Setting up GVM 21.4

Introduction

Greenbone Vulnerability Management is available in community repository.

The version 21.4, at the moment of the writing, is available on edge.

This How-To will guide you to install a complete server solution for vulnerability scanning and vulnerability management solution.

Install

Enable the community repository and install the required packages:

apk add openvas openvas-config gvmd gvm-libs gsad ospd-openvas

Configuration

PostgreSQL

OpenVAS relies on PostgreSQL, that now is mandatory.

Start PostgreSQL and add it to default runlevel:

rc-service postgresql setup
rc-service postgresql start
rc-update add postgresql

Create and configure the gvm database:

su postgres
createuser -DRS gvm
createdb -O gvm gvmd
psql gvmd
create role dba with superuser noinherit;
grant dba to gvm;
create extension if not exists "uuid-ossp";
create extension "pgcrypto";
exit
exit

GVMd

GVMd run as gvm user.

Generate the certificate.

The certificate infrastructure enables GVMd to communicate in a secure manner and is used for authentication and authorization before establishing TLS connections between the daemons.

You can setup the certificate automatically with:

su gvm
gvm-manage-certs -a
exit

Create credentials used to interact with gvmd:

rc-service gvmd start
su gvm
gvmd --create-user=admin --password=admin

Certain resources that were previously part of the gvmd source code are now shipped via the feed. An example is the config "Full and Fast".

gvmd will only create these resources if a "Feed Import Owner" is configured:

gvmd --modify-setting 78eceaec-3385-11ea-b237-28d24461215b --value <uuid_of_user>

The UUIDs of all created users can be found using

gvmd --get-users --verbose

Make sure that gvmd responds with "USER CREATED". If you run through these steps fast, and gvm is in the middle of something, it may not create the user until it is done with what it is computing.

Update GVM definitions

Download the GVM definitions and start GVMd, as gvm user. Be patient...it will take a while:

 su gvm
 greenbone-feed-sync --type GVMD_DATA
 greenbone-feed-sync --type SCAP
 greenbone-feed-sync --type CERT
 exit

This three feeds needs to be scheduled via cron.

Add gvmd to start on boot:

rc-update add gvmd

Download NVT definitions:

su gvm
greenbone-nvt-sync

Greenbone Security Assistant (GSAD)

Configure Greenbone Security Assistant (GSAD) to listen to other interfaces rather than localhost only, so it is reachable from other hosts.

Create /etc/conf.d/gsad: with:

echo 'GSAD_LISTEN_ADDRESS="0.0.0.0"' > /etc/conf.d/gsad

Start GSAD and add it to default runlevel:

rc-service gsad start
rc-update add gsad

Open the browser at the IP address where GSAD is running, on http port 9392, and login with the credentials previously created.

Happy vulnerability assessment!

Troubleshooting

greenbone-nvt-sync can't create /run/ospd/feed-update.lock

If during the first greenbone-nvt-sync, or greenbone-feed-sync, you get an error about can't create /run/ospd/feed-update.lock permission denied you might've run ospd / openvas too early. In /var/log/gvm/openvas.log there will be a loop where ospd is looking for the feed files which don't exist. Kill the process, then manually remove the lock file. However, if it looks like it is actively syncing the feed (iftop), then let it complete the sync first.