This method was tested on Kali Linux (via netinstall) with and without a graphical desktop. Make sure to update your system before proceeding.

Installation Steps

  1. Install Greenbone Community Edition:

    $ sudo apt install gvm -y

    or alternatively:

    $ sudo apt install openvas -y

  2. Run the configuration script:

    $ sudo gvm-setup

    During the setup, your admin credentials for the web interface login will be displayed.

  3. Verify the installation:

    $ sudo gvm-check-setup

  4. Start and stop Greenbone OpenVAS with the following commands:

    $ sudo gvm-start $ sudo gvm-stop

  5. Accessing the web interface: If you are using a desktop environment, you can now login at https://127.0.0.1:9392.

    If you do not have a graphical desktop and want to access the interface remotely, edit the following file:

    /usr/lib/systemd/system/gsad.service

    Replace 127.0.0.1 with 0.0.0.0 in the ExecStart line:

    ExecStart=/usr/local/sbin/gsad --foreground --listen=0.0.0.0 --port=9392

    This change will allow access from other machines at https://IP-Address:9392. You can also adjust the port if needed.

    Reload systemd and restart the Greenbone service:

    $ sudo systemctl daemon-reload $ sudo systemctl restart gsad

  6. Update security feeds before launching your first scan:

    $ sudo greenbone-feed-sync

After these steps, your Greenbone OpenVAS setup should be ready to use!