For each agent that you install, you must have a license available; if you don't, the machine(s) won't show up on your targets page.
👉 If you're installing the agent on 10 machines, you must have 10 licenses available.
Please note, each machine must have a unique device name; if you use the same name as an existing internal target, it won't work.
Step 1: Download the agent installer
1. Head to the targets page > select Add target > Internal targets
2. Choose between a Single agent deployment (providing instructions and a link to download the agent for the machine) or Mass deployment (providing the parameters you need for your installation script).
If choosing Single Agent deployment:
3. Enter the details for the machine you wish to scan:
👉 Operating System
👉 Operating System version (there is only one option for macOS)
👉 Your device name (this must be unique and contain only letters, numbers or hyphens)
👉 (optional) Add any tag(s)
➡️ Hit 'Download agent'
You should see something similar to this:
Step 2: Install the agent
Double-click on the .dmg file and then double-click the "Install Nessus Agent.pkg" installer. Follow the steps on the machine to complete the installation process.
Step 3: Install the agent
👉 Open terminal
👉 Copy the command and run it
If you see a prompt for a password, enter your computer's password and hit return. (Don't worry that you may not be able to see any of the characters that you're typing – this is normal).
When the linking command has run successfully, you'll see this 👇 :
👉 Once linked, it'll look something like this:
What do the statuses mean?
You may notice an amber status under the Latest Activity column, like this:
This status gives an insight into the current status of the installation or linking process.
Status Message | Meaning |
Added. Awaiting agent. | The target has been added to the Intruder portal but the agent is not yet linked and reporting back from the target. |
Agent unlinked/uninstalled. | The agent has been unlinked or removed from the target, this would indicate something has happened locally on the target to remove the connection to Intruder. |
If you have any trouble, please click the button below:
Note: Internal vulnerability scanning is only available to Pro, Enterprise, and Vanguard customers.