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Greenbone (OpenVAS)

Greenbone (OpenVAS)

Vulnerability management platform behind the widely used OpenVAS scanning engine, from appliance to free edition.

softwareSecurity AuditingVulnerability ScanningOpen SourceSecurity Auditing
Our Verdict

Best for

Teams wanting a free, open-source vulnerability scanner with an option to scale to an enterprise appliance.

Skip if

You need a fully managed SaaS scanner with published self-serve pricing.

What is Greenbone (OpenVAS)?

Greenbone develops the OpenVAS vulnerability scanning engine, one of the most widely deployed open-source vulnerability management systems, used to discover assets and identify security weaknesses across desktops, servers, network devices, and IoT/industrial equipment before attackers can exploit them. Its enterprise feed grows continuously and includes over 100,000 vulnerability tests, with automated, schedulable scans and severity-based prioritization of findings. Greenbone offers several deployment paths: a free, open-source OpenVAS edition for self-hosting, an entry-level cloud/SaaS option (OpenVAS Basic) aimed at small businesses with a 14-day free trial, and hardware appliances or virtual-machine images for larger, on-premises enterprise deployments with GDPR-compliant data handling.

SpecificationsAI-estimated

deploymentSelf-hosted
open source✅ Yes
api available✅ Yes
support optionsEmail, partner support network
key integrationsN/A

Key Features of Greenbone (OpenVAS)

Scans infrastructure with a continuously updated test library, adding new vulnerability checks daily.
Enterprise feed includes over 100,000 individual vulnerability tests across operating systems, applications, and network devices.
Automates scan scheduling so assets are rechecked on a recurring cadence without manual triggering.
Classifies and prioritizes findings by severity to help teams focus remediation effort.
Discovers assets across diverse infrastructure, including desktops, servers, IoT devices, and industrial components.
Offers on-premises deployment via hardware appliances or virtual machine images for GDPR-sensitive environments.
Provides OpenVAS Basic as an entry-level cloud/SaaS option for smaller organizations, with a 14-day free trial.
Maintains a fully open-source, self-hostable edition (OpenVAS Free) alongside the commercial appliance line.

Use Cases for Greenbone (OpenVAS)

1

Regular vulnerability audits

Security teams schedule recurring scans across servers and endpoints to catch newly disclosed vulnerabilities.

2

Compliance-driven scanning

Organizations needing GDPR-compliant on-premises scanning deploy Greenbone's appliance or VM options.

3

Small business security baseline

OpenVAS Basic gives smaller organizations a low-cost cloud entry point with a 14-day trial.

4

Self-hosted security labs

The free OpenVAS edition lets technical teams run vulnerability scans without licensing cost.

Pros & Cons of Greenbone (OpenVAS)

Pros

  • Free, open-source edition available for self-hosting
  • Very large and continuously updated vulnerability test library
  • Deployment options span free software to enterprise appliances
  • On-premises option supports GDPR-sensitive environments

Cons

  • Enterprise appliance pricing isn't published and requires contacting sales
  • Self-hosted free edition demands more setup and maintenance effort
  • Interface and workflow are aimed at security practitioners, not general IT staff

Frequently Asked Questions

Is OpenVAS free?

Yes, Greenbone offers a fully open-source, self-hostable OpenVAS edition at no cost.

What's the difference between OpenVAS and Greenbone?

OpenVAS is the open-source scanning engine; Greenbone is the company that develops it and sells commercial appliances, cloud, and enterprise feeds built around it.

Does Greenbone offer a trial?

Yes, the entry-level OpenVAS Basic cloud option includes a 14-day free trial.

Can Greenbone scan IoT and industrial devices?

Yes, its asset discovery covers desktops, servers, IoT devices, and industrial components.

Pricing Overview

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Freemium

Detailed plans are not listed. Visit the official website for pricing information.

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About the Product

Unclaimed Listing
Platforms
Target AudienceSecurity teams and IT admins running vulnerability audits

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Tags

Vulnerability ScanningOpen SourceSecurity AuditingAsset DiscoveryCompliance

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