The solution is completely stable and can be setup very easily
What is our primary use case?
We work as System Integrators and my team has experience in using Tenable Security Center. We provide solutions to work for various customers in BFSI, Telcos, and the Government sector.
We use this solution mainly for vulnerability assessment and management. With the scanning feature set, we do the reporting and provide easy operation and implementation for our customers.
How has it helped my organization?
The initial product price is quite high, and in our country, this market is very price sensitive, and we have multiple segments of customers. If I invest ten dollars on behalf of my customers and profit just five percent; in such a market, how does the solution provider ensure expansion from our side? This should be taken care of by the channel or legal system. Due to this, we need to work in a very tight situation.
What is most valuable?
The solution is completely stable and operation is user-friendly.
What needs improvement?
We are facing some challenges related to our channel. We are not having partner channel engagement if it's changed. Most probably due to the addressable market size, the solution providers are not putting that much purpose into the partners.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for one year.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I would rate the stability a ten out of ten. The solution is completely stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I would rate the scalability an eight out of ten.
How are customer service and support?
For the first-time implementation, in a few cases, we needed to call technical support to help with license activation. Tech support was good.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup of the solution is quite easy and the operation is user-friendly. The deployment time of this solution is not very lengthy. It depends upon the customers and how frequently they are providing us with the time slot to deploy. On-premise deployment doesn't take more than two to three days. Cloud deployment is also quite easy.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
This solution's price is quite high compared to other competitive solutions.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate the product a nine out of ten. I would advise to focus on partner relationship development and enablement. If your partner is not confident enough or they are not getting training or direct channel attachments, then it becomes difficult for System Integrator professionals.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
An easy-to-use tool that provides visibility over scan results along with multiple templates
What is most valuable?
Compared to other products, the most valuable features of the solution are its ease of use and ability to provide visibility over scan results while providing many templates to users, making it a helpful tool.
What needs improvement?
Though the solution's technical support is responsive, they do take a lot of time, making it one of the solution's shortcomings that needs improvement.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Tenable Security Center for two years. I use the solution's latest version.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Stability-wise, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Scalability-wise, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.
It is difficult for me to comment on the number of users of the solution since our company's sales team manages it.
How are customer service and support?
The solution's technical support does respond to my company's queries.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I haven't worked with other products apart from Tenable Security Center.
How was the initial setup?
The installation of Tenable Security Center is not difficult.
The solution is deployed on the cloud and on-premises.
The installation of Tenable Security Center takes an hour or two.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I don't know about the product's pricing model since I am a part of the technical team. The pricing part is an area handled by my company's sales team.
What other advice do I have?
Two or three engineers in my company are involved in the maintenance of the solution.
I recommend the solution to those planning to use it.
I rate the overall product an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
Provides valuable insights into vulnerabilities but the CV framework's limitations hinder effective analysis and export.
What is our primary use case?
We use it to scan both our workstations and servers for vulnerabilities. This includes vulnerabilities related to software, operating systems, and package vulnerabilities. It helps us gain an overview of our organization's security status, which in turn guides our patching strategies and decision-making.
We use agents for scanning and authenticated logins, but we do not utilize the scanner part that performs web scanning.
How has it helped my organization?
We've got better insights into our vulnerabilities and weaknesses. This has led us to a better situation where we have better control. Our ability to manage the situation has improved.
Previously, we lacked a good overview, but now we possess detailed reports. We generate these reports internally and disseminate them to other responsible teams. Now, we have made it a part of our daily workflow and it helps us monitor vulnerabilities and related matters. It aids us in pinpointing weaknesses and facilitates more effective updates. If something slips, it becomes visible.
However, this is a significant feature, although it could potentially offer even more assistance.
What is most valuable?
The scanning part, the agent part – that's the valuable aspect. The agent and plugin components function reasonably well. But setting up scans, those tasks are working decently.
There are some logical elements that require consideration to understand their functionality, but they perform their function.
What needs improvement?
Certain aspects require effort. The solution's built-in reporting components are somewhat clumsy. So, this is an area of improvement.
Therefore, we export data and integrate it with our other reporting tools - the Elastic Stack, also known as Elasticsearch. We find it more comfortable to generate reports from Elasticsearch because we're well-versed in creating those dashboards there. It's more convenient for us to extract and integrate information in the same manner.
We've been in discussions with Tenable regarding a specific enhancement. It is a concept known as VPR, which stands for Vulnerability Priority Rating. This is related to the CVSS (Common Vulnerability Scoring System) value, which rates vulnerabilities on a scale from one to ten. However, the CVSS alone doesn't accurately determine the severity of a vulnerability; it doesn't indicate how exploitable it is. The VPR takes into account additional factors, such as how widely the vulnerability is being exploited in the wild and the volume of reports from affected sites.
And if we want to have it on our dashboard, this is something that doesn't work well for us in that sense. We cannot extract it from the Tenable system; we're restricted to using Tenable's own dashboard and reports. However, there's certainly some logic or rationale behind it. It's not directly tied to the CVSS, but rather some other factors. So, it's not a one-to-one correlation with the CVSS, although CVSS is a metric commonly employed in various other systems for assessing vulnerabilities.
Aligning these metrics and incorporating an additional feature indicating the early harmfulness of a vulnerability is lacking. We're hopeful that the CVSS framework is undergoing changes. I've heard that version four, while not specifically linked to Tenable, is likely to introduce more meaningful values. These values won't be solely focused on severity but also on the level of exploitability. For instance, if exploiting a vulnerability requires local access and specific conditions, it might not merit a higher score like ten; it could be lower due to limited feasibility. Thus, certain developments could be anticipated in this regard. Tenable is also working on its own approach, known as CPR (Cyber Exposure Priority), but this feature is not exportable, unfortunately.
In future releases, I would like to see a feature that provides insight into the actual degree of harm associated with certain vulnerabilities. Ideally, I'd want this information to be exportable to align it with other vulnerabilities. It's possible that I might have the same CVSS value from another source, not necessarily Tenable. We're not using Tenable IO for container security, where we have a separate collection of CVs for containers. However, it's challenging to compare them directly due to the differing numbers and systems. If we could implement this VPR concept for other CVs as well, we could customize it to better suit our needs.
For how long have I used the solution?
We've been using this solution for close to five years. We probably use the latest version.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I would rate the stability an eight out of ten. Occasionally, there are some maintenance tasks that might cause a slight uptick in activity, but we have monitoring mechanisms in place. Fortunately, it hasn't experienced any major breakdowns.
Sometimes we encounter issues with resources, like logs populating hard drives, which require manual or semi-manual cleanup. Overall, it maintains a relatively stable performance level. I would rate it at around an eight out of ten in terms of stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is hard to tell because the size of our organization is not very big. Our license covers a range of assets, from 500 to 1000 assets, which we monitor. From their perspective, this falls within a very low scale.
So, we haven't encountered any scalability issues. Our scale is relatively small; we're not dealing with tens of thousands of assets.
The Security Center is actively scanning every day, targeting different resources with varying scanning frequencies. It operates on a daily basis, generating reports intermittently – some on a daily basis and others weekly. The usage is consistent and spans almost around the clock.
Certain tasks are scheduled during nighttime, while others are executed during the day. Essentially, there's a continuous level of activity distributed over time to avoid creating spikes in network usage.
We use it to its maximum potential but ensure it doesn't overly strain our network resources. There was a problem. When initially setting it up, we needed to be cautious. There's the potential to generate substantial network noise, especially if the agent and scanner tasks are simultaneously active. We had to significantly scale it down and task the settings from their defaults. Perhaps it's partly due to our network's capacity, but we encountered initial challenges in managing the traffic.
How are customer service and support?
It is not super good and could do some improvements. I've had interactions with different parties, and while it's not exceptional, we were able to resolve issues with some effort.
We encountered certain challenges. Initially, the local distributor downplayed the situation, claiming that upgrading to a new version would instantly resolve the issue. However, it wasn't that simple. It took time to resolve the matter. I had expected better support, especially since we had informed them in advance about the downgrade we were planning. I had hoped for proactive support detailing what to expect and what actions to take. Instead, we received assurances that everything would work seamlessly after the version change, which didn't prove to be accurate.
There was a miscommunication or misunderstanding in that regard. It was quite frustrating at the time.
How would you rate customer service and support?
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is somewhere in the middle. It's not very easy. Assistance is needed, especially when dealing with version changes. For instance, when we transitioned from Tenable Plus to the regular Tenable, there were complexities in changing the licensing. It was not so easy to change.
It might even lean a bit toward the difficult side, so I would rate my experience maybe a three out of ten, where ten is easy and one is difficult.
What about the implementation team?
We had the support of a third party. We had to use the help of our reseller and also find an engineer from Tenable.
In certain cases, such as upgrades or downgrades, the documentation isn't always well-defined. You might encounter challenges that require external guidance. For instance, we faced a two-week period of difficulty this year due to a change we were making. It might not be an annual occurrence, but when significant changes are made, it can be far from a straightforward upgrade. Putting new versions in place doesn't guarantee seamless operation; there can be quite a bit of hassle around it.
This wasn't the initial deployment. This occurred when we were switching back from Tenable Plus to regular Tenable at the beginning of this year. It took us around two weeks to ensure that everything was properly transitioned. It's important to note that this was not a continuous two weeks; it involved time periods over the span of around two weeks. This change involved a transition to a simplified licensing structure. We opted to revert to Tenable without the Plus version, as it fulfilled our requirements and was also more cost-effective, approximately a quarter less. This process took place during that time, and it was a hassle.
Only one person was involved in the deployment. We don't have a big team. We have a dedicated engineer who oversees this service. He took the lead in managing the deployment. He also engaged with relevant contacts internally and externally, including the local distributor and partners, but overall, it was primarily handled by this one engineer.
For maintenance, the same engineer who handled the deployment also manages the ongoing maintenance.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We purchase the solution through a local distributor, but we also directly communicate with representatives at Tenable. So, we acquire the license from their distributor, but we are direct users as well.
I would rate the pricing a nine out of ten, where ten is expensive.
The pricing might deter some companies from adopting this solution, especially in our region, which includes countries like Estonia and neighboring Eastern European nations. For us, the cost is a significant consideration, and we often face challenges when budgeting for it each year.
There's on-premise hosting, which incurs some costs, but it's not a major factor. Additionally, we have an engineer providing support, but that's a shared responsibility across multiple tasks. So, licensing is the primary cost driver, and there aren't any other major expenses.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
There are positives and negatives, but despite looking at other options, we haven't found anything better suited for us. So, we continue to use it and have plans to keep using it in the near future.
What other advice do I have?
I would suggest running a proof of concept to evaluate the product's suitability. Test it on a smaller scale over a period of one to two months to see how it works.
It's essential to assess whether the solution aligns with the organization's specific needs. Our approach involves using agent-based scanning, but this varies based on individual requirements.
Be aware of the network "noise" it might produce. Default scanning intensity might be too much and you might need to alter it in order to prevent network problems (DoS yourself).
My advice would be to give it a trial run before committing. It's hard to tell if it fits without firsthand experience. Additionally, the fact that Nessus, the scanning component of the security center, has been around for decades and even had open-source iterations in the early 2000s provides some confidence in its longevity and reliability. However, for newcomers, I would recommend testing it out on a smaller scale before making a decision.
Overall, I would rate the solution a seven out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
A tool to detect and manage vulnerabilities needing a straightforward setup phase
What is our primary use case?
My company uses Tenable Security Center to detect and manage our environment's vulnerabilities.
What is most valuable?
Feature-wise, Tenable Security Center is a very fast tool with many dashboards and reports, and it covers all our systems.
What needs improvement?
The solution's user interface has some issues. Sometimes, when it comes to a table's interface, shortening a column which in general should be enabled for every column, is not possible. The aforementioned details can be considered for improvement.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Tenable Security Center for a year. I am using the solution's latest version.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability of Tenable Security Center can be described as a straightforward one.
Stability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is a very scalable solution. Scalability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten.
In my company, we have 20 users of the solution.
The solution is extensively used in our company.
I don't plan to increase the solution's usage since it is used by the security department only.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support is good and provides a quick response whenever contacted by us.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Previously, I have used Tripwire IP360.
My company started using Tenable Security Center because of its reporting capabilities, including the number of reports and dashboards.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was straightforward.
The deployment took place in a week.
During the deployment process, we first define your network zones, then we define your organization, define the scan policies, and then finally, we schedule the scanning.
What about the implementation team?
The installation phase can be done in-house, but we chose to seek the help of a consultant.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
My company needs to make yearly payments towards the licensing costs. The pricing of the solution falls in the mid-range level, so it is not too expensive.
What other advice do I have?
Overall, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.
Great Predictive Prioritization and Risk-based VM with good reliability
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use the solution for vulnerability scanning across the network .
A few months back, I conducted a Deployment on Tenable SecurityCenter for a Reputed Private Bank. Also I had to teach the Usage and features and then show them how the scan things work and how results can help analyze and report. also helped developing some use case like Scheduling scan and email that to specific users for mitigation, Generating Alert for particular level of vulnerability etc.
How has it helped my organization?
Tenable has come a long way than we found earlier, Asset Criticality Report and Predictive Prioritization helps us finding the most critical loophols in minutes, Security Engineers can now focus more on Remediation. Less of false positive eases our vulnerability program and saved time.
What is most valuable?
In Tenable SecurityCenter, the Risk-based approach for Prioritizing vulnerability is something that is unique to any vulnerability management platform. Compared to Qualys and Rapid7, Tenable VPR is a special thing that those products don't have. The security over the CVSS and V1 and V2 with the VPR feature help an organization reveal the exact risk of any asset. There might be thousands of vulnerabilities, however, the most impactful vulnerabilities are listed and prioritized in the VPR.
As tenable SecurityCenter is powered by popular Nessus technology, It is really easy to set up.
The solution is stable and considered as the most solid vulnerability management platform in the industry.
Tenable.sc provides a wide range of dashboards which makes it easy to grasp the vulnerability profile of the organization. These dashboards allow us to view vulnerabilities in different categories in a simple to understand format. The upgrade to Tenable.sc+ has improved on this as well. Regularity of plugin updates are also exceptional. The speed at which tenable has pushed plugin updates and overall platform updates is great. Also the automatic update capability makes maintenance very simplified. Easy to use User interface. For someone who is not familiar with Tenable.sc, the interface is not difficult to follow along and the documentation makes it very simple for anyone
The solution has a very nice Asset discovery feature that gives you gives you unified visibility of your entire attack surface, As It leverages Nessus Sensors, a mix of active scanners, agents, passive network monitoring, and CMDB integrations to maximize scan coverage across your infrastructure to reduce vulnerability blind spots. This mix of data sensor types helps you track and assess both known and unknown assets and their vulnerabilities
What needs improvement?
The solution is a bit on the expensive site. In a country like Bangladesh, most of the customers don't have a budget that could afford Tenable SecurityCenter. They'd rather go for Qualys and Nexpose, which cost less. The licensing policy is something they can improve.
Support could be faster.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've used the solution for last 5 years now.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is verry stable. That said, some customers complain about the results and how they are shown. Compared to Nessus, if a customer gets used to using Nessus, and then comes into Tenable SecurityCenter, then the compliance results are an area where they might find a difference. In Nessus, the compliance results are shown in past and failed. In Tenable.sc, it's shown in medium and high. This could be more clear.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Tenable can be scaled easily, just to add additional IP's on the licensing and that's it.
How are customer service and support?
I haven't really dealt much with technical support. In the initial stage, however, when I started deploying Tenable SecurityCenter, I faced a bit of a challenge implementing the Nessus Network Monitor. I figured it out, and now I don't have issues.
Support is top-notch, however, in terms of response times, they are slow, and they need to be faster.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have also worked with Qualys for a long time.
In our country, People are yet not comfortable adopting SaaS/cloud based solutions also,there are some government jurisdictions that require data to be within the country and an on-prem solution is always needed for the organization. Other solutions, Qualys and Rapid7, are mainly cloud designed. Tenable SecurityCenter is the only solution that can be fully on-prem for small to mid Enterprises.
Also, Tenable is better for compliance requirements in terms of regulations around vulnerability management. it has reporting on compliance with pre-defined checks, metrics and proactive alerts on violations for industry standards like CERT, NIST, DISA STIG, DHS CDM, FISMA, PCI DSS etc. and regulatory mandates. while it comes to other solutions i dint find the compliance feature as good as Tenable
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is simple. It's not complex at all.
You can go with the installer for Tenable SecurityCenter, which has an installer file for Linux and Unix platforms only. talking about the Nessus scanners, It can be deployed anywhere, including on Windows machines or Linux. There is not much of a challenge to it.
The time it takes to deploy varies. For example, what is the implementation size? How many IPs, and what are the sites? Those things change the timing. If it's a stand-alone setup, it can take around one to two hours to deploy. If you are also talking about onboarding the IPs, and scanning all those IPs, it can take a working day to complete.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The legecy container security is already in it's EOL, if it gets added to Tenable Security Center, users can take full toll of on prem container scanning.
Its cost depends on the Number of Assets. The licensing is per year.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
i had also worked and evaluated Qualys.
What other advice do I have?
We sell Tenable.
I'm using something around version five. I have installed the demo version of it in my Docker.
The product really stands out in comparison to the competition. However, the price tag is a bit on the higher.
I would advise new users to scan all assets and grab the results and set up all security postures and do stats for mitigating those attacks which are critical. For the first time, I would recommend they go for the critical and high vulnerabilities first in order to mitigate effectively very early on.
I'd rate the solution nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises