[Help] gvmd NVT feed sync stuck / hash mismatch – unable to start scans

Linux Distribution and External Repo Discussion
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@sgonzalez feed error messages to ai (copilot or chatgpt)

and

This warning and rebuild message from your Greenbone/OpenVAS setup indicates a mismatch between the SHA-256 hash of the Vulnerability Tests (VTs) in the database and those from the scanner. It’s a common issue when the VT cache gets out of sync or corrupted.

Here’s how to fix it:

:hammer_and_wrench: Step-by-Step Fix for VT Hash Mismatch

  1. Stop Services
    Shut down the Greenbone services to avoid interference during the fix:

    sudo systemctl stop gvmd
sudo systemctl stop ospd-openvas

  2. Purge the NVT Cache
    Remove the existing NVTs to force a clean rebuild:

    sudo rm -rf /var/lib/openvas/plugins/*

  3. Resync the NVTs
    Download the latest set of NVTs:

    sudo greenbone-nvt-sync

  4. Restart Services
    Bring the services back online:

    sudo systemctl start ospd-openvas
sudo systemctl start gvmd

  5. Verify the Sync
    Check the logs to confirm that the hash mismatch warning is gone and the database rebuild completes successfully.

:brain: Why This Happens

  • The scanner and the database maintain separate VT caches.
  • If the sync process is interrupted or corrupted, their hash values diverge.
  • Greenbone Manager detects this and triggers a full rebuild to restore consistency⁽¹⁾.

If the issue persists even after these steps, it might indicate a deeper corruption or a version mismatch between components. In that case, updating your Greenbone stack or checking for known bugs in your version might help.

Want help checking your version compatibility or updating your setup?

[1] Gvmd database rebuild fails/database out of sync (Gvmd database rebuild fails/database out of sync)

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