Skip to content

Security Tool Integrations

Where to find it: Integrations, then Security Tool Integrations (/integrations/security-tools).

Security Tool Integrations is OrviQ's ingestion engine for enterprise vulnerability scanners and network configuration analyzers. It connects to vulnerability management infrastructure and configuration audit tools to ingest technical findings, correlate host assets, and feed continuous control indicators.

Requires the integrations_security_tools entitlement.

Ship-dark behavior

Security Tool Integrations ships dark. When the integrations_security_tools entitlement is disabled, the module is entirely hidden from the platform navigation, rather than rendering a locked discovery item. API endpoints return 403 Forbidden.


Supported Scanner Adapters

The engine includes native adapters and parsers for 9 security tools:

Adapter KeyVendor & ToolIngestion ModesFormats SupportedTelemetry Ingested
tenable_scTenable Security CenterAPI pull, File importtenable_sc_api, tenable_sc_csv, nessus_xmlHost vulnerabilities, scan metadata, discovered assets
nessusTenable Nessus (Pro/Expert)File import, API pullnessus_xml, nessus_apiNetwork vulnerability scan reports, host inventories
tenable_ioTenable Vulnerability ManagementAPI pulltenable_io_apiCloud vulnerability exports, asset workbench
qualysQualys VMDRAPI pull, File importqualys_api, qualys_xml, qualys_csvHost List Detection findings, vulnerability posture
rapid7Rapid7 InsightVM / NexposeAPI pull, File importrapid7_api, rapid7_csvAsset vulnerability assessments, security console data
microsoft_defenderMicrosoft DefenderAPI pulldefender_apiMachine vulnerabilities, device compliance posture
crowdstrikeCrowdStrike Falcon SpotlightAPI pullcrowdstrike_apiSpotlight real-time vulnerabilities per sensor endpoint
nipperTitania NipperFile import, API pullnipper_xml, nipper_csv, nipper_json, nipper_apiFirewall, switch, and router configuration audits
prowlerProwlerFile importprowler_ocsf, prowler_csvCloud security checks, CIS benchmark evaluations

Ingestion Workflows

Telemetry enters OrviQ through two distinct paths:

1. Automated API Pull

For reachable, network-connected scanners (e.g. Tenable Security Center, Qualys, Microsoft Defender, CrowdStrike):

  • Connections are configured in /integrations/security-tools?tab=connections using least-privilege service credentials.
  • Ingestion runs asynchronously on a configurable cadence (or on-demand via Sync Now).
  • Watermark timestamps ensure incremental synchronizations only fetch delta changes since the last run.

2. Governed File Import (Maker-Checker)

For air-gapped enclaves, offline networks, or ad-hoc security assessments, users can upload raw scan reports (.nessus, Tenable CSV, Nipper XML/JSON, Qualys XML/CSV, Rapid7 CSV, Prowler OCSF/CSV).

To guarantee data integrity and prevent unauthorized alteration of audit observations, file imports enforce strict Maker-Checker Segregation of Duties:

  1. Upload (Maker): An authorized operator with integration.import uploads the scan file.
  2. Parsing & Preview: The background worker parses the file, calculates SHA-256 integrity hashes, extracts hosts and findings, and builds a preview summary. The job status transitions to awaiting_confirmation.
  3. Independent Confirmation (Checker): A separate user holding integration.confirm reviews the summary preview (total hosts, total findings, severity distribution). The checker either confirms the import or rejects it with a mandatory reason code.
  4. Enforced Separation: The platform strictly enforces that the user who uploaded the file (requested_by) cannot confirm it (confirmed_by != requested_by).

Integration Sync Jobs (ISJ-)

All background import and synchronization operations run as durable, leased Integration Sync Jobs (ISJ-YYYY-NNNN):

  • Job Lifecycle: queuedrunningawaiting_confirmation (for file imports) → succeeded / failed / rejected.
  • Fault Tolerance: Jobs use distributed leasing with automatic retry on transient infrastructure failures.
  • Full vs. Delta Syncs: A full sync updates the entire target asset set. Only full syncs have the authority to mark absent findings as fixed.

Scanner Findings (SFN-)

Ingested technical vulnerabilities and configuration deviations are recorded as Scanner Findings (SFN-YYYY-NNNN).

Scanner findings are NOT Compliance Findings

A ScannerFinding (SFN-) is fundamentally distinct from a ComplianceFinding (FND-):

  • Volume & Automation: Scanner findings arrive in high volume (thousands per scan), have machine lifecycles, and are deduplicated automatically on sha256(tenant, connection, asset, external_ref, port, protocol).
  • Auto-Resolution: When a subsequent full scan verifies that a vulnerability is no longer detected, the engine automatically transitions the finding from open to fixed.
  • Compliance Findings (FND-): In contrast, compliance findings represent formally governed deficiencies with human ownership, Three Lines of Defence segregation, and audit sign-off.

Machine Lifecycle States

StatusMeaning
openActive finding detected on the asset
fixedAutomatically resolved because a later full scan confirmed its absence
reopenedPreviously fixed finding detected again on a subsequent scan
risk_acceptedCovered by an approved, active governed exception (EXC-YYYY-NNNN)
false_positiveFormally verified and marked as a non-issue by an authorized analyst

Severity Normalization

Different scanners use disparate severity conventions (e.g. Nessus numeric 0–4, Tenable VPR ratings, Qualys 1–5 levels, Nipper text ratings). OrviQ normalizes all scanner ratings into a unified 5-tier vocabulary:

Normalized SeverityNessus NumericCVSS v3 BaselineNipper / Qualitative Words
Critical49.0 – 10.0Critical
High37.0 – 8.9High
Medium24.0 – 6.9Medium, Moderate
Low10.1 – 3.9Low
Informational00.0Info, Informational, None

Vendor authority

Vendor-adjusted severity is preserved as authoritative. For instance, if Tenable adjusts a CVE's base CVSS score using Predictive Prioritization (VPR), the engine honors the vendor's contextualized rating rather than falling back to uncontextualized CVSS metrics.


Discovered Asset Provenance & Reconciliation

When a scanner reports a host, OrviQ reconciles it with the enterprise asset register using an identification ladder:

$$\text{External Scanner UUID} \longrightarrow \text{MAC Address} \longrightarrow \text{FQDN} \longrightarrow \text{IP Address} \longrightarrow \text{Hostname}$$

  • Many-to-One Asset Correlation: Multi-scanner environments often inspect the same physical host through different tools (e.g. Tenable host UUID and Nipper device name). OrviQ creates an AssetDiscoveryIdentity (ADI-) per connection, linking multiple scanner identities to a single canonical Asset (AST-YYYY-NNNN).
  • Review Queue for New Hosts: Discovered hosts that match no existing asset enter the review queue with discovery_review_status = "unassigned". An operator with asset.discovery_review must approve (reviewed), merge (merged), or ignore (ignored) the host.
  • Human Governance Protection: Scanners populate technical attributes (IP, MAC, OS, FQDN). They never overwrite human-governed attributes (owner, custodian, criticality, data_classification, environment, hosting_location).
  • Absence is not Decommissioning: If a host disappears from a scan, its identity is marked stale or missing. The asset is never auto-decommissioned; asset decommissioning remains a formal human governance event.

Governed Finding Triage & Promotion

A raw scanner finding remains technical telemetry until a human analyst promotes it into the governance lifecycle:

  1. Raise as Compliance Finding (FND-YYYY-NNNN): Promotes the observation to a formal governed finding, initiating the Three Lines of Defence remediation workflow.
  2. Promote to Risk (RSK-YYYY-NNNN): Escalates the vulnerability to the enterprise risk register for inherent and residual risk scoring.
  3. Accept via Governed Exception (EXC-YYYY-NNNN): Links the finding to a formal exception request with compensatory controls, expiration dates, and maker-checker approval.
  4. Remediate via Action Plan (ACT-YYYY-NNNN): Creates trackable remediation milestones assigned to IT engineering teams.
  5. ITSM Ticket Write-Back: Dispatches bi-directional remediation tickets to ServiceNow or Jira.

Semantic Doctrine

Semantic Doctrine: Scanners & Assurance

  • Scanner finding != confirmed control failure: Ingesting a vulnerability report does not automatically prove a control has failed. Controls are evaluated against indicator rules, compensating safeguards, and scope applicability.
  • Integration connection != compliance: Successfully scheduling scanner syncs demonstrates data acquisition; it does not satisfy an obligation or establish regulatory compliance.
  • Evidence != effectiveness: Ingested vulnerability observations provide evidence inputs. Determining control operating effectiveness requires defined coverage thresholds and human assessor validation.

Permissions Reference

ActionPermission KeyRequired Role(s)
View scanner integrations, jobs, and findingsintegration.readAdmin, Compliance Manager/Officer, Risk Manager, Auditor
Configure connections and run API syncsintegration.manageTenant Admin, Compliance Manager
Upload scanner report files (Maker)integration.importTenant Admin, Compliance Manager, Compliance Officer
Confirm previewed scanner import (Checker)integration.confirmTenant Admin, Compliance Manager (never the uploader)
Review discovered assets (Approve/Merge/Ignore)asset.discovery_reviewTenant Admin, Compliance Manager, Compliance Officer

OrviQ Enterprise Governance, Risk & Compliance Platform