openvas-nvt-sync

The openvas-nvt-sync command is used to synchronize the Network Vulnerability Tests (NVTs) database with the latest updates from the OpenVAS feed. NVTs are the actual test scripts used by OpenVAS to detect vulnerabilities in systems and networks. Keeping these tests up to date is crucial for maintaining the effectiveness and accuracy of the OpenVAS scanner.

Basic Usage

To synchronize the NVTs, open a terminal and run the following command:

sudo openvas-nvt-sync

This command connects to the OpenVAS feed server, downloads the latest NVTs, and updates the local database.

Detailed Steps

1. Run the Command:

   sudo openvas-nvt-sync

2. Fetching Updates: The command will start fetching updates from the OpenVAS feed server. You will see output indicating the progress of the download and update process.

   Example output:

   [i] This script synchronizes an NVT collection with the 'OpenVAS NVT Feed'.
   [i] Online information about this feed: 'http://www.openvas.org/openvas-nvt-feed.html'.
   [i] NVT dir: /var/lib/openvas/plugins
   rsync: receiving incremental file list
   ...
   sent 324 bytes  received 2.65M bytes  176.97K bytes/sec
   total size is 104.69M  speedup is 39.37

3. Completion: Once the synchronization process is complete, you will see a confirmation message indicating that the NVTs have been successfully updated.

Scheduling Regular Updates

To ensure that your OpenVAS NVTs are always up to date, you can schedule regular updates using a cron job. For example, to schedule the NVT sync to run daily at midnight, you can add the following line to your crontab file:

sudo crontab -e

Add the following line to the crontab:

0 0 * * * /usr/sbin/openvas-nvt-sync

This cron job ensures that the openvas-nvt-sync command runs every day at midnight, keeping your NVTs up to date.

Security Considerations

1. Regular Updates: Regularly update your NVTs to ensure that you are protected against the latest vulnerabilities.

2. Verify Updates: After running the openvas-nvt-sync command, verify that the updates have been applied successfully.

3. Network Access: Ensure that the system running OpenVAS has network access to the OpenVAS feed server to download updates.

Conclusion

The openvas-nvt-sync command is a crucial tool for maintaining the effectiveness of the OpenVAS vulnerability scanner. By regularly synchronizing your NVTs with the latest updates from the OpenVAS feed, you ensure that your vulnerability assessments are accurate and up to date. Automating this process with a cron job can help maintain a secure and well-managed scanning environment.