The repo rarely installs OpenVAS correctly sure to dependencies not included in the repo package. To install OpenVas “correctly” you should install from source.

@ Bubba

I was unable to Install successfully from the Ubuntu repos. I believe it hasnt been maintained well.. I would recommend building from source,it doesnt take a rocket scientist to do so especially with the spoonfed info above.

Remember people, this is a security auditor, if you dont have a decent understanding of the Linux or Windows OS your not going to be able to do much with it. Also scanning remote hosts that you do have written consent to can get you in trouble. OpenVas leaves a bunch of traces behind and your ip. If you think you can hack(or really crack) with OpenVas think again, its for vuln identification. After you identify the vuln you have to hit it with an exploit, then inject a payload, make arbitrary commands,etc

So if your looking for a point, click, root type app this isnt it. Its good for closing holes on your pc, but if your lookig for an exploiter to use with OpenVas try the metasploit framework. The tools work great together and results can be imported from OpenVas right into MSF for vuln assessment then exploitation.

If you are having problem while doing “openvas-nvt-sync” then sudo should be appended before the “openvas-nvt-sync” or else at the end of complete Rsync it will show an error and your plugins directory won’t be updated as well. Plugin imports is also very vital before you connect to openvas server to scan the required plugins. Else Openvas will come up with an error Connection to not found.

Well, “openvassd -D” won’t work for Ubuntu v9.10. You have to issue:
$sudo openvassd

Hope this additional information helps.

- Sujit

(btw: you’ve got a type in the apt-get line: “ibsmbclient-dev” shoulf, of course, be “libsmbclient-dev”)