Troubleshooting Guide

Common issues and solutions for Simple Vulnerability Manager

Installation Issues

Missing dependencies after installation

Problem: Application fails to start or features don’t work.

Solution: Most dependencies are included with SVM, but you may need:

1. Microsoft Office (Word and Excel)

   • Required for report generation and Excel exports
   • Error handling improved in v2.0.2 to provide clear messages
   • Alternative: Use other reporting methods if Office unavailable

2. External scanning tools

   • Use Tools → Install/Update Tools to download required tools
   • Each tool has specific installation requirements
   • Check tool documentation for prerequisites

3. Wine dependencies (Linux/MacOS)

   • MacOS: Install XQuartz 2.7.11 or later
   • Linux: Install required Wine packages for your distribution

Installer fails on Debian 9 or other Linux distributions

Problem: Installation or tool detection fails on Linux.

Solution (v2.0.3+): Environment detection was improved for Debian 9 and other distributions.

1. Update to SVM v2.0.3 or later
2. Ensure Wine is properly installed
3. For Debian/Ubuntu: sudo apt-get install wine wine32 wine64
4. Install required dependencies: xmlstarlet, omp, netstat

Check the install scripts for distribution-specific requirements.

Wine Compatibility Issues

Connection errors with SVM Pro server on Wine (Linux/MacOS)

Problem: “Lost connection to server” or connection failures when using SVM Pro.

Symptoms:

• Cannot connect to remote SVM server
• Intermittent disconnections
• Data sync failures

Solution (Fixed in v2.1.0): These critical Wine compatibility issues were resolved:

1. Update to SVM v2.1.0 or later
2. Verify network connectivity to server
3. Check firewall settings allow outbound connections
4. Test with demo server: svm.myddns.me:8444 (token: svm_demo)

Version 2.1.0 includes major improvements for Wine connection handling.

SVM hangs when opening Word documents on Wine

Problem: Application freezes when generating reports or opening Word files.

Solution (Fixed in v2.1.0): An issue with temporary Word files was resolved in v2.1.0:

1. Update to SVM v2.1.0 or later
2. Ensure Microsoft Word is properly configured in Wine
3. Check available disk space in temp directory
4. Close unnecessary Word processes before generating reports

Alternative: Generate reports on Windows if Wine issues persist.

Backup fails with error on Wine

Problem: Database backup throws an error on Linux/MacOS.

Solution (Fixed in v2.0.3):

1. Update to SVM v2.0.3 or later
2. Ensure write permissions in backup directory
3. Check available disk space
4. Use absolute paths for backup location

Command:

chmod 755 /path/to/backup/directory

Multiple instance exit error on Wine

Problem: Error when closing second SVM instance on Linux/MacOS.

Solution (Fixed in v2.0.3):

1. Update to SVM v2.0.3 or later
2. Each instance should use separate configuration files
3. Ensure proper cleanup of temporary files
4. Close instances in order (first opened, first closed recommended)

Report generation fails only on Wine

Problem: Creating vulnerability name reports fails specifically on Wine.

Solution (Fixed in v2.0.3):

1. Update to SVM v2.0.3 or later
2. Ensure Word template uses the new Titulo_SVM style name
3. Verify template compatibility with Word version
4. Check Wine’s Microsoft Office integration

Version 2.0.3 introduced a new Word template specifically for Wine compatibility.

Scanning Tool Issues

Nessus

Nessus service not started

Problem: Error message “Nessus Service no iniciado” when attempting scan.

Error Detection: Script checks if Nessus service is running at https://server:port/

Solution:

1. SSH to the Nessus server
2. Start the service:
   /etc/init.d/nessusd start
   
3. Verify service is running:
   ps aux | grep nessusd
   
4. Check the service is listening on the configured port (usually 8834)

Nessus login fails or returns null token

Problem: Authentication fails with ---Error--- or null token.

Solution:

1. Verify username and password in SVM configuration
2. Check Nessus web interface is accessible
3. Ensure user account is not locked
4. Verify Nessus API is enabled
5. Check for SSL certificate issues (Nessus uses self-signed certs)

SVM automatically handles invalid certificates for Nessus (v1.1.789+).

Nessus scan fails to export to XML

Problem: Export fails or XML file is corrupted.

Solution (Fixed in v1.1.793+):

1. Update to SVM v1.1.793 or later
2. Verify Nessus scan completed successfully
3. Check disk space on server and local machine
4. Review export format settings in configuration

Version 1.1.793 fixed XML export functionality for Nessus.

Nessus browser compatibility issues

Problem: Cannot access Nessus web interface from SVM browser.

Solution (Fixed in v1.1.794): User-Agent was modified for Nessus 7 compatibility:

1. Update to SVM v1.1.794 or later
2. Clear browser cache in SVM
3. Verify Nessus version compatibility
4. Use external browser if issues persist

OpenVAS

OpenVAS script missing required programs

Problem: Error “Falta el programa xmlstarlet” or “Falta el programa openvas-client(omp)”.

Solution: Install required dependencies on the Linux server:

Debian/Ubuntu:

sudo apt-get install xmlstarlet openvas-client

RedHat/CentOS:

sudo yum install xmlstarlet openvas-client

Verify installation:

which xmlstarlet
which omp

OpenVAS authentication errors

Problem: ---Error. Revise username/password o levante el servicio

Solution:

1. Verify OpenVAS credentials in SVM configuration
2. Start OpenVAS services:
   service openvas-scanner restart
   service openvas-manager restart
   service greenbone-security-assistant restart
   
3. Check services are running:
   ps aux | grep openvas
   
4. Verify port 9390 is listening:
   netstat -tlnp | grep 9390
   

OpenVAS scan errors (Error-1, Error-2, Error-3, Error-4)

Problem: Generic error codes during OpenVAS scanning.

Solutions by Error Code:

Error-1: Failed to find target

• Target ID is invalid or was deleted
• Re-create the target in OpenVAS
• Check target configuration

Error-2: Task creation failed

• Invalid scan configuration ID
• Permission issues with OpenVAS user
• Check available scan configs

Error-3: Cannot retrieve task ID

• XML parsing error
• xmlstarlet not working correctly
• Check OpenVAS API response

Error-4: Cannot start task

• Scanner is busy or offline
• Check scanner status in Greenbone UI
• Verify scanner has available slots

OpenVAS initializing or reloading

Problem: Scan stuck waiting for OpenVAS to finish initializing.

Expected Behavior: Script waits while displaying:

• openvassd: Initializing
• openvassd: Reloaded

Solution: This is normal during:

• First OpenVAS startup
• After plugin updates
• After configuration changes

Wait for initialization to complete (can take 5-60 minutes depending on system).

To check status:

ps ax | grep "openvassd: Initializing"
ps ax | grep "openvassd: Reloaded"

OpenVAS remote script file copy errors

Problem: Scripts fail to copy to remote server (Error-1 or Error-2).

Solution (Fixed in v1.1.794+):

1. Update to SVM v1.1.794 or later (file copy improved)
2. Verify SSH credentials
3. Check /tmp directory permissions on remote server:
   ls -ld /tmp
   chmod 1777 /tmp
   
4. Ensure pscp.exe and plink.exe are in SVM directory
5. Test manual SSH connection:
   ssh username@server
   

OpenVAS on Ubuntu for Windows 10

Problem: Script fails on Ubuntu for Windows 10 (WSL).

Solution (Fixed in v1.1.792+): OpenVAS remote script was modified to support Ubuntu for Windows 10:

1. Update to SVM v1.1.792 or later
2. Install OpenVAS in WSL environment
3. Script auto-detects WSL and adjusts commands
4. Use ss instead of netstat if available

Reference: OpenVAS on Ubuntu for Windows 10

Qualys

Qualys authentication failures

Problem: “Mal Usuario/Contraseña” error.

Solution:

1. Verify Qualys API credentials in SVM configuration
2. Check account is not locked
3. Ensure API access is enabled for account
4. Verify subscription is active
5. Test credentials via Qualys web interface

Qualys planned maintenance

Problem: “Qualys Planned Maintenance” message.

Solution: This indicates Qualys is undergoing scheduled maintenance:

1. Check Qualys Status Page
2. Wait for maintenance window to complete
3. Retry scan after maintenance
4. Schedule scans to avoid known maintenance windows

Qualys API rate limiting

Problem: “This API cannot be run again for another” or “This limit has already been reached”.

Solution: Qualys enforces API rate limits:

1. Wait Period: Wait for the time specified in the error
2. Daily Limits: Check your subscription’s daily scan limits
3. Concurrent Scans: Reduce number of simultaneous scans
4. Subscription: Upgrade subscription for higher limits

Free/Community editions have strict rate limits.

Qualys cannot scan private IP addresses

Problem: Cannot scan internal network ranges with External scanner.

Solution (v1.1.788+): An informative message was added in v1.1.788:

1. Use Qualys Internal Appliances instead of External
2. Configure internal scanner in your Qualys account
3. Ensure appliance has network access to target IPs
4. Private IP ranges (RFC 1918):
   • 10.0.0.0/8
   • 172.16.0.0/12
   • 192.168.0.0/16

External scanners can only scan public IP addresses.

Qualys IP not in asset list

Problem: Message “La ip no esta en Qualys. Agregando…”

Expected Behavior: This is normal when scanning a new IP address:

1. SVM detects IP is not in Qualys asset inventory
2. Automatically adds IP to asset list
3. Waits briefly for propagation
4. Retries scan launch

If this fails repeatedly:

• Manually add IP via Qualys web interface
• Verify account permissions allow asset addition
• Check IP format is valid

Qualys configuration retrieval fails

Problem: Error when fetching scan configurations or report templates.

Solution (v1.1.791+): Error description was improved in v1.1.791:

1. Check error message for specific failure reason

2. Common causes:

   • Authentication failure (check credentials)
   • Permission issues (verify account role)
   • Network connectivity
   • API endpoint unavailable

3. Test connectivity:

   curl -u username:password https://qualysapi.qualys.com/api/2.0/fo/scan/
   

Acunetix

Acunetix target creation fails

Problem: “Error: Generando Target” message.

Solution:

1. Verify Acunetix API URL and API Key in configuration
2. Check Acunetix service is running
3. Ensure API access is enabled
4. Verify URL format includes protocol (http:// or https://)
5. Check for SSL certificate issues

Test API connection:

curl -k -H "X-Auth: YOUR_API_KEY" https://acunetix-server:3443/api/v1/targets

Acunetix scan fails to start

Problem: “Error: Iniciando Scan” message.

Solution:

1. Verify target was created successfully
2. Check scanner has available capacity
3. Ensure target URL is accessible from scanner
4. Review Acunetix logs for detailed error
5. Verify scan profile ID is valid

Available scan profiles:

• Full Scan: 11111111-1111-1111-1111-111111111111
• High Risk: 11111111-1111-1111-1111-111111111112
• XSS: 11111111-1111-1111-1111-111111111116
• SQL Injection: 11111111-1111-1111-1111-111111111113

Acunetix scan stops unexpectedly

Problem: Scan status shows “failed”, “aborting”, or null.

Solutions by Status:

failed:

• Check target is accessible
• Review Acunetix scanner logs
• Verify sufficient disk space
• Check for conflicting scans

aborting:

• User manually stopped scan
• System resource limits reached
• Scanner encountered critical error

null (stopped):

• Connection to Acunetix lost
• API authentication expired
• Service restarted during scan

Acunetix v10.5 remote scanning removed

Problem: Cannot find Acunetix 10.5 remote scanning option.

Solution (Changed in v1.1.792): Acunetix 10.5 remote scanning was removed and replaced with v11 API:

1. Upgrade to Acunetix 11 or later
2. Use Acunetix 11 API scanning instead
3. For local Acunetix 10.5: Use local scanning option
4. Windows credentials configuration was also removed

Acunetix 11+ uses API-based scanning which is more reliable and feature-rich.

Acunetix target creation error (Fixed in v2.0.1)

Problem: Error when creating target in Acunetix.

Solution: Update to SVM v2.0.1 or later. This version fixed a specific issue with Acunetix target creation.

If still experiencing issues:

1. Verify URL includes protocol (http:// or https://)
2. Check for special characters in URL
3. Ensure target domain is resolvable
4. Review Acunetix API documentation for URL format

Report Generation Issues

Word or Excel not installed error

Problem: Error when generating reports or exporting data.

Solution (Improved in v2.0.2+): Error messages were improved to clearly indicate Office requirements:

1. Install Microsoft Office (Word and Excel)
2. Ensure Office is properly activated
3. For Wine: Install Office in Wine environment
4. Check Office version compatibility (2010 or later recommended)

SVM requires Microsoft Office for report generation. Open source alternatives are not supported.

Report variable not replaced ([Subtitulo] shows in report)

Problem: Variables like [Subtitulo] or [Proyecto] appear in generated report.

Solution (Fixed in v2.0.2+):

1. Update to SVM v2.0.2 or later

2. Verify variable names match exactly in template

3. Supported variables:

   • [Proyecto] - Project name
   • [Subtitulo] - Subtitle
   • Other custom variables defined in template

4. Variables can now be used in vulnerability details (v1.1.789+)

Invalid character in project name prevents report generation

Problem: Report generation fails with file name error.

Solution (Fixed in v2.1.2): SVM now handles invalid file name characters automatically:

1. Update to SVM v2.1.2 or later
2. Avoid these characters in project names: \ / : * ? " < > |
3. Invalid characters are automatically replaced in report filenames
4. Project name in database remains unchanged

Example: Project Test/Project? creates report file Test_Project_.docx

Evidence images appear above vulnerability description

Problem: Evidence screenshots are positioned incorrectly in report.

Solution (Fixed in v2.0.0+): Report layout was improved in v2.0.0:

1. Update to SVM v2.0.0 or later
2. Evidence now appears below vulnerability description
3. Use updated Word template
4. Check template styles if using custom template

Very large reports show 'other application is busy' error

Problem: Error message when generating reports over 200 pages.

Solution (Fixed in v1.1.792+): A timeout issue with large reports was resolved:

1. Update to SVM v1.1.792 or later

2. For extremely large reports:

   • Increase Word’s available memory
   • Close other Office applications
   • Generate reports in sections
   • Combine manually if needed

3. Consider splitting very large projects into multiple reports

Window resizing issues with reports

Problem: Controls don’t restore to original position after resizing.

Solution (Fixed in v2.0.2):

1. Update to SVM v2.0.2 or later
2. Reset window to default size
3. Restart SVM if controls remain misaligned
4. Check display scaling settings (150%+ can cause issues)

Database and Configuration

Configuration not saving properly

Problem: Settings revert after closing SVM.

Solution (Fixed in v2.0.1 and v2.0.3+): Multiple configuration bugs were fixed:

v2.0.1: Recon-ng and EyeWitness configuration v2.0.3: General configuration saving

1. Update to SVM v2.0.3 or later
2. Verify write permissions on svm.ini file
3. Check svm.ini is not read-only
4. Use CTRL+S shortcut to save (v1.1.788+)

Location: Same directory as svm.exe

Cannot upload vulnerabilities

Problem: Upload button disabled or not working.

Solution (Fixed in v2.1.4):

1. Update to SVM v2.1.4 - this specifically fixes the upload button
2. Ensure project is selected before uploading
3. Check network connectivity for SVM Pro
4. Verify file format is correct
5. Review file size limits

Critical vulnerabilities not exported to Excel

Problem: Critical risk vulnerabilities missing from Excel export.

Solution (Fixed in v2.1.0):

1. Update to SVM v2.1.0 or later
2. Ensure filter includes all risk levels
3. Check vulnerability classification is correct
4. Verify Excel export settings in configuration

IP range search fails with dash character

Problem: Searching IP range like “192.168.1.1-192.168.1.100” fails.

Solution (Fixed in v1.1.792+):

1. Update to SVM v1.1.792 or later
2. IP range searches now properly parse dash character
3. Supported formats:
   • Single IP: 192.168.1.1
   • Range: 192.168.1.1-192.168.1.100
   • CIDR: Check if supported in your version

Tool Management Issues

Cannot rename vulnerability from toolbar

Problem: Rename button doesn’t work in ServicesScan or Fortify.

Solution (Fixed in v2.1.1):

1. Update to SVM v2.1.1 or later
2. Select vulnerability before clicking rename
3. Ensure project is not read-only
4. Check permissions for database modifications

Drag and drop for images not working

Problem: Cannot drag images into evidence or screenshots.

Solution (Added in v2.1.2): Drag and drop was added in v2.1.2:

1. Update to SVM v2.1.2 or later
2. Drag image files directly from Explorer
3. Supported formats: PNG, JPG, BMP, GIF
4. Alternatively, use Browse button for compatibility

Text field character limits

Problem: Cannot enter enough text in IP, Web, Notes, Request, or Response fields.

Solution (Expanded in v2.1.0): Field capacity was significantly increased:

1. Update to SVM v2.1.0 or later
2. All text fields now support more content
3. Full Unicode support for international characters
4. Large evidence notes are now possible

OWASP Mobile controls don't restore after zoom

Problem: Controls remain enlarged after using Zoom+ feature.

Solution (Fixed in v2.0.3):

1. Update to SVM v2.0.3 or later
2. Use Zoom- to restore controls
3. Restart SVM if controls don’t restore
4. Check display DPI settings

Network and Connection Issues

Cannot access project or vulnerability management without project

Problem: Menu options disabled or error when accessing features.

Solution (Enforced in v1.1.792+): This is expected behavior to prevent errors:

1. Create a new project or select existing project first
2. Project selection is now required for:
   • Vulnerability management
   • Scanning operations
   • Report generation
   • Evidence management

This prevents data consistency issues.

Web URLs without protocol fail to launch tools

Problem: Error when launching web scanners.

Solution (Enforced in v1.1.791+): Web URLs must include protocol:

Correct formats:

• http://example.com
• https://example.com

Incorrect formats:

• example.com
• www.example.com

Add http:// or https:// prefix to all web addresses before scanning.

Invalid certificates prevent access to tools

Problem: Cannot access OpenVAS or Nessus web interface.

Solution (Fixed in v1.1.789+):

1. Update to SVM v1.1.789 or later
2. Invalid certificates are now automatically accepted
3. For custom certificates: Use cert_install.bat
4. Check firewall allows access to tool ports

Self-signed certificates are common for security tools and are now handled automatically.

Nmap cannot resolve domain in IP field

Problem: Nmap scan fails when domain name used instead of IP.

Solution (Fixed in v1.1.792+):

1. Update to SVM v1.1.792 or later
2. Nmap now accepts both IPs and domain names
3. Ensure domain is resolvable:
   nslookup example.com
   
4. Use IP address if DNS resolution fails

Tool-Specific Issues

Recon-ng API credentials not working

Problem: Reconnaissance fails or API errors.

Solution (Fixed in v2.0.3+):

1. Update to SVM v2.0.3 or later

2. Configure API keys in Settings:

   • SHODAN API key
   • IPInfoDB key
   • Other service credentials

3. New modules added (v2.0.1):

   • certificate_transparency
   • google_site_web
   • hackertarget
   • threatcrowd

4. Domains can be specified without protocol (v2.0.3+)

API keys must be obtained from respective services.

Recon-ng executable path error

Problem: Cannot find Recon-ng executable.

Solution (Fixed in v2.0.0+):

1. Update to SVM v2.0.0 or later
2. Configure correct Recon-ng installation path in Settings
3. Verify Recon-ng is installed on remote server (for remote execution)
4. Check path includes python executable if needed

QARK scan fails or parameters not working

Problem: QARK analysis errors or outdated parameters.

Solutions:

Script file copy issue (Fixed in v1.1.794):

1. Update to SVM v1.1.794 or later
2. Verify remote server connectivity

Parameter issue (Fixed in v1.1.794): Removed deprecated parameters: --install 0 --exploit 0

1. Update to SVM v1.1.794 or later
2. Use current QARK command-line options
3. Check QARK documentation for supported parameters

EyeWitness installation missing from menu

Problem: Cannot find EyeWitness installation option.

Solution (Fixed in v1.1.792+):

1. Update to SVM v1.1.792 or later
2. Find option: Tools → Install → Remote → EyeWitness
3. Java installation also added to same menu
4. Requires SSH access to remote server

Burpsuite executable selection not working

Problem: Cannot configure Burpsuite executable path.

Solution (Fixed in v1.1.791):

1. Update to SVM v1.1.791 or later
2. Go to Settings → Configuration → Tools
3. Browse and select Burpsuite .jar or .exe file
4. Verify Java is installed if using .jar file

Android tools outdated versions

Problem: Using old versions of Android tools.

Solution: Use Tools → Install/Update Tools to get latest versions:

Updated in v2.1.0:

• Apktool → v2.4.0
• Uber Apk Signer → v1.0.0
• JD-Gui → v1.5.2

Updated in v2.0.0:

• Android Debug Bridge (adb) → v1.0.39

Installation:

1. Go to Tools → Install/Update Tools (Local or Remote)
2. Select tool to update
3. Tool is downloaded and installed automatically
4. Verify tool version after installation

Getting Additional Help

Where to find detailed error logs

For debugging complex issues:

1. Windows Event Viewer (Windows only)

2. Wine Debug Output (Linux/MacOS):

   WINEDEBUG=+all wine svm.exe 2>&1 | tee svm_debug.log
   

3. Tool-specific logs:

   • Nessus: /opt/nessus/var/nessus/logs/
   • OpenVAS: /var/log/openvas/
   • Qualys: Check web interface audit logs

4. Temporary files (may contain error details):

   • Windows: %TEMP%\
   • Linux/MacOS: /tmp/
   • Look for files with scan timestamps

Reporting issues to SVM development team

When reporting bugs:

1. Include Version Information:

   • SVM version (check Help → About)
   • Operating system and version
   • Wine version (if applicable)
   • Tool versions involved

2. Provide Error Details:

   • Exact error message
   • Steps to reproduce
   • Screenshots if relevant
   • Log files if available

3. Submit Via:

   • Built-in BugIdeas feature (Menu → BugIdeas)
   • GitHub Issues
   • Email: [e-mail]

4. Check First:

   • Review changelog for known issues
   • Search existing GitHub issues
   • Check Wiki FAQ

Need More Help?

If your issue isn’t covered here:

• Check the FAQ page for general questions
• Visit the GitHub Wiki for comprehensive guides
• Contact support: [e-mail]
• Follow @SimpleVulnManag for updates and tips