Protoxol
Request a demo
Platform Modules Plans Blog Request a demo
VM · Module

Vulnerability management

Exposure-aware prioritization. Focus on what is exploitable.

Compare with 5 alternatives ↓

Overview

What VM does.

Vulnerability Management blends authenticated and agent-based scanning with continuous exposure analysis. The score on every finding is not raw CVSS — it's `exposure × exploitability × blast radius`, computed from your Asset Inventory, threat intel and the asset's actual network reachability. Internet-facing exploitable bugs land at the top of the queue. The 50-page report is optional.

Features

Inside VM.

Exposure-aware scoring

Real risk: exposure × exploitability × blast radius. Not raw CVSS theatre.

Continuous scanning

Agent-based + authenticated network scans. Finds gaps weekly scans miss.

Patch prioritization

Top of queue = exploitable today, on assets that matter. Auto-promoted.

Ticket integration

Bidirectional sync to Jira, ServiceNow. Findings close when patches deploy.

SBOM analysis

Track third-party library risk via SBOM. Alert on new advisories in active components.

Use cases

Where VM earns its keep.

Internet-facing risk

Always-current view of exploitable bugs on your perimeter assets.

Privileged asset hardening

Domain controllers, jump hosts, secrets stores — prioritized first.

Audit & compliance

Evidence trail for PCI, ISO 27001, SOC 2 vuln management requirements.

Technical specs

VM under the hood.

Scan modes Agent, authenticated, unauthenticated
CVE coverage 210k+ CVEs with exploit metadata
Refresh rate Continuous agent + daily network
Asset depth OS, packages, services, configs

Figures from internal testing; test method and date to be published.

Compare alternatives

Protoxol Vulnerability management compared with five alternatives

Vulnerability management means finding the weak software and configurations on your assets, deciding which to fix first, and checking that they close. This comparison sets Protoxol's vulnerability module beside five relevant alternatives a security team may consider: Tenable, Qualys, Rapid7, Greenbone and CrowdStrike. It looks at how each assesses assets, how it ranks findings, how it links to tickets, and where detection ends and patching begins. In Protoxol, another tool installs the patch.

What Protoxol offers

Comparison table

Each cell shows the status and the scope. Statuses are explained below the table.

Show alternative:

Scroll the table sideways to see every column.

Protoxol Vulnerability management compared with five alternatives
CriterionProtoxol Vulnerability managementTenable One Vulnerability Management (formerly Tenable.io)Qualys VMDRRapid7 InsightVMGreenbone Enterprise Appliance (OPENVAS SCAN)CrowdStrike Falcon Exposure Management (includes Falcon Spotlight)
Discovery and assessment method AvailableAgent, authenticated and unauthenticated scanning. The pages do not say whether the agent is the EDR one. AvailableNessus scanners with or without credentials, plus Tenable Agents; agent assessments are always authenticated. ↗ AvailableCloud Agent, scanners (cloud, physical, virtual), passive sensors and cloud and container inventory. ↗ AvailableNetwork scan engine (authenticated or not) plus the Rapid7 Agent; the engine reuses the agent's assessment history. ↗ AvailableNetwork scanning with credentials (SSH, SMB, SNMP, ESXi) or without. No agents are documented in the pages reviewed. ↗ AvailableContinuous assessment on endpoints from the Falcon sensor, plus Network Vulnerability Assessment for unmanaged devices. ↗
System coverage AvailableOS, packages, services and configuration; third-party libraries through SBOM. Network devices and cloud workloads: not confirmed. AvailableNetwork, hosts, cloud and containers through scanner, agent and agentless cloud connectors. ↗ AvailableDiscovers assets across mixed environments, including certificates, cloud, containers and mobile devices. ↗ AvailableScans network, cloud and application environments; the agent covers remote or scan-restricted assets. ↗ AvailableWindows, Linux/Unix, ESXi and Cisco devices in the cloud service; the Enterprise Feed extends to enterprise software. ↗ AvailableExternal assets, endpoints, cloud, network (including unmanaged), OT/IoT and shadow AI systems. ↗
CVE identification and feeds AvailableIdentifies CVEs with exploit metadata. Feed origin and update cadence: not confirmed. AvailableDetection built on Nessus plugins and Tenable Research intelligence. Counts and update cadence not verified. ↗ AvailableSignature base that detects vulnerabilities and CIS-based misconfigurations, with near-real-time alerting. ↗ Not confirmedThe pages reviewed do not describe where vulnerability checks come from or their update cadence. AvailableFree Community Feed and paid Enterprise Feed with wider coverage and several updates a day. ↗ Not confirmedThe pages reviewed do not describe the CVE source or its update cadence.
Prioritisation approach AvailablePer-finding score: exposure × exploitability × blast radius, not raw CVSS. The weights are not documented. AvailableVPR from 0.1 to 10: rates the severity and likelihood of exploitation of each vulnerability. ↗ AvailableTruRisk Score and Qualys Detection Score (QDS) to rank findings by risk. ↗ AvailableActive Risk, on a 0 to 1000 scale, replaced the legacy strategies as of January 2026. ↗ AvailableCVSS severity and quality of detection (QoD); the Enterprise Feed adds EPSS. No asset-context scoring is documented. ↗ AvailableExPRT.AI rates each vulnerability Low, Medium, High or Critical by likelihood of exploitation. ↗
Exploit and threat context AvailableThe score uses threat intel, and detection rules can alert on actively exploited CVEs. Specific sources are not confirmed. AvailableVPR draws on Tenable Research threat intelligence to estimate real-world weaponisation. ↗ AvailableTruRisk uses real-time threat indicators. Which specific feeds: not verified. ↗ AvailableActive Risk draws on AttackerKB, Metasploit, ExploitDB, the CISA KEV list and Project Lorelei data. ↗ Depends on licenceEPSS only in the Enterprise Feed. Use of CISA KEV or other exploitation feeds: not verified. ↗ AvailableExPRT.AI uses CrowdStrike threat intelligence and internal telemetry to predict real-world exploitation. ↗
Asset context AvailableAsset owner and tier come from the shared Inventory module; real network reachability also counts. Depends on licenceAsset criticality (ACR) is documented under Tenable Lumin; AES combines VPR and ACR. ↗ AvailableInventory with over 200 searchable attributes per asset. ↗ AvailableActive Risk factors in the asset's business sensitivity as well as CVSS metrics. ↗ Not confirmedThe pages reviewed do not describe asset owner, criticality or tier. AvailableAI-based asset criticality in three tiers of business importance. ↗
Remediation tracking and ticketing AvailableTwo-way sync with Jira and ServiceNow. Reopen and closure-verification flow: not confirmed. AvailableBi-directional ticketing; apps exist for Jira and ServiceNow (incidents and CMDB). ↗ Needs integrationServiceNow integration that assigns tasks to the group deploying the patches. ↗ AvailableRemediation Projects assign tasks to IT; progress only rises when a scan or agent verifies the fix. ↗ Needs integrationAlerts by email, syslog, SNMP and connectors, plus the GMP API. Native Jira/ServiceNow: not verified. ↗ Needs integrationAPI to feed data to ITSM or patching systems; patch progress tracked by host group. ↗
Reassessment and continuous scanning AvailableContinuous agent plus authenticated network scans. Exact frequencies are not confirmed. AvailableContinuous discovery and assessment of traditional, cloud and remote assets. ↗ AvailableThe Cloud Agent assesses the host as soon as it detects changes. ↗ AvailableThe agent runs continuous local assessments; the engine schedules scans with templates and blackouts. ↗ Depends on setupScheduled tasks (daily, weekly, monthly); this is periodic scanning, not continuous agent assessment. ↗ AvailableContinuous monitoring instead of periodic scans. ↗
Detection vs patching Not confirmedNo patch deployment is documented. VM ranks what to patch and opens the ticket; installing the patch is another tool. Not confirmedThe pages reviewed do not describe patch deployment; the platform detects, prioritises and assigns. Depends on licenceDetects missing patches; deploying them from the report requires a separate Patch Management subscription. ↗ Not confirmedThe pages reviewed do not describe patch deployment; the product assigns and verifies remediation. Not confirmedThe pages reviewed do not describe patch deployment; the product detects and reports. Needs another productPatching goes through separate modules (for example Falcon for IT) or third-party tools. ↗
Reporting AvailableOptional findings report, positioned as audit evidence. Formats and templates: not confirmed. AvailableBuilt-in dashboard and report templates, with role-based access. ↗ AvailableUnified dashboards with configurable widgets for posture, exposure and priorities. ↗ Depends on setupTop Remediations reports (PDF, HTML, CSV), schedulable in Remediation Hub; depends on the Exposure/Surface Command package. ↗ AvailableExecutive and technical PDF reports, with email notifications when a scan finishes (cloud service). ↗ Not confirmedDashboards filterable by severity and ExPRT are mentioned; report templates are not verified.
Link to other modules' signals AvailableShares the asset model with EDR and Inventory; Inventory reconciles the VM scanners. Detection rules can use exploited CVEs. Needs integrationDocumented ServiceNow integration (CMDB, incidents). Link to third-party EDR or SIEM: not verified. ↗ Not confirmedDashboards combine data inside the Qualys platform; link to third-party EDR or SIEM: not verified. Needs another productAttack surface, cloud and app context comes with Exposure Command; third-party EDR/SIEM: not verified. ↗ Needs integrationStandalone scanning product; connects to other systems through alerts and API. No native EDR or SIEM link verified. ↗ Needs another productExposure data streams to Falcon Next-Gen SIEM, a separate product, to correlate with detections. ↗
Licensing model AvailableModule activated separately; the platform is priced per protected endpoint by plan. Included in Team and Enterprise. AvailablePer asset assessed in the last 90 days; includes unlimited Nessus scanners, agents and network monitors. ↗ Not confirmedNo official page with the licence unit or prices was found; ask for a quote. Patching is a separate subscription. Depends on licenceExposure Command Essentials (InsightVM, ASM, automation) or Ultimate (adds cloud and applications). Pricing unit: not verified. ↗ AvailablePhysical or virtual appliance plus feed subscription; a free Community Edition exists with the reduced feed. ↗ AvailablePer endpoint, with a number of unmanaged assets included that grows with licence count. ↗

What each status means

Available
Native feature of the product or plan compared.
Needs integration
Works through a connector or a third-party product.
Depends on setup
Exists, but its scope depends on deployment or configuration.
Depends on licence
Only in a higher plan or as a paid add-on.
Needs another product
Covered by a different product from the same vendor.
In development
Announced or being built; not generally available.
Not confirmed
Not enough evidence. It does not mean “no”.

Five comparisons

One per product, naming the plan that was compared.

Tenable One Vulnerability Management (formerly Tenable.io)

Plan or edition: Tenable One Vulnerability Management, licensed per asset; Nessus Professional/Expert are licensed separately

Tenable One Vulnerability Management is licensed per asset assessed in the last 90 days, and one licence covers unlimited Nessus scanners, agents and network monitors, which matters in a large, mixed estate. Its VPR estimates how likely each CVE is to be exploited, and there are apps for Jira and ServiceNow. Asset criticality (ACR) is documented under Lumin, a separate component. Protoxol scores by exposure, exploitability and blast radius using its own inventory, but it has no track record matching Tenable's in network and device scanning. Pick Tenable when you need proven scanner coverage; Protoxol when you want the queue next to EDR and Inventory. Before deciding, check which Tenable One components your contract includes.

Official source ↗

Qualys VMDR

Plan or edition: VMDR (Vulnerability Management, Detection and Response); Patch Management is a separate subscription

Qualys VMDR runs Cloud Agent, scanners and passive sensors on one cloud platform, with an asset inventory that has many searchable attributes and TruRisk to rank findings. If you already use ServiceNow, the integration assigns patching tasks by group. The difference from Protoxol is scope: Qualys can deploy patches from the report, but only with the separate Patch Management subscription; Protoxol ranks and opens the ticket, and another tool installs the patch. Qualys fits when you want to close the patching loop in one console. Protoxol fits when your priority is to see the vulnerability beside EDR and Inventory. Ask Qualys to put the licence unit in writing: it is not published.

Official source ↗

Rapid7 InsightVM

Plan or edition: InsightVM as a component of Exposure Command Essentials (with ASM and automation); standalone sale not confirmed

For teams that split remediation between IT and security, InsightVM has one concrete strength: Remediation Projects only advance when a scan or agent verifies the fix, so the counter cannot be inflated by hand. Active Risk draws on AttackerKB, Metasploit, ExploitDB and CISA KEV, which Protoxol describes only as generic threat intel. InsightVM is now sold inside Exposure Command, and we could not confirm a standalone version. Protoxol has no documented project workflow like that, but it puts the vulnerability queue beside EDR and Inventory in the same console. Rapid7 fits if you already buy Exposure Command; Protoxol, if you want a vulnerability module inside your own SOC.

Official source ↗

Greenbone Enterprise Appliance (OPENVAS SCAN)

Plan or edition: Physical or virtual appliance with Enterprise Feed; the Greenbone Cloud Service is the SaaS variant

Greenbone fits when the requirement is a vulnerability scanner on your own infrastructure, with a paid feed and support, and no third-party SaaS in the path. It scans with credentials over SSH, SMB, SNMP or ESXi, schedules tasks, and produces technical and executive reports. What it does not document is an agent or asset context: prioritisation rests on CVSS, quality of detection and, with the Enterprise Feed, EPSS. Protoxol adds asset owner and tier from Inventory and a ranked queue, but is less proven in scanner coverage. Before deciding, work out who will run the appliance: periodic scanning means tuning windows and credentials yourself.

Official source ↗

CrowdStrike Falcon Exposure Management (includes Falcon Spotlight)

Plan or edition: Falcon Exposure Management, a module of the Falcon sensor, licensed per endpoint

If the Falcon sensor already runs on your endpoints, Exposure Management assesses vulnerabilities from that agent and is licensed per endpoint, with a quota of unmanaged assets included. ExPRT.AI ranks by likelihood of exploitation, and the data can flow to Falcon Next-Gen SIEM, which is a different product. The entry cost is dependency: without the Falcon sensor, endpoint assessment does not work, and patching goes through Falcon for IT or your own tooling. Protoxol offers a queue tied to its own Inventory and EDR and does not install patches either. CrowdStrike fits if Falcon is already your EDR; Protoxol if you would rather not tie yourself to a single agent vendor. Ask CrowdStrike which modules your licence includes.

Official source ↗

When to choose Protoxol

  • You want the vulnerability queue to use asset owner and tier from the same Inventory your EDR uses.
  • You need to prioritise by exposure and exploitability, and have a detection rule flag an actively exploited CVE.
  • You are activating other Protoxol modules anyway and prefer one console and one asset model.

When to consider something else

  • You need proven scanner coverage of networks, devices and applications: Tenable, Qualys or Greenbone have more documented track record.
  • You want to deploy patches from the same platform: Qualys (with Patch Management) or CrowdStrike (with Falcon for IT).
  • You already run the Falcon sensor and do not want another agent: Falcon Exposure Management assesses from it.
  • You need a self-hosted scanner with a professional feed and no SaaS: Greenbone Enterprise Appliance.

See the module in a demo

Questions about this comparison

01Does Protoxol VM deploy patches?

No patch deployment is documented. The module ranks what to patch first and syncs the finding with Jira or ServiceNow; your patching tool does the installation.

02How does prioritising by exposure differ from prioritising by CVSS?

CVSS scores a vulnerability in the abstract. Protoxol combines exposure, exploitability and the blast radius of the specific asset, so an exploitable flaw on an exposed server ranks above the same flaw on an isolated machine.

03Can I buy only the vulnerability module?

Modules are activated separately and priced per protected endpoint by plan. The pages do not say whether VM runs without the platform core or Inventory, so confirm it in the demo.

04Why is Nessus Professional not compared?

Nessus Professional is a standalone scanner with its own licence. We compared Tenable One Vulnerability Management, the platform product with prioritisation and ticketing.

Sources and review date

Reviewed on October 2, 2026. Reviewed by The Protoxol team.

Protoxol capabilities are based on the current commercial documentation on this site and were not technically validated in this review; anything undocumented is shown as “Not confirmed”. Vendor data comes from each vendor's public documentation on the date shown and may have changed.

Selection

See VM against your data.

Thirty minutes. Your environment. The modules that fit. No slideware.

Book a demo See pricing