⚠️ Warning
Renaming an internal target results in a new target being created.
You cannot relink a target with the same name, as this will present an '
Authentication Error' when relinking.It is currently not possible to merge the previous target's history into a new target
Current Name
The linked name is the identifier your internal agent enrolled with. It takes the form PREFIX_DeviceName , and the DeviceName is the target's address in Intruder. Renaming the Hostname does not change this linked name, so a renamed device keeps showing under its original target until you unlink and relink it.
You can read the linked name on the device itself with the ms_name preference. Run the command for your operating system, as an administrator, from the Nessus Agent folder:
macOS
sudo /Library/NessusAgent/run/sbin/nessuscli fix --secure --get ms_name
Linux
sudo /opt/nessus_agent/sbin/nessuscli fix --secure --get ms_name
Windows
Command Prompt (run as Administrator - the command needs elevation)
"C:\Program Files\Tenable\Nessus Agent\nessuscli.exe" fix --secure --get ms_name
PowerShell (run as Administrator - note the leading & call operator)
& "C:\Program Files\Tenable\Nessus Agent\nessuscli.exe" fix --secure --get ms_name
The command returns the full linked name, for example:
b35as4d8-f9a4-4822-be83-2d998fb18baf_User-MacBook-Pro
The part before the first underscore is your account prefix. The part after it is the device name the agent is linked under.
Renaming
To rename a target, you will need to unlink the agent and then relink it with the correct target name.
Unlink Command
MacOS
sudo /Library/NessusAgent/run/sbin/nessuscli agent unlink
Linux
sudo /opt/nessus_agent/sbin/nessuscli agent unlink
Relink
MacOS
/Library/NessusAgent/run/sbin/nessuscli agent link --host="cloud.tenable.com" --port="443" --key=[KEY] --name=[Prefix_DeviceName]
Windows
"C:\Program Files\Tenable\Nessus Agent\nessuscli" agent link --host="cloud.tenable.com" --port="443" --key=[KEY] --name=[Prefix_DeviceName]
Linux
/opt/nessus_agent/sbin/nessuscli agent link --host="cloud.tenable.com" --port="443" --key=[KEY] --name=[Prefix_DeviceName]
Once you've done that, it should take a couple of minutes for the internal system to show up.
UUID Errors
It's not very common, but sometimes these things happen.
[error] [agent] Link fail: [409] Agent with uuid agentUuid=<> attempt to link, but another agent in container containerUuid=<> with different token already exists.
This message ☝️ can pop up if the agent hasn't unlinked properly. To resolve this issue, you will need to replace the value in the /etc/tenable_tag file with a valid UUIDv4 value or delete the file. The value stored in the file specified below matches that of a linked device:
Linux : /etc/tenable_tag
Windows: HKLM/Software/Tenable/TAG
macOS: /private/etc/tenable_tag
To begin,
Delete the tag file using the OS-specific instructions below
macOS
SSH into the target as root (using sudo will work as well)
Run the following command:
rm /private/etc/tenable_tag
Windows
Open regedit
Delete the following registry entry:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Tenable/TAG
Linux
SSH into the target as root (Using sudo will work as well)
Run the following command:
rm /etc/tenable_tag
Relink the machine using a new, unique name.
Best Practices
Always use unique internal target names when linking agents to the Intruder platform.
Remove existing target entries before relinking, and ensure that you only use a new unique name and not reuse a previously added target name.
Regularly monitor agent statuses to proactively address any potential unlinking or configuration issues.