Tenable Nessus Professional is a vulnerability assessment scanner designed for security practitioners, penetration testers, and consultants. It performs credentialed and uncredentialed scans across a wide range of assets including network devices, operating systems, web applications, cloud infrastructure, and containers. Key capabilities include: - Vulnerability detection across a broad range of asset types including IT, cloud, and OT environments - Policy compliance auditing against industry benchmarks and regulatory frameworks - Credentialed scanning for deeper visibility into system configurations and installed software - Customizable scan policies and templates for targeted assessments - Detailed vulnerability reporting with severity ratings and remediation guidance - Support for a large plugin library that is continuously updated with new vulnerability checks - Live results that update findings based on new plugins without requiring a full rescan - Grouping and filtering of scan results for easier analysis - Export of scan results in multiple formats including PDF, CSV, and Nessus XML - Offline and air-gapped environment support - Unlimited IP scanning within a single license - Pre-built audit files for compliance checks (e.g., CIS, DISA STIG, PCI DSS) Nessus Professional is a standalone, host-installed scanner intended for individual practitioners conducting point-in-time assessments. It is distinct from Tenable's enterprise products such as Tenable Vulnerability Management and Tenable Security Center, which offer continuous monitoring and centralized management capabilities.