What is Nessus primarily used for?

Nessus is primarily known for its vulnerability scanning capabilities. It is a widely used security tool that helps organizations identify potential vulnerabilities in their systems and applications. By scanning networks, operating systems, and applications for known vulnerabilities, Nessus provides detailed insights and recommendations for remediation. This allows security teams to proactively address weaknesses before they can be exploited by attackers.

The focus of Nessus is on scanning for known vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and compliance issues, which is essential for maintaining a secure network environment. Its comprehensive assessment can include checks for outdated software versions, missing patches, and other security issues, making it an invaluable resource for organizations looking to bolster their cybersecurity posture.

While malware detection, network monitoring, and data backup are important aspects of security and IT operations, they fall outside the primary functionality of Nessus. The tool does not specifically aim to detect malware or function as a monitoring or data backup solution, which is what differentiates it as a vulnerability scanning tool.