12 May 2012

OpenVAS - Vulnerability Scanning & Management Tool Version 5 Released

OpenVAS Vulnerability Scanning & Management Tool Version 5 Released With New Asset-Management, Delta-Reports & Embedded SCAP-Data

The project development team of OpenVAS has declared the availability of its open source vulnerability assessment system version 5th. Almost after one year OpenVAS-4 the fifth version of the tool for vulnerability scanning and management offers several new features. At the same time the number of freely available vulnerability checks has increased to over 25,000.  

New Features:-
  • Delta reports to analyse differences between two scans.
  • Security Information Database: Integrated SCAP data (CPE, CVE) including update method via feed service.
  • Integrated Asset Management.
  • Configuration object 'Port Lists' for transparent TCP/UDP port ranges.
  • Prognostic scans based on asset data and current SCAP data.
  • Support for individual time zones for users.
  • Support for obeservers (granting read-only access)
  • Support for notes/overrides lifetimes.
  • Trashcan for collecting removed items before ultimate deletion.
  • Container tasks for importing reports.
  • SSH port for Local Security Checks configurable.
  • Product detections as reported by Scanner are handled to allow detailed cross-referenced detection informati 20
  • Support for sorting results by CVSS score.
  • Support for importing results sent through the XML escalator.
  • Support for escalating result to a Sourcefire Defense Center.
  • Support for using an SSH key pair for SSH authentication.
  • Individual user settings, starting with time zone.
  • Display single result details.
  • Icon indicators for detected operating systems.
  • LDAP per-user authentication method.
Improved Features:-
  • Updated builtin Report Format Plugins HTML, Text and LaTeX/PDF to reflect various new features that are already present in GSA, including delta and prognostic reports.
  • Product detection information in results XML.
  • Performance for massiv scanner results by using transaction groups.
  • Import of Target lists to allow comma-separated, line-by-line lists.
  • Support for large database files on 32-bit platforms.
Changed Features:-
  • The user interface design of the web interface has been updated.
  • Report format signatures no longer contain user editable fields. Thus, users can change comments without loosing validity of plugins.
  • The max_host and max_checks scan performance parameters have been moved from scan configs to tasks.
  • Security: Enforces strict permissions on sensitive OpenVAS Manager files.
  • Security: Drop privileges before executing report format plugins if running with elevated privileges. 
Source code and binaries for OpenVAS-5 are available to download from the project's site.