Greenbone OpenVAS vs Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management -- Open Source Vulnerability Scanner Compared
Greenbone OpenVAS vs Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management
Greenbone OpenVAS and Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management are both open source vulnerability scanner solutions. Greenbone OpenVAS the most widely used open-source vulnerability scanner with 100,000+ network vulnerability tests, while Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management microsoft's built-in vulnerability management integrated with Defender for Endpoint. The best choice depends on your organization's size, technical requirements, and budget.
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The Verdict
Choose Greenbone OpenVAS if completely free with no licensing costs is your priority and security teams wanting a free, open-source vulnerability scanner with no licensing costs and full customization control. Choose Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management if included with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint P2 at no additional cost matters most and microsoft-centric organizations wanting vulnerability management bundled with their existing Defender for Endpoint deployment.
Used Greenbone OpenVAS or Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management? Share your experience.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management | Greenbone OpenVAS |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Included with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint P2 / Standalone add-on $3/user/month | Free (open source) / Greenbone Enterprise appliances from $5,000/year |
| Pricing Model | Per-user (monthly subscription, bundled with Microsoft 365 E5) | Open source with commercial appliance options |
| Open Source | No | Yes |
| Deployment | Cloud | Self-Hosted |
| Best For | Microsoft-centric organizations wanting vulnerability management bundled with their existing Defender for Endpoint deployment | Security teams wanting a free, open-source vulnerability scanner with no licensing costs and full customization control |
| 100,000+ network vulnerability tests ... | Not available | Supported |
| Authenticated and unauthenticated sca... | Not available | Supported |
| CVE, CPE, and CVSS-based vulnerabilit... | Not available | Supported |
When to Choose Each Tool
Choose Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management when:
- +You value included with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint P2 at no additional cost
- +You value zero deployment effort for existing Microsoft Defender environments
- +You value deep integration with Intune for automated remediation
- +You want to avoid scanning speed significantly slower than commercial alternatives
- +You want to avoid web interface is functional but dated compared to Tenable or Qualys
Choose Greenbone OpenVAS when:
- +You value completely free with no licensing costs
- +You value open-source transparency allows code audit and customization
- +You value large community with active development and NVT updates
- +You want to avoid limited vulnerability coverage compared to dedicated scanners like Nessus
- +You want to avoid primarily focused on Microsoft OS and browser ecosystems
Other Greenbone OpenVAS Alternatives
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Pros & Cons Comparison
Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management
Pros
- +Included with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint P2 at no additional cost
- +Zero deployment effort for existing Microsoft Defender environments
- +Deep integration with Intune for automated remediation
- +Security baseline assessment beyond just CVE detection
- +Unified security dashboard across Microsoft 365 Defender
Cons
- –Limited vulnerability coverage compared to dedicated scanners like Nessus
- –Primarily focused on Microsoft OS and browser ecosystems
- –No support for OT/ICS, network appliance, or custom application scanning
- –Requires Microsoft 365 E5 or Defender P2 licensing
- –Less effective in heterogeneous non-Microsoft environments
Greenbone OpenVAS
Pros
- +Completely free with no licensing costs
- +Open-source transparency allows code audit and customization
- +Large community with active development and NVT updates
- +Self-hosted deployment gives full control over scan data
- +Commercial Greenbone appliances available for enterprise support
Cons
- –Scanning speed significantly slower than commercial alternatives
- –Web interface is functional but dated compared to Tenable or Qualys
- –Requires significant Linux administration expertise to deploy and maintain
- –NVT library is smaller and updated less frequently than Nessus plugins
- –No native cloud scanning, container security, or OT/ICS support
Sources & References
- Greenbone OpenVAS — Official Website & Documentation[Vendor]
- Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management — Official Website & Documentation[Vendor]
- Greenbone OpenVAS Reviews on G2[User Reviews]
- Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management Reviews on G2[User Reviews]
- Greenbone OpenVAS Reviews on TrustRadius[User Reviews]
- Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management Reviews on TrustRadius[User Reviews]
- Greenbone OpenVAS Reviews on PeerSpot[User Reviews]
- Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management Reviews on PeerSpot[User Reviews]
- Gartner Peer Insights: Vulnerability Assessment[Peer Reviews]
- Forrester Wave: Vulnerability Risk Management, Q3 2023[Analyst Report]
- IDC MarketScape: Risk-Based Vulnerability Management 2024[Analyst Report]
- NIST National Vulnerability Database (NVD)[Government Standard]
- CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog[Government Standard]
Greenbone OpenVAS vs Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management FAQ
Common questions about choosing between Greenbone OpenVAS and Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management.
What is the main difference between Greenbone OpenVAS and Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management?
Greenbone OpenVAS and Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management are both open source vulnerability scanner solutions. Greenbone OpenVAS the most widely used open-source vulnerability scanner with 100,000+ network vulnerability tests, while Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management microsoft's built-in vulnerability management integrated with Defender for Endpoint. The best choice depends on your organization's size, technical requirements, and budget.
Is Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management better than Greenbone OpenVAS?
Choose Greenbone OpenVAS if completely free with no licensing costs is your priority and security teams wanting a free, open-source vulnerability scanner with no licensing costs and full customization control. Choose Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management if included with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint P2 at no additional cost matters most and microsoft-centric organizations wanting vulnerability management bundled with their existing Defender for Endpoint deployment.
How much does Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management cost compared to Greenbone OpenVAS?
Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management pricing: Included with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint P2 / Standalone add-on $3/user/month. Greenbone OpenVAS pricing: Free (open source) / Greenbone Enterprise appliances from $5,000/year. Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management's pricing model is per-user (monthly subscription, bundled with microsoft 365 e5), while Greenbone OpenVAS uses open source with commercial appliance options pricing.
Can I migrate from Greenbone OpenVAS to Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management?
Yes, you can migrate from Greenbone OpenVAS to Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management. The migration process depends on your specific setup and the features you use. Both platforms offer APIs that can facilitate automated migration. Consider running both tools in parallel during the transition to ensure zero downtime.
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