Hey everyone!
Welcome to My Blog super excited to share that I’ve officially passed the Tenable Vulnerability Management Specialist certification — and I did it on my first attempt! 🙌
It was a mix of written and practical exams, and honestly, it tested both knowledge and real-world skills. In this post, I’ll break down everything you need to know — what the exam covers, how I prepared, tips for passing, and of course, my personal experience.
- About the certification
- What the exam covers
- My preparation steps
- Tips for passing
- Final thoughts
Let’s dive in!
Before we dive into the steps to pass the exam…
I just want to take a moment to say a big thank you to everyone who supported me throughout this journey!
- Firstly, a huge thanks to My parents for supporting me with the exam budget.
- Secondly, I really appreciate My company Bigfish for also helping cover the exam cost.
- Thirdly, big thanks to my friends Rickie Lim and my vendor Tenable for their constant encouragement and observation while I prepared for the exam.
I couldn’t have done it without all of you!
1. About the certification
What is Tenable?
If you’re in cybersecurity, you’ve probably heard of Nessus — one of the most well-known tools for vulnerability assessment.
But not everyone realizes that Nessus is actually part of Tenable.
Tenable is the company behind Nessus, and they offer much more than just that. Their platform includes solutions for:
Exposure Management which includes
- Vulnerability Management
- Cloud Security
- Identity Exposure
- Operational Technology (OT) Security
So if you’re using Nessus, you’re already working with a piece of the Tenable ecosystem!
Ref: https://www.tenable.com/
The full name of the exam is Tenable Vulnerability Management Specialist Certified. Yeah, it sounds a bit long — but don’t worry, it’s not as scary as it sounds
If you’re thinking about taking the exam, Tenable has a bunch of training courses available (https://www.tenable.com/education) on their website.
I definitely recommend going through them before the test.
They cover everything from the basics of how to use the platform to more advanced stuff like analyzing and managing vulnerabilities.
My Exam Tier
Specialist Tier: Premium courses focus on product deployment, configuration and operational usage. In addition to lectures, you can participate in a hands-on lab with exercises for practical application.
These courses are recommended if you are seeking Specialist certification.
You can also earn a certificate of attendance for completing these courses.
Steps for Certification
- Purchase, register and pass the written qualification exam.
- Purchase, register and pass the practical exam.
- Receive digital credentials via email and share them on your resume or social media.
Exam And Certification Details
Tenable Vulnerability Management, Tenable Security Center, Tenable OT Security Certification
You need a minimum score of 80% to pass each exam.
You must pass the written exam before scheduling the practical exam
The Tenable Vulnerability Management Specialist exam is split into two parts:
- Written Exam — This part includes multiple-choice questions that test your theoretical knowledge of the Tenable platform, vulnerability management concepts, asset scanning, prioritization, and reporting.
- Practical Exam — In this round, you’ll actually use the Tenable platform to complete tasks like running scans, analyzing vulnerabilities, and working with dashboards. It’s hands-on and meant to show that you can apply what you’ve learned in a real environment.
Both parts are taken through the Guardian Browser, which is a secure, private browser used only for exams. You’ll need to download it before the exam. Once opened, it locks down your environment to ensure exam integrity — so no copy-paste, screenshots, or switching tabs.
2. What the exam covers
- Host Discovery Scans
- Vulnerability Assessment
- Compliance Assessment
- Vulnerability Analysis
- Dashboards and Reports
- Installation
- Tenable Core
- Installing Nessus® and Nessus® Network Monitor
- Configuration
- Access Control
Ref : https://www.tenable.com/education/courses/vulnerability-management-specialist
3. My preparation steps
Written
Personally, I started learning from the official Tenable docs here: https://docs.tenable.com/vulnerability-management Course Tenable Vulnerability Management Specialist On-Demand (Partner Only)
It’s super helpful — lots of clear explanations, screenshots, and real use cases. If you’re new to the platform or just want to get more confident before the exam, this is a great place to start.
Practical
The practical exam is where you get hands-on with Tenable’s platform. In this section, you’ll be asked to complete tasks like:
- Configuring and running vulnerability scans
- Analyzing scan results and identifying vulnerabilities
- Prioritizing vulnerabilities based on risk
- Using dashboards and reports to recommend remediation steps
4. Tips for Passing
- Don’t skip the official docs and courses — they cover everything you need
- Use the platform hands-on! Understanding how it actually works is key
- Take notes while learning — especially about scan types, filters, and asset tagging
- Stay calm during the test — questions are not tricky if you’ve practiced enough
- However, you must pass the written exam before scheduling the practical exam
Exam Date
[Passed] Written Exam March 20 2025 10.10 PM.
For the written exam, the total time allowed was 2 hours, and I used the full duration to complete it. It wasn’t too difficult, but it definitely required focus and a solid understanding of the Tenable platform.
The questions covered key areas like vulnerability scanning, asset management, reporting, and risk prioritization. If you’ve studied the materials and practiced enough, you’ll be able to manage your time and finish within the limit.
[Passed] Practical Exam April 3 2025 10.00 PM.
The practical part was hands-on, using the actual Tenable platform to complete real-world tasks like running scans, analyzing vulnerabilities, and working with reports and dashboards. It was a great way to apply everything I had studied.
Make sure you’re comfortable navigating the platform before the exam — practice really helps!
Certification Completion
Once you pass both the Written and Practical exams, you’ll officially receive your Tenable Vulnerability Management Specialist certification!
Tenable will send you a digital certificate and badge to showcase your achievement — perfect for adding to your LinkedIn, resume, or sharing with your team.
5. Final thoughts
Passing this certification gave me more confidence in using Tenable professionally. It’s also a great add-on to your resume if you’re in the cybersecurity field.
Again, huge thanks to everyone who supported me — my parents, my company, friends, and my vendor! 🙏
If you’re planning to take this exam, go for it! It’s totally worth the effort.
Reference:
My Company: Bigfish Enterprise Limited
My Friend: Rickie Lim
My Self: Ratthapong Sommanus
My Vendor: Tenable
