How severe is CVE-2022-28291?

CVE-2022-28291 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity none, and availability none.

Is CVE-2022-28291 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (46th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2022-28291?

CVE-2022-28291 affects Tenable Nessus. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2022-28291?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2022-28291 published?

CVE-2022-28291 was published on 2022-10-17 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2022-28291

CVE-2022-28291 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Tenable Nessus with a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.5. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-522.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 6.5)
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (46th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-522
Affected product: Tenable Nessus
Published: 2022-10-17
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

Insufficiently Protected Credentials: An authenticated user with debug privileges can retrieve stored Nessus policy credentials from the “nessusd” process in cleartext via process dumping. The affected products are all versions of Nessus Essentials and Professional. The vulnerability allows an attacker to access credentials stored in Nessus scanners, potentially compromising its customers’ network of assets.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2022-28291?: Insufficiently Protected Credentials: An authenticated user with debug privileges can retrieve stored Nessus policy credentials from the “nessusd” process in cleartext via process dumping. The affected products are all versions of Nessus Essentials and Professional. The vulnerability allows an attacker to access credentials stored in Nessus scanners, potentially compromising its customers’ network of assets.
How severe is CVE-2022-28291?: CVE-2022-28291 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity none, and availability none.
Is CVE-2022-28291 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (46th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2022-28291?: CVE-2022-28291 affects Tenable Nessus. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2022-28291?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2022-28291 published?: CVE-2022-28291 was published on 2022-10-17 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://cybersecurityworks.com/blog/zero-days/csw-expert-discovers-a-zero-day-vulnerability-in-tenables-nessus-scanner.html

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:tenable:nessus:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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