rewrite ACK probes, producing an inconclusive result. |
| TCP-SYN Service Ping | You want to test whether a selected TCP service responds to a connection attempt. | A firewall, load balancer, or service policy may suppress the response or make a host look inconsistent. |
| ARP Ping | The target is on the same local IPv4 Ethernet segment as the scanner. | ARP does not cross routers and is not a general method for remote routed networks. |
Select the method that matches the path. For a routed server that blocks ICMP but exposes HTTPS, a TCP-based test against an approved service is more informative than relying on echo replies. For a local Ethernet segment, ARP can identify a live IPv4 host that ignores higher-layer probes. Do not use an alive test as proof that a host is secure or even that every intended service is reachable.
Add SSH credentials for an authenticated Linux audit
An unauthenticated scan can inspect what is exposed over the network. An SSH-authenticated scan can log in to a Linux or Unix target and perform local security checks such as package, configuration, and permission inspection. Credentials must be linked to the target before the scan engine can apply them.
Create the SSH credential
In the credentials section, create an SSH credential with either:
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- A username and password, or
- A username and private SSH key, with a passphrase if the key is protected.
Use a dedicated least-privilege account created for auditing. Grant only the commands and files required by your policy. Protect the private key or password in the manager’s secret store, limit who can view or edit the credential, and never place a secret in a target name, note, report description, or shell history.
Handle privilege elevation carefully
Greenbone exposes optional privilege-elevation settings for authenticated checks. The documentation describes elevation as experimental; its reliability depends on the target’s sudo policy, shell, authentication requirements, and operating-system configuration. If elevation is required, test it against a non-production host first, allow the specific commands needed by your policy, and confirm that sudo does not require an interactive terminal or an unavailable second factor.
Link and test the credential
- Open the target and select the SSH credential in its credentials field.
- Confirm that the scanner can resolve and reach the target’s SSH service from its own network location.
- Verify the account’s authorized-key or password policy and the target’s host-key handling.
- Run a small authorized test task and inspect the report for authenticated-result indicators.
A credential object that exists but is not attached to the target does nothing. Likewise, a successful TCP connection to port 22 does not prove that the scanner can authenticate or execute the checks it needs.
Create and run the scan task
- Open the task-management area and choose to create a task.
- Select the target containing the approved host or range.
- Choose a scan configuration appropriate to the scope. A lighter configuration is useful for an initial connectivity check; a fuller configuration is appropriate when the owner has approved the additional probes.
- Select the scanner that can reach the target. In a managed deployment, this may be a remote scanner rather than the Ubuntu workstation.
- Review the target’s port list, alive-test method, credentials association, schedule, and exclusions.
- Save the task and start it manually or schedule it within the approved window.
- Monitor progress, scanner status, feed readiness, and task logs. A task that remains queued often indicates a manager, scanner, feed, or resource problem rather than a target vulnerability.
There is no universal scan-duration estimate. Address range size, port list, scan configuration, network latency, rate limiting, authentication, and target behavior all affect completion time. Record the actual start and finish times instead of promising a fixed duration.
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Troubleshoot a reachable host reported as down
A host-down result means the selected alive-test strategy did not receive the response it expected. It does not establish that the machine is powered off. Investigate from the scanner’s network position.
| Symptom | Likely cause | Corrective action |
|---|---|---|
| ICMP fails but a web service works | Firewall or host policy drops echo requests. | Choose a TCP-SYN or TCP-ACK method and an approved reachable service port. |
| TCP probe receives no response | Filtering device silently drops the probe, or the selected port is closed. | Test another approved service port, inspect firewall logs, and verify the route from the scanner. |
| Host appears up from a laptop but down to OpenVAS | The scanner is in another VLAN, VPN, or security zone. | Test DNS, routing, and firewall rules from the scanner host itself. |
| Local host is live but routed checks fail | The chosen method is unsuitable for the path; ARP does not cross routers. | Use ARP only on the local IPv4 segment; use ICMP or TCP methods across routed networks. |
| Intermittent up/down results | Rate limiting, load balancing, intrusion prevention, or a router generating inconsistent replies. | Reduce scan intensity, coordinate with the network team, and compare packet-filtering logs with task timestamps. |
| All targets appear down after an upgrade | Scanner service, feed, interface binding, or manager-to-scanner connection is unhealthy. | Check gvmd, OSPD-OpenVAS, the scanner registration, feed status, and service logs separately. |
Do not simply disable alive testing for every audit. If the network owner approves a no-ping approach, understand that the scanner will spend time probing hosts that may not exist and may generate more traffic. Document the exception and validate the resulting findings carefully.
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Review findings instead of accepting them blindly
Open each important result and examine the affected host, detected service, evidence, severity, solution, and detection method. A finding is a lead for investigation, not automatically proof that the vulnerable condition is exploitable in your environment.
Validate high-impact results
- Confirm that the address belongs to the intended asset and that the detected service is still present.
- Compare the evidence with the host’s installed package, configuration, and patch records.
- Check whether a scanner saw a banner through a proxy, load balancer, or shared service rather than the origin system.
- Use a safe, owner-approved verification method. Do not turn a vulnerability scan into an exploitation exercise without separate authorization.
Prioritize with an explicit method
Greenbone’s manuals define scan controls, not a universal severity threshold or remediation deadline. Choose and document your organization’s method. A practical approach is to address internet-exposed, actively exploited, or credential-impacting issues first; then consider exploitability, business criticality, compensating controls, and evidence quality. Assign an owner and due date to each accepted action, and record risk acceptance when remediation is not currently possible.
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Export a report in the format your security and operations teams can use, then preserve the original task settings with it. Include:
- Scope: hostnames, addresses, ranges, exclusions, and authorization reference.
- Scanner identity and location, Ubuntu release, GVM/OpenVAS component versions, and feed revision.
- Scan configuration, port list, alive-test method, credentials mode, and task start and finish times.
- Findings with affected services, evidence, severity, validation status, owner, action, and due date.
- Limitations such as blocked probes, unreachable segments, unauthenticated hosts, rate limiting, or incomplete feed synchronization.
Remove secrets from reports. State that an SSH credential was used without printing its password, private key, token, or privileged command output that exposes sensitive data.
Operational practices that prevent repeat failures
- Keep the scanner, manager, database, web interface, and OSPD service on a consistent release path.
- Update feeds through the procedure appropriate to your deployment and record the resulting revision.
- Back up the manager database and persistent feed storage before upgrades.
- Restrict the management interface and scanner administration ports to trusted networks.
- Use separate credentials for separate trust zones when one account should not access every target.
- Review target ranges and exclusions periodically so abandoned assets are not silently omitted.
- Run a small connectivity task after network, firewall, scanner, or feed changes before launching a large audit.
Common questions
Can Ubuntu scan a server in another network?
Yes, provided the scanner selected for the task has routing and firewall access to the server. The browser workstation does not need to share the target’s network if a remote Greenbone scanner does.
Is an unauthenticated scan enough for a Linux server?
It shows externally observable exposure, but it cannot inspect many local packages and settings. Attach SSH credentials for authenticated local checks when the owner authorizes them.
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Check the manager-to-scanner OSP connection, OSPD-OpenVAS, feed import status, database health, and task permissions separately. A reachable web interface proves only that the interface is responding.
Should I use the broadest port list every time?
No. Select the narrowest list that answers the approved audit question; use broad discovery only when unexpected services are in scope and the additional traffic is acceptable.
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