Nessus vs Cobalt Strike

Struggling to choose between Nessus and Cobalt Strike? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

Nessus is a Security & Privacy solution with tags like vulnerability-scanning, network-security, penetration-testing.

It boasts features such as Vulnerability scanning, Compliance auditing, Web application scanning, Malware detection, Configuration auditing and pros including Wide range of vulnerability checks, User-friendly interface, Regular plugin updates, Integrates with other Tenable products, Can customize scans and policies.

On the other hand, Cobalt Strike is a Security & Privacy product tagged with penetration-testing, red-team, exploit, cybersecurity, network-security.

Its standout features include Beacon payload generation, Command and control, Scriptable post-exploitation, Social engineering attacks, Malleable C2 profiles, Network profiling and host enumeration, and it shines with pros like Powerful post-exploitation capabilities, Evasion techniques to avoid detection, Flexible communication protocols, Integrates with Metasploit, Customizable to mimic real attacks.

Feature	Nessus	Cobalt Strike
Overall Score	N/A	N/A
Primary Category	Security & Privacy	Security & Privacy

Product Overview

Nessus

Description: Nessus is a vulnerability scanner used to scan networks and systems for security vulnerabilities. It is one of the most popular vulnerability assessment tools.

Cobalt Strike

Description: Cobalt Strike is a commercial penetration testing tool used to simulate adversarial attacks against networks. It helps testers find vulnerabilities and gain access similar to real-world threats.

Key Features Comparison

Nessus Features

• Vulnerability scanning
• Compliance auditing
• Web application scanning
• Malware detection
• Configuration auditing

Cobalt Strike Features

• Beacon payload generation
• Command and control
• Scriptable post-exploitation
• Social engineering attacks
• Malleable C2 profiles
• Network profiling and host enumeration

Pros & Cons Analysis

Nessus

Pros

• Wide range of vulnerability checks
• User-friendly interface
• Regular plugin updates
• Integrates with other Tenable products
• Can customize scans and policies

Cons

• Limited mobile device scanning
• No built-in remediation capabilities
• Some advanced features require additional purchase

Cobalt Strike

Pros

• Powerful post-exploitation capabilities
• Evasion techniques to avoid detection
• Flexible communication protocols
• Integrates with Metasploit
• Customizable to mimic real attacks

Cons

• Expensive licensing model
• Steep learning curve
• Can only be used legally for penetration testing
• Advanced features require additional licensing

Pricing Comparison

Nessus

• Subscription-Based

Cobalt Strike

• Subscription-Based