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Nessus

Interact with the Nessus API

Actions17

Overview

This node integrates with the Nessus vulnerability scanner API to manage and interact with scans. Specifically, the "Scan" resource with the "Get Details" operation retrieves detailed information about a specific scan by its ID or name.

Common scenarios where this node is beneficial include:

  • Retrieving comprehensive details of a particular vulnerability scan to analyze its status, findings, or configuration.
  • Automating security workflows by fetching scan details for reporting or further processing.
  • Integrating scan data into broader IT security dashboards or incident response systems.

Practical example:

  • After launching a scan on a network segment, use this node to get detailed results and metadata about that scan to decide on remediation steps.

Properties

Name Meaning
Scan Name or ID Select the scan to operate on. You can choose from a dynamically loaded list of scans or specify an ID using an expression. This identifies which scan's details to retrieve.

Output

The node outputs a JSON object containing the detailed information of the specified scan as returned by the Nessus API. This includes all metadata and status fields related to the scan, such as scan name, creation date, status, owner, targets, and potentially scan results summary.

No binary data output is produced by this operation.

Example output structure (simplified):

{
  "id": 123,
  "name": "Network Scan",
  "status": "completed",
  "creation_date": 1680000000,
  "owner": "user@example.com",
  "targets": "192.168.1.0/24",
  "scan_results": { /* detailed findings */ }
}

Dependencies

  • Requires an active connection to the Nessus API via an API key credential configured in n8n.
  • The node depends on the NessusApi class internally to communicate with the Nessus server.
  • Proper permissions on the Nessus server are needed to access scan details.

Troubleshooting

  • Common issues:

    • Invalid or expired API credentials will cause authentication failures.
    • Specifying a non-existent scan ID will result in errors indicating the scan was not found.
    • Network connectivity problems between n8n and the Nessus server can cause timeouts or connection errors.

  • Error messages:

    • "Failed to load scans: <message>" indicates issues retrieving the list of scans, possibly due to API or permission problems.
    • Errors during execution typically include the message from the Nessus API; ensure the scan ID is correct and accessible.

  • Resolutions:

    • Verify API credentials and permissions.
    • Confirm the scan ID exists and is accessible by the authenticated user.
    • Check network connectivity and firewall settings between n8n and the Nessus server.

Links and References

Discussion