What is Nessus Mcp Server

Nessus MCP Server is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server designed for interacting with the Tenable Nessus vulnerability scanner. It enables AI assistants to perform vulnerability scanning and analysis using the MCP protocol.

Use cases

Use cases include automating vulnerability scans, tracking scan results, analyzing specific vulnerabilities, and testing in mock mode for development purposes.

How to use

To use the Nessus MCP Server, clone the repository, install dependencies, and build the server. It can run in mock mode without a Nessus API key or with the Nessus API for actual scanning.

Key features

Key features include vulnerability scanning, scan management, vulnerability analysis, and a fully functional mock mode for testing without requiring a Nessus API key.

Where to use

Nessus MCP Server can be used in cybersecurity, IT infrastructure management, and any environment requiring vulnerability assessment and management.

Nessus MCP Server

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for interacting with the Tenable Nessus vulnerability scanner. This server allows AI assistants to perform vulnerability scanning and analysis through the MCP protocol.

Features

• Vulnerability Scanning: Start and monitor vulnerability scans against specified targets
• Scan Management: List, track, and retrieve results from vulnerability scans
• Vulnerability Analysis: Search for and get detailed information about specific vulnerabilities
• Mock Mode: Fully functional mock mode for testing without a Nessus API key

Tools

The server provides the following tools:

Installation

Prerequisites

• Node.js 16 or higher
• TypeScript (for development)

Building from Source

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/Cyreslab-AI/nessus-mcp-server.git
   cd nessus-mcp-server
   

2. Install dependencies:

   npm install
   

3. Build the server:

   npm run build
   

Usage

Running in Mock Mode

By default, the server runs in mock mode, which doesn’t require a Nessus API key:

node build/index.js

Running with Nessus API

To connect to a real Nessus instance, set the following environment variables:

NESSUS_URL=https://your-nessus-instance:8834
NESSUS_ACCESS_KEY=your-access-key
NESSUS_SECRET_KEY=your-secret-key

Then run the server:

node build/index.js

Using with Claude for Desktop

To use this server with Claude for Desktop:

1. Edit your Claude for Desktop configuration file:

   • macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
   • Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

2. Add the server configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "nessus": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": [
        "/path/to/nessus-mcp-server/build/index.js"
      ],
      "env": {
        "NESSUS_URL": "https://your-nessus-instance:8834",
        "NESSUS_ACCESS_KEY": "your-access-key",
        "NESSUS_SECRET_KEY": "your-secret-key"
      }
    }
  }
}

For mock mode, you can omit the env section.

Example Interactions

Starting a Scan

start_scan:
  target: 192.168.1.1
  scan_type: basic-network-scan

Getting Scan Results

get_scan_results:
  scan_id: scan-1234567890

Searching for Vulnerabilities

search_vulnerabilities:
  keyword: log4j

Development

Project Structure

• src/index.ts: Main server entry point
• src/nessus-api.ts: Nessus API client with mock fallback
• src/mock-data.ts: Mock vulnerability data for testing
• src/tools/: Tool implementations
• src/utils/: Utility functions

Adding New Tools

1. Define the tool schema and handler in the appropriate file in src/tools/
2. Import and register the tool in src/index.ts

License

MIT

Disclaimer

This server is not affiliated with or endorsed by Tenable. Nessus is a trademark of Tenable, Inc.