Facebook Google Plus Twitter LinkedIn YouTube RSS Menu Search Resource - BlogResource - WebinarResource - ReportResource - Eventicons_066 icons_067icons_068icons_069icons_070

Tenable Blog

Subscribe

PCI Configuration Audits with Nessus

Tenable's Research group has produced two Nessus PCI configuration .audit files for both the Windows and Linux operating systems. These configuration checks are derived from specific recommendations and audit requirements based on the PCI 1.1 standard.

These checks go above and beyond the PCI requirements of performing vulnerability and patch auditing and makes it very easy to audit and analyze system configurations against specific PCI items. These new audits also makes it easy to perform a single scan of one or more PCI hosts and accomplish a vulnerability, patch and configuration audit.

For the Windows PCI policy, configuration audits are available to ensure that a host firewall is enabled, that unnecessary services are disabled, that the system is secured to prevent or log abuse and that user account security is sufficient. For the Linux PCI policy, similar audits are performed to limit abuse, to audit new accounts and to ensure that logging is enabled. Each audit file includes the ID of the corresponding PCI DSS Security Audit Procedures document.

Compared to the certified Center for Internet Security .audit policies for Windows and Red Hat available, these .audit files are not as in-depth or comprehensive. However, if you are a PCI auditor or want to see how your systems would do before an official audit, these checks can produce content required to show compliance with a wide variety of sections of the PCI 1.1 standard.

To obtain these .audit files, Direct Feed or Security Center users should log onto the Tenable Support Portal, click on the 'Download' button and then the 'Download Configuration Audit Policies' button. Both polices are available for download under the 'PCI' section.

To install these on the Security Center, copy them to the /opt/sc3/admin/nasl directory. They will then be available as a .audit policy that can be included within a Security Center vulnerability scan policy. A demonstration video of using the Security Center to audit a Windows 2003 server is available here.

Nessus 3 Direct Feed users should save these .audit files to their laptop or server which runs their Nessus client and then create a scan policy which includes the desired .audit file as a configuration audit. A demonstration video of performing a configuration audit of a Windows 2003 server is available here.

Related Articles

Are You Vulnerable to the Latest Exploits?

Enter your email to receive the latest cyber exposure alerts in your inbox.

Tenable Vulnerability Management

Formerly Tenable.io


Enjoy full access to a modern, cloud-based vulnerability management platform that enables you to see and track all of your assets with unmatched accuracy.

Your Tenable Vulnerability Management trial also includes Tenable Lumin, Tenable Web App Scanning and Tenable Cloud Security.

Tenable Vulnerability Management

Formerly Tenable.io

Enjoy full access to a modern, cloud-based vulnerability management platform that enables you to see and track all of your assets with unmatched accuracy. Purchase your annual subscription today.

65 assets

Choose Your Subscription Option:

Buy Now

Try Tenable Nessus Professional Free

FREE FOR 7 DAYS

Tenable Nessus is the most comprehensive vulnerability scanner on the market today.

NEW - Tenable Nessus Expert
Now Available

Nessus Expert adds even more features, including external attack surface scanning, and the ability to add domains and scan cloud infrastructure. Click here to Try Nessus Expert.

Fill out the form below to continue with a Nessus Pro Trial.

Buy Tenable Nessus Professional

Tenable Nessus is the most comprehensive vulnerability scanner on the market today. Tenable Nessus Professional will help automate the vulnerability scanning process, save time in your compliance cycles and allow you to engage your IT team.

Buy a multi-year license and save. Add Advanced Support for access to phone, community and chat support 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Select Your License

Buy a multi-year license and save.

Add Support and Training

Tenable.io

Enjoy full access to a modern, cloud-based vulnerability management platform that enables you to see and track all of your assets with unmatched accuracy.

Your Tenable Vulnerability Management trial also includes Tenable Lumin, Tenable Web App Scanning and Tenable Cloud Security.

Tenable.io BUY

Enjoy full access to a modern, cloud-based vulnerability management platform that enables you to see and track all of your assets with unmatched accuracy. Purchase your annual subscription today.

65 assets

Choose Your Subscription Option:

Buy Now

Try Tenable Web App Scanning

Formerly Tenable.io Web Application Scanning

Enjoy full access to our latest web application scanning offering designed for modern applications as part of the Tenable One Exposure Management platform. Safely scan your entire online portfolio for vulnerabilities with a high degree of accuracy without heavy manual effort or disruption to critical web applications. Sign up now.

Your Tenable Web App Scanning trial also includes Tenable Vulnerability Management, Tenable Lumin and Tenable Cloud Security.

Buy Tenable Web App Scanning

Formerly Tenable.io Web Application Scanning

Enjoy full access to a modern, cloud-based vulnerability management platform that enables you to see and track all of your assets with unmatched accuracy. Purchase your annual subscription today.

5 FQDNs

$3,578

Buy Now

Try Tenable Lumin

Visualize and explore your exposure management, track risk reduction over time and benchmark against your peers with Tenable Lumin.

Your Tenable Lumin trial also includes Tenable Vulnerability Management, Tenable Web App Scanning and Tenable Cloud Security.

Buy Tenable Lumin

Contact a Sales Representative to see how Tenable Lumin can help you gain insight across your entire organization and manage cyber risk.

Try Tenable Cloud Security

Formerly Tenable.cs

Enjoy full access to detect and fix cloud infrastructure misconfigurations and view runtime vulnerabilities. Sign up for your free trial now. To learn more about the trial process click here.

Your Tenable Cloud Security trial also includes Tenable Vulnerability Management, Tenable Lumin and Tenable Web App Scanning.

Contact a Sales Rep to Buy Tenable Cloud Security

Contact a Sales Representative to learn more about Tenable Cloud Security and see how easy it is to onboard your cloud accounts and get visibility into both cloud misconfigurations and vulnerabilities within minutes.

Try Tenable Nessus Expert Free

FREE FOR 7 DAYS

Built for the modern attack surface, Nessus Expert enables you to see more and protect your organization from vulnerabilities from IT to the cloud.

Already have Tenable Nessus Professional?
Upgrade to Nessus Expert free for 7 days.

Buy Tenable Nessus Expert

Built for the modern attack surface, Nessus Expert enables you to see more and protect your organization from vulnerabilities from IT to the cloud.

Select Your License

Buy a multi-year license and save more.

Add Support and Training

Try Nessus Expert Free

FREE FOR 7 DAYS

Built for the modern attack surface, Nessus Expert enables you to see more and protect your organization from vulnerabilities from IT to the cloud.

Already have Nessus Professional?
Upgrade to Nessus Expert free for 7 days.

Buy Tenable Nessus Expert

Built for the modern attack surface, Nessus Expert enables you to see more and protect your organization from vulnerabilities from IT to the cloud.

Select Your License

Buy a multi-year license and save more.

Add Support and Training