Choosing the right vulnerability scanning solution today is no longer just about finding CVEs. Modern IT environments are distributed, hybrid, and constantly changing—spanning cloud workloads, remote offices, laptops, and closed networks. In this context, how a tool scans is just as important as what it scans.
In this blog, we’ll take a deep and practical look at Athera and OpenVAS, comparing them across architecture, deployment, scalability, usability, and real-world operational impact.
Athera is a modern, cloud-native, agentless vulnerability scanning platform designed to eliminate the operational friction traditionally associated with vulnerability management.
Instead of tying scans to a single machine or complex network configurations, Athera enables organizations to:
Athera is built for speed, simplicity, and enterprise-scale visibility—without sacrificing scan depth or control.
OpenVAS (Open Vulnerability Assessment System), maintained by Greenbone Networks, is one of the most widely used open-source vulnerability scanners.
It is known for:
However, OpenVAS was designed in an era where infrastructure was mostly on-premise—and that architectural legacy impacts how it performs in modern, distributed environments.
Athera follows a cloud-first architecture, meaning:
This architecture is ideal for organizations with:
OpenVAS typically requires:
While powerful, this model introduces operational overhead as environments scale.
Athera focuses on time-to-value. Teams can start scanning quickly without worrying about OS hardening, feed synchronization, or scanner availability.
With OpenVAS, deployment is flexible—but that flexibility comes at the cost of setup time, tuning, and continuous maintenance.
One of Athera’s standout capabilities is its lightweight jump host model:
This makes Athera exceptionally well-suited for enterprises with:
With OpenVAS, scanning closed or remote networks typically requires:
It works—but it’s not seamless.
For growing organizations, Athera’s model dramatically reduces operational complexity.
Both platforms support scheduled scans, but the level of control differs:
Athera
OpenVAS
Athera gives security teams predictable, controlled scanning at scale—without manual intervention.
If usability and speed matter, Athera clearly leads.
While OpenVAS is open-source, its true cost includes:
Athera replaces those hidden costs with:
For most organizations, this results in a significantly better return on investment.
Athera isn’t just another vulnerability scanner—it’s a modern vulnerability scanning platform built for how organizations actually operate today.
Athera stands out because it offers:
In contrast, OpenVAS—while powerful—reflects a traditional scanning model that struggles to keep pace with distributed, cloud-first environments.
If your goal is simplicity, scalability, and modern vulnerability management, Athera is the clear winner.
OpenVAS remains a solid open-source scanner, but for organizations looking to reduce operational friction, scale securely, and future-proof their vulnerability management program, Athera delivers a more complete, enterprise-ready solution.
SecOps Solution is an agentless patch and vulnerability management platform that helps organizations quickly remediate security risks across operating systems and third-party applications, both on-prem and remote.
Contact us to learn more.
