To download and apply the Nessus plugin update file (commonly named all-2.0.tar.gz
Locate the Offline Update Link Look for a section titled “Offline Plugin Updates” or “Manual Plugin Update” . You will see a line similar to: download nessusupdateplugins all20targz new
nessusupdateplugins : Signifies this is the offline plugin update package for Tenable Nessus.all : Means this is a full, complete set of every plugin released to date, not an incremental patch.20 : Refers to the plugin feed format version. As of 2024-2025, Nessus uses a version 2.0 plugin architecture. Older v16 plugins are deprecated..tar.gz : A compressed archive (tarball). You will need a tool like tar, 7-Zip, or WinRAR to extract it (though Nessus consumes it directly).You can update your plugins using either the user interface or the command line interface (CLI): Via User Interface: Navigate to Settings > Software Update. Select Manual Software Update. To download and apply the Nessus plugin update
curl -k -H "X-API-KEY: <your_api_key>" \
"https://cloud.tenable.com/nessus/plugins/offline/nessus-updates-20.tar.gz" -o nessus-updates-20.tar.gz
"C:\Program Files\Tenable\Nessus\nessuscli.exe" update C:\path\to\all-2.0.tar.gz Restart Service nessusupdateplugins : Signifies this is the offline plugin
Navigate to the Downloads Section
Keeping your Nessus scanner updated in a restricted network requires a manual touch. While most modern tools rely on a constant "home" connection, high-security environments often use the all-2.0.tar.gz archive to bridge the gap. Why Update Manually? Air-Gapped Security: Protects the scanner from external threats. Regulatory Compliance: Meets strict "no-internet" policy requirements. Controlled Rollouts: Allows teams to test plugin sets before deployment. 🛠️ The Prerequisites Before you start the process, ensure you have: Administrative access to the Nessus host (Linux or Windows). Your unique Challenge Code from the Nessus UI (Settings > Activation Code). A machine with internet access to download the all-2.0.tar.gz 🚀 Step-by-Step Implementation 1. Generate the Download Link