TENABLE VULNERABILITY MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONAL EXAM
ACCURATE REAL EXAM QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS AND
RATIONALES WITH A STUDY GUIDE | LATEST UPDATE
Question 1
What is the primary purpose of Tenable's Vulnerability Priority Rating (VPR)?
A) To replace the CVSS score with a new industry standard.
B) To calculate the financial impact of a vulnerability.
C) To prioritize vulnerabilities based on the likelihood of exploitation in the near future.
D) To assign a business criticality score to an asset.
E) To identify which vulnerabilities have an available patch.
Correct Answer: C) To prioritize vulnerabilities based on the likelihood of exploitation in
the near future.
Rationale: VPR is Tenable's dynamic, data-science-driven metric that provides a more
accurate measure of a vulnerability's actual risk. Unlike the static CVSS score, VPR
considers factors like threat intelligence, exploit code availability, and attack trends to
predict which vulnerabilities are most likely to be weaponized, allowing teams to prioritize
remediation efforts on the most urgent threats.
Question 2
A security analyst is configuring a credentialed scan on a Windows host. Which of the following
is a primary benefit of a credentialed scan over a non-credentialed scan?
A) It runs significantly faster and consumes fewer network resources.
B) It can be performed without any prior knowledge of the target system.
C) It provides a much more accurate and in-depth view of the host's vulnerabilities, including
missing patches and configuration issues.
D) It does not require any open ports on the target host.
E) It can detect vulnerabilities in network devices like routers and switches.
Correct Answer: C) It provides a much more accurate and in-depth view of the host's
vulnerabilities, including missing patches and configuration issues.
Rationale: A credentialed (or authenticated) scan logs into the target system with user-level
privileges. This "inside-out" view allows the scanner to check the exact versions of installed
,[Type here]
software, query the registry for configuration settings, and identify missing patches with a
high degree of accuracy. A non-credentialed scan can only see what is visible from the
network (open ports, banners) and must infer vulnerabilities, leading to a higher rate of
false positives and false negatives.
Question 3
What is the fundamental difference between Tenable.io and Tenable.sc?
A) Tenable.io is for vulnerability scanning, while Tenable.sc is for compliance auditing.
B) Tenable.io is a cloud-based SaaS platform, while Tenable.sc is an on-premises solution.
C) Tenable.io uses Nessus scanners, while Tenable.sc uses a different proprietary scanner.
D) Tenable.io is free, while Tenable.sc requires a paid license.
E) Tenable.sc is for small businesses, while Tenable.io is for large enterprises.
Correct Answer: B) Tenable.io is a cloud-based SaaS platform, while Tenable.sc is an on-
premises solution.
Rationale: This is the core architectural difference. Tenable.io is hosted and managed by
Tenable in the cloud, offering a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model. Tenable.sc (formerly
SecurityCenter) is a software application that an organization installs and manages on its
own servers within its own network (on-premises).
Question 4
In the vulnerability management lifecycle, what is the first and most crucial step?
A) Remediation
B) Prioritization
C) Assessment
D) Discovery
E) Reporting
Correct Answer: D) Discovery
Rationale: The vulnerability management lifecycle begins with discovery. An organization
cannot protect what it does not know it has. The discovery phase involves identifying and
inventorying all assets on the network (e.g., servers, workstations, printers, IoT devices) to
create a comprehensive scope for the subsequent assessment (scanning) phase.
,[Type here]
Question 5
A Nessus Agent is most suitable for scanning which type of asset?
A) A network router in a DMZ.
B) An office printer that is always connected to the network.
C) A corporate laptop that is frequently disconnected from the corporate network.
D) An unmanaged guest Wi-Fi device.
E) A web server in a public cloud.
Correct Answer: C) A corporate laptop that is frequently disconnected from the corporate
network.
Rationale: Nessus Agents are ideal for assets that are transient or not always connected to
the corporate network, such as remote employee laptops. The agent resides on the host and
can perform scans locally, regardless of network connectivity. When the device reconnects,
the agent uploads its results to Tenable.io or Tenable.sc, providing visibility into assets that
would be frequently missed by traditional network-based scans.
Question 6
What does the Asset Criticality Rating (ACR) in Tenable.io allow an organization to do?
A) Automatically determine the likelihood of a vulnerability being exploited.
B) Assign a business-context value (from 1 to 10) to an asset to influence its risk score.
C) Calculate the CVSS score for a vulnerability.
D) Identify all assets that are missing a specific patch.
E) Measure the time it takes to remediate a vulnerability.
Correct Answer: B) To assign a business-context value (from 1 to 10) to an asset to
influence its risk score.
Rationale: The ACR is a user-defined rating that reflects an asset's importance to the
business. An internet-facing e-commerce server (ACR 10) is more critical than a test server
in a lab (ACR 2). Tenable uses the ACR in conjunction with the VPR to calculate the Asset
Exposure Score (AES), allowing teams to prioritize not just high-risk vulnerabilities, but
high-risk vulnerabilities on their most critical assets.
Question 7
Which of the following is a primary component of Tenable Lumin?
, [Type here]
A) A tool for deploying patches to vulnerable systems.
B) A real-time intrusion detection system.
C) A solution for cyber risk quantification and exposure management.
D) A scanner for operational technology (OT) environments.
E) A ticketing system for assigning remediation tasks.
Correct Answer: C) A solution for cyber risk quantification and exposure management.
Rationale: Tenable Lumin is an advanced analytics and measurement tool. It aggregates
and analyzes vulnerability data to provide a Cyber Exposure Score (CES), which is a
metric for the organization's overall cyber risk. It also provides benchmarking against
industry peers and helps to translate technical vulnerability data into business-centric risk
insights.
Question 8
What is the difference between a static asset group and a dynamic asset group in Tenable.sc?
A) A static group is for Windows assets, while a dynamic group is for Linux assets.
B) A static group has a manually defined list of assets, while a dynamic group's membership is
based on asset attributes.
C) A static group can be scanned, while a dynamic group is for reporting only.
D) A static group is for on-premises assets, while a dynamic group is for cloud assets.
E) There is no difference; the terms are interchangeable.
Correct Answer: B) A static group has a manually defined list of assets, while a dynamic
group's membership is based on asset attributes.
Rationale: A static asset group is created by manually adding specific IP addresses or assets
to the list. Its membership only changes when an administrator manually adds or removes
assets. A dynamic asset group is rule-based; its membership is automatically and
continuously updated based on asset characteristics (e.g., "all assets with Windows Server
2019 installed" or "all assets with a VPR over 8").
Question 9
A security team is reviewing a scan report and sees a finding with a "low" severity and a CVSS
score of 3.0, but it has a Tenable VPR of 9.5. How should this be interpreted?
A) The scan is likely a false positive and the finding should be ignored.
ACCURATE REAL EXAM QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS AND
RATIONALES WITH A STUDY GUIDE | LATEST UPDATE
Question 1
What is the primary purpose of Tenable's Vulnerability Priority Rating (VPR)?
A) To replace the CVSS score with a new industry standard.
B) To calculate the financial impact of a vulnerability.
C) To prioritize vulnerabilities based on the likelihood of exploitation in the near future.
D) To assign a business criticality score to an asset.
E) To identify which vulnerabilities have an available patch.
Correct Answer: C) To prioritize vulnerabilities based on the likelihood of exploitation in
the near future.
Rationale: VPR is Tenable's dynamic, data-science-driven metric that provides a more
accurate measure of a vulnerability's actual risk. Unlike the static CVSS score, VPR
considers factors like threat intelligence, exploit code availability, and attack trends to
predict which vulnerabilities are most likely to be weaponized, allowing teams to prioritize
remediation efforts on the most urgent threats.
Question 2
A security analyst is configuring a credentialed scan on a Windows host. Which of the following
is a primary benefit of a credentialed scan over a non-credentialed scan?
A) It runs significantly faster and consumes fewer network resources.
B) It can be performed without any prior knowledge of the target system.
C) It provides a much more accurate and in-depth view of the host's vulnerabilities, including
missing patches and configuration issues.
D) It does not require any open ports on the target host.
E) It can detect vulnerabilities in network devices like routers and switches.
Correct Answer: C) It provides a much more accurate and in-depth view of the host's
vulnerabilities, including missing patches and configuration issues.
Rationale: A credentialed (or authenticated) scan logs into the target system with user-level
privileges. This "inside-out" view allows the scanner to check the exact versions of installed
,[Type here]
software, query the registry for configuration settings, and identify missing patches with a
high degree of accuracy. A non-credentialed scan can only see what is visible from the
network (open ports, banners) and must infer vulnerabilities, leading to a higher rate of
false positives and false negatives.
Question 3
What is the fundamental difference between Tenable.io and Tenable.sc?
A) Tenable.io is for vulnerability scanning, while Tenable.sc is for compliance auditing.
B) Tenable.io is a cloud-based SaaS platform, while Tenable.sc is an on-premises solution.
C) Tenable.io uses Nessus scanners, while Tenable.sc uses a different proprietary scanner.
D) Tenable.io is free, while Tenable.sc requires a paid license.
E) Tenable.sc is for small businesses, while Tenable.io is for large enterprises.
Correct Answer: B) Tenable.io is a cloud-based SaaS platform, while Tenable.sc is an on-
premises solution.
Rationale: This is the core architectural difference. Tenable.io is hosted and managed by
Tenable in the cloud, offering a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model. Tenable.sc (formerly
SecurityCenter) is a software application that an organization installs and manages on its
own servers within its own network (on-premises).
Question 4
In the vulnerability management lifecycle, what is the first and most crucial step?
A) Remediation
B) Prioritization
C) Assessment
D) Discovery
E) Reporting
Correct Answer: D) Discovery
Rationale: The vulnerability management lifecycle begins with discovery. An organization
cannot protect what it does not know it has. The discovery phase involves identifying and
inventorying all assets on the network (e.g., servers, workstations, printers, IoT devices) to
create a comprehensive scope for the subsequent assessment (scanning) phase.
,[Type here]
Question 5
A Nessus Agent is most suitable for scanning which type of asset?
A) A network router in a DMZ.
B) An office printer that is always connected to the network.
C) A corporate laptop that is frequently disconnected from the corporate network.
D) An unmanaged guest Wi-Fi device.
E) A web server in a public cloud.
Correct Answer: C) A corporate laptop that is frequently disconnected from the corporate
network.
Rationale: Nessus Agents are ideal for assets that are transient or not always connected to
the corporate network, such as remote employee laptops. The agent resides on the host and
can perform scans locally, regardless of network connectivity. When the device reconnects,
the agent uploads its results to Tenable.io or Tenable.sc, providing visibility into assets that
would be frequently missed by traditional network-based scans.
Question 6
What does the Asset Criticality Rating (ACR) in Tenable.io allow an organization to do?
A) Automatically determine the likelihood of a vulnerability being exploited.
B) Assign a business-context value (from 1 to 10) to an asset to influence its risk score.
C) Calculate the CVSS score for a vulnerability.
D) Identify all assets that are missing a specific patch.
E) Measure the time it takes to remediate a vulnerability.
Correct Answer: B) To assign a business-context value (from 1 to 10) to an asset to
influence its risk score.
Rationale: The ACR is a user-defined rating that reflects an asset's importance to the
business. An internet-facing e-commerce server (ACR 10) is more critical than a test server
in a lab (ACR 2). Tenable uses the ACR in conjunction with the VPR to calculate the Asset
Exposure Score (AES), allowing teams to prioritize not just high-risk vulnerabilities, but
high-risk vulnerabilities on their most critical assets.
Question 7
Which of the following is a primary component of Tenable Lumin?
, [Type here]
A) A tool for deploying patches to vulnerable systems.
B) A real-time intrusion detection system.
C) A solution for cyber risk quantification and exposure management.
D) A scanner for operational technology (OT) environments.
E) A ticketing system for assigning remediation tasks.
Correct Answer: C) A solution for cyber risk quantification and exposure management.
Rationale: Tenable Lumin is an advanced analytics and measurement tool. It aggregates
and analyzes vulnerability data to provide a Cyber Exposure Score (CES), which is a
metric for the organization's overall cyber risk. It also provides benchmarking against
industry peers and helps to translate technical vulnerability data into business-centric risk
insights.
Question 8
What is the difference between a static asset group and a dynamic asset group in Tenable.sc?
A) A static group is for Windows assets, while a dynamic group is for Linux assets.
B) A static group has a manually defined list of assets, while a dynamic group's membership is
based on asset attributes.
C) A static group can be scanned, while a dynamic group is for reporting only.
D) A static group is for on-premises assets, while a dynamic group is for cloud assets.
E) There is no difference; the terms are interchangeable.
Correct Answer: B) A static group has a manually defined list of assets, while a dynamic
group's membership is based on asset attributes.
Rationale: A static asset group is created by manually adding specific IP addresses or assets
to the list. Its membership only changes when an administrator manually adds or removes
assets. A dynamic asset group is rule-based; its membership is automatically and
continuously updated based on asset characteristics (e.g., "all assets with Windows Server
2019 installed" or "all assets with a VPR over 8").
Question 9
A security team is reviewing a scan report and sees a finding with a "low" severity and a CVSS
score of 3.0, but it has a Tenable VPR of 9.5. How should this be interpreted?
A) The scan is likely a false positive and the finding should be ignored.
