| name | performing-authenticated-scan-with-openvas |
| description | Configure and execute authenticated vulnerability scans using OpenVAS/Greenbone Vulnerability Management with SSH and SMB credentials for comprehensive host-level assessment. |
| domain | cybersecurity |
| subdomain | vulnerability-management |
| tags | - openvas - gvm - authenticated-scan - vulnerability-scanning - greenbone - network-security - credentialed-scan |
| version | '1.0' |
| author | mahipal |
| license | Apache-2.0 |
| nist_csf | - ID.RA-01 - ID.RA-02 - ID.IM-02 - ID.RA-06 |
Performing Authenticated Scan with OpenVAS
Overview
OpenVAS (Open Vulnerability Assessment Scanner) is the scanner component of the Greenbone Vulnerability Management (GVM) framework. Authenticated scans use valid credentials (SSH for Linux, SMB for Windows, ESXi for VMware) to log into target systems, enabling detection of local vulnerabilities, missing patches, and misconfigurations that unauthenticated scans cannot identify. Authenticated scans typically find 10-50x more vulnerabilities than unauthenticated scans.
When to Use
- When conducting security assessments that involve performing authenticated scan with openvas
- When following incident response procedures for related security events
- When performing scheduled security testing or auditing activities
- When validating security controls through hands-on testing
Prerequisites
- GVM 22.x+ installed (gvmd, openvas-scanner, gsad, ospd-openvas)
- PostgreSQL database configured for gvmd
- Redis configured for openvas-scanner
- NVT feed synchronized (greenbone-nvt-sync or greenbone-feed-sync)
- SSH credentials for Linux targets or SMB credentials for Windows targets
- Network access to target hosts on scan ports
Installation
Install GVM on Kali Linux / Debian
sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y gvm
sudo gvm-setup
sudo gvm-check-setup
sudo gvm-start
Install via Docker (Recommended for Production)
docker pull greenbone/gvm:stable
curl -fsSL https://greenbone.github.io/docs/latest/_static/docker-compose-22.4.yml \
-o docker-compose.yml
docker compose -f docker-compose.yml -p greenbone-community-edition up -d
docker compose -f docker-compose.yml -p greenbone-community-edition \
logs -f gvmd 2>&1 | grep -i "feed"
Configuring Credentials
SSH Credentials for Linux Targets
gvm-cli socket --socketpath /run/gvmd/gvmd.sock --gmp-username admin --gmp-password <password> --xml \
'<create_credential>
<name>Linux SSH Key</name>
<type>usk</type>
<login>scan_user</login>
<key>
<private><![CDATA['"$(cat /home/scan_user/.ssh/id_rsa)"']]></private>
<phrase>key_passphrase</phrase>
</key>
</create_credential>'
gvm-cli socket --socketpath /run/gvmd/gvmd.sock --gmp-username admin --gmp-password <password> --xml \
'<create_credential>
<name>Linux SSH Password</name>
<type>up</type>
<login>scan_user</login>
<password>scan_password_here</password>
</create_credential>'
SMB Credentials for Windows Targets
gvm-cli socket --socketpath /run/gvmd/gvmd.sock --gmp-username admin --gmp-password <password> --xml \
'<create_credential>
<name>Windows SMB Cred</name>
<type>up</type>
<login>DOMAIN\scan_account</login>
<password>smb_password_here</password>
</create_credential>'
ESXi Credentials
gvm-cli socket --socketpath /run/gvmd/gvmd.sock --gmp-username admin --gmp-password <password> --xml \
'<create_credential>
<name>ESXi Root</name>
<type>up</type>
<login>root</login>
<password>esxi_password_here</password>
</create_credential>'
Creating Scan Targets
gvm-cli socket --socketpath /run/gvmd/gvmd.sock --gmp-username admin --gmp-password <password> --xml \
'<create_target>
<name>Linux Production Servers</name>
<hosts>192.168.1.10,192.168.1.11,192.168.1.12</hosts>
<port_list id="33d0cd82-57c6-11e1-8ed1-406186ea4fc5"/>
<ssh_credential id="CREDENTIAL_UUID_HERE">
<port>22</port>
</ssh_credential>
<alive_test>ICMP, TCP-ACK Service and ARP Ping</alive_test>
</create_target>'
gvm-cli socket --socketpath /run/gvmd/gvmd.sock --gmp-username admin --gmp-password <password> --xml \
'<create_target>
<name>Windows Domain Controllers</name>
<hosts>192.168.1.20,192.168.1.21</hosts>
<port_list id="33d0cd82-57c6-11e1-8ed1-406186ea4fc5"/>
<smb_credential id="SMB_CREDENTIAL_UUID_HERE"/>
<alive_test>ICMP, TCP-ACK Service and ARP Ping</alive_test>
</create_target>'
Scan Configuration
Built-in Scan Configs
| Config Name | OID | Use Case |
|---|
| Full and fast | daba56c8-73ec-11df-a475-002264764cea | Standard production scan |
| Full and deep | 708f25c4-7489-11df-8094-002264764cea | Thorough scan, may be disruptive |
| System Discovery | 8715c877-47a0-438d-98a3-27c7a6ab2196 | Host and service enumeration |
Create Custom Scan Config for Authenticated Scan
gvm-cli socket --socketpath /run/gvmd/gvmd.sock --gmp-username admin --gmp-password <password> --xml \
'<create_config>
<copy>daba56c8-73ec-11df-a475-002264764cea</copy>
<name>Authenticated Full Scan</name>
</create_config>'
Running the Scan
Create and Start Scan Task
gvm-cli socket --socketpath /run/gvmd/gvmd.sock --gmp-username admin --gmp-password <password> --xml \
'<create_task>
<name>Weekly Authenticated Scan - Linux Prod</name>
<config id="CONFIG_UUID"/>
<target id="TARGET_UUID"/>
<scanner id="08b69003-5fc2-4037-a479-93b440211c73"/>
</create_task>'
gvm-cli socket --socketpath /run/gvmd/gvmd.sock --gmp-username admin --gmp-password <password> --xml \
'<start_task task_id="TASK_UUID"/>'
gvm-cli socket --socketpath /run/gvmd/gvmd.sock --gmp-username admin --gmp-password <password> --xml \
'<get_tasks task_id="TASK_UUID"/>'
Schedule Recurring Scans
gvm-cli socket --socketpath /run/gvmd/gvmd.sock --gmp-username admin --gmp-password <password> --xml \
'<create_schedule>
<name>Weekly Sunday 2AM</name>
<icalendar>
BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART:20240101T020000Z
RRULE:FREQ=WEEKLY;BYDAY=SU
DURATION:PT12H
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR
</icalendar>
<timezone>UTC</timezone>
</create_schedule>'
Exporting Results
gvm-cli socket --socketpath /run/gvmd/gvmd.sock --gmp-username admin --gmp-password <password> --xml \
'<get_reports report_id="REPORT_UUID" format_id="a994b278-1f62-11e1-96ac-406186ea4fc5"/>'
gvm-cli socket --socketpath /run/gvmd/gvmd.sock --gmp-username admin --gmp-password <password> --xml \
'<get_reports report_id="REPORT_UUID" format_id="c1645568-627a-11e3-a660-406186ea4fc5"/>'
python3 -c "
from gvm.connections import UnixSocketConnection
from gvm.protocols.gmp import Gmp
from gvm.transforms import EtreeCheckCommandTransform
connection = UnixSocketConnection(path='/run/gvmd/gvmd.sock')
transform = EtreeCheckCommandTransform()
with Gmp(connection=connection, transform=transform) as gmp:
gmp.authenticate('admin', 'password')
reports = gmp.get_reports()
print(f'Total reports: {len(reports)}')
"
Validating Authentication Success
gvm-cli socket --socketpath /run/gvmd/gvmd.sock --gmp-username admin --gmp-password <password> --xml \
'<get_results filter="name=SSH rows=10 sort-reverse=severity"/>'
References
