"The feed owner is currently not set"

Getting Started
1

I’m trying to start a Task using the Task Wizard, but am getting message:

The feed owner is currently not set. This issue may be due to the feed not having completed its synchronization.
Please try again shortly.

I did notice that various related processes were taking over 90% of the CPU, and I was seeing various “Updating” messages written to “/var/log/gvm/gvmd.log”.

When I try to launch the Task, the log says:

event target:MESSAGE:2025-06-27 15h49.12 utc:20278: Target could not be created by admin
event wizard:MESSAGE:2025-06-27 15h49.12 utc:20278: Wizard quick_first_scan could not be run by admin

So I just wait (although I have no idea how long to wait, and no way to tell when this synchronization is complete).

Now those “Updating” log messages have stopped, and the system is basically idle, so I presume that the synchronization is complete, but I still get the same problem when I try to launch a Task in the Task Wizard.

The environment is Kali Linux (all updates applied) in a VMware Workstation VM (2 CPUs, 8 GB memory, 80 GB disk space). GVM version info from the log file is “Greenbone Vulnerability Manager version 26.0.0 (DB revision 259)”.

Here’s the complete log:

md m> ain:MESSAGE:2025-06-27 14h56.50 utc:2240: Greenbone Vulnerability Manager version 26.0.0 (DB revision 259)

md manage:MESSAGE:2025-06-27 14h56.50 utc:2242: No SCAP database found
md main: INFO:2025-06-27 14h56.51 utc:2242: gvmd is ready to accept GMP connections
md main:WARNING:2025-06-27 14h56.51 utc:2242: The gvmd data feed directory /var/lib/gvm/data-objects/gvmd or one of its subdirectories does not exist.
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 14h56.51 utc:2264: osp_scanner_feed_version: No feed version available yet. OSPd OpenVAS is still starting
md manage:WARNING:2025-06-27 14h56.51 utc:2263: update_scap: No SCAP db present, rebuilding SCAP db from scratch
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 14h56.55 utc:2263: update_scap: Updating data from feed
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 14h56.55 utc:2263: Updating CPEs
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 14h56.55 utc:2263: Updating /var/lib/gvm/scap-data/nvd-cpes.json.gz
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 14h58.02 utc:2263: Updating CPE refs…
event target:MESSAGE:2025-06-27 14h58.11 utc:2804: Target could not be created by admin
event wizard:MESSAGE:2025-06-27 14h58.11 utc:2804: Wizard quick_first_scan could not be run by admin
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 14h58.20 utc:2263: Updating CPE match strings from /var/lib/gvm/scap-data/nvd-cpe-matches.json.gz
event target:MESSAGE:2025-06-27 14h58.58 utc:2869: Target could not be created by admin
event wizard:MESSAGE:2025-06-27 14h58.58 utc:2869: Wizard quick_first_scan could not be run by admin
event target:MESSAGE:2025-06-27 15h00.59 utc:3040: Target could not be created by admin
event wizard:MESSAGE:2025-06-27 15h00.59 utc:3040: Wizard quick_first_scan could not be run by admin
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 15h02.31 utc:2263: Updating CVEs
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 15h02.31 utc:2263: Updating /var/lib/gvm/scap-data/nvdcve-2.0-2006.json.gz
event target:MESSAGE:2025-06-27 15h03.02 utc:5927: Target could not be created by admin
event wizard:MESSAGE:2025-06-27 15h03.02 utc:5927: Wizard quick_first_scan could not be run by admin
event target:MESSAGE:2025-06-27 15h04.51 utc:15474: Target could not be created by admin
event wizard:MESSAGE:2025-06-27 15h04.51 utc:15474: Wizard quick_first_scan could not be run by admin
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 15h05.12 utc:2263: Updating /var/lib/gvm/scap-data/nvdcve-2.0-2022.json.gz
event target:MESSAGE:2025-06-27 15h05.26 utc:16417: Target could not be created by admin
event wizard:MESSAGE:2025-06-27 15h05.26 utc:16417: Wizard quick_first_scan could not be run by admin
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 15h07.06 utc:2263: Updating /var/lib/gvm/scap-data/nvdcve-2.0-2012.json.gz
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 15h07.33 utc:2263: Updating /var/lib/gvm/scap-data/nvdcve-2.0-2025.json.gz
event target:MESSAGE:2025-06-27 15h07.47 utc:16633: Target could not be created by admin
event wizard:MESSAGE:2025-06-27 15h07.47 utc:16633: Wizard quick_first_scan could not be run by admin
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 15h07.53 utc:2263: Updating /var/lib/gvm/scap-data/nvdcve-2.0-2019.json.gz
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 15h08.36 utc:2263: Updating /var/lib/gvm/scap-data/nvdcve-2.0-2004.json.gz
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 15h08.41 utc:2263: Updating /var/lib/gvm/scap-data/nvdcve-2.0-2013.json.gz
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 15h09.13 utc:2263: Updating /var/lib/gvm/scap-data/nvdcve-2.0-2007.json.gz
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 15h09.21 utc:2263: Updating /var/lib/gvm/scap-data/nvdcve-2.0-2002.json.gz
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 15h09.24 utc:2263: Updating /var/lib/gvm/scap-data/nvdcve-2.0-2015.json.gz
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 15h09.46 utc:2263: Updating /var/lib/gvm/scap-data/nvdcve-2.0-1999.json.gz
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 15h09.48 utc:2263: Updating /var/lib/gvm/scap-data/nvdcve-2.0-2018.json.gz
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 15h10.21 utc:2263: Updating /var/lib/gvm/scap-data/nvdcve-2.0-2009.json.gz
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 15h10.38 utc:2263: Updating /var/lib/gvm/scap-data/nvdcve-2.0-2023.json.gz
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 15h12.04 utc:2263: Updating /var/lib/gvm/scap-data/nvdcve-2.0-2011.json.gz
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 15h12.28 utc:2263: Updating /var/lib/gvm/scap-data/nvdcve-2.0-2024.json.gz
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 15h14.16 utc:2263: Updating /var/lib/gvm/scap-data/nvdcve-2.0-2010.json.gz
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 15h14.34 utc:2263: Updating /var/lib/gvm/scap-data/nvdcve-2.0-2017.json.gz
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 15h15.09 utc:2263: Updating /var/lib/gvm/scap-data/nvdcve-2.0-2001.json.gz
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 15h15.12 utc:2263: Updating /var/lib/gvm/scap-data/nvdcve-2.0-2005.json.gz
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 15h15.20 utc:2263: Updating /var/lib/gvm/scap-data/nvdcve-2.0-2003.json.gz
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 15h15.23 utc:2263: Updating /var/lib/gvm/scap-data/nvdcve-2.0-2008.json.gz
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 15h15.35 utc:2263: Updating /var/lib/gvm/scap-data/nvdcve-2.0-2016.json.gz
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 15h16.05 utc:2263: Updating /var/lib/gvm/scap-data/nvdcve-2.0-2014.json.gz
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 15h16.28 utc:2263: Updating /var/lib/gvm/scap-data/nvdcve-2.0-2021.json.gz
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 15h17.48 utc:2263: Updating /var/lib/gvm/scap-data/nvdcve-2.0-2020.json.gz
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 15h18.44 utc:2263: Updating /var/lib/gvm/scap-data/nvdcve-2.0-2000.json.gz
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 15h18.47 utc:2263: update_epss_scores: EPSS scores file ‘/var/lib/gvm/scap-data/epss-scores-current.json’ not found
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 15h18.47 utc:2263: Updating CVSS scores and CVE counts for CPEs
event target:MESSAGE:2025-06-27 15h24.38 utc:18230: Target could not be created by admin
event wizard:MESSAGE:2025-06-27 15h24.38 utc:18230: Wizard quick_first_scan could not be run by admin
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 15h31.32 utc:2263: Updating placeholder CPEs
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 15h31.34 utc:2263: Updating Max CVSS for DFN-CERT
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 15h31.36 utc:2263: Updating DFN-CERT CVSS max succeeded.
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 15h31.36 utc:2263: Updating Max CVSS for CERT-Bund
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 15h31.37 utc:2263: Updating CERT-Bund CVSS max succeeded.
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 15h31.39 utc:2263: update_scap_end: Updating SCAP info succeeded
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 15h31.39 utc:2260: Assigning EPSS scores to VTs
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 15h31.49 utc:18681: OSP service has different VT status (version 202211071014) from database (version (null), 0 VTs). Starting update …
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 15h34.43 utc:18681: Updating VTs in database … 114102 new VTs, 0 changed VTs
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 15h34.45 utc:18681: Updating VTs in database … done (114102 VTs).
md manage: INFO:2025-06-27 15h34.45 utc:18676: Assigning EPSS scores to VTs
event target:MESSAGE:2025-06-27 15h35.05 utc:18818: Target could not be created by admin
event wizard:MESSAGE:2025-06-27 15h35.05 utc:18818: Wizard quick_first_scan could not be run by admin
event target:MESSAGE:2025-06-27 15h40.14 utc:19338: Target could not be created by admin
event wizard:MESSAGE:2025-06-27 15h40.14 utc:19338: Wizard quick_first_scan could not be run by admin
event target:MESSAGE:2025-06-27 15h41.42 utc:19486: Target could not be created by admin
event wizard:MESSAGE:2025-06-27 15h41.42 utc:19486: Wizard quick_first_scan could not be run by admin
event target:MESSAGE:2025-06-27 15h44.30 utc:19754: Target could not be created by admin
event wizard:MESSAGE:2025-06-27 15h44.30 utc:19754: Wizard quick_first_scan could not be run by admin
event target:MESSAGE:2025-06-27 15h45.43 utc:19951: Target could not be created by admin
event wizard:MESSAGE:2025-06-27 15h45.43 utc:19951: Wizard quick_first_scan could not be run by admin
event target:MESSAGE:2025-06-27 15h49.12 utc:20278: Target could not be created by admin
event wizard:MESSAGE:2025-06-27 15h49.12 utc:20278: Wizard quick_first_scan could not be run by admin

Any help is appreciated. Thanks in advance.

2

Firstly, you should always detail your installation method since there are many pathways to Greenbone Community Edition with slightly different possible causes and directions for support. :slight_smile:

Secondly, did you Set the Feed Import Owner.

3

@LarryMenard did you installed via apt and packages? if the just wait until feed is synced to database (can take up to four hours)

Eero

4

@LarryMenard not sure how did you installed it, but

install clean kali vm or physical machine

export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive

apt -y update; apt -y upgrade; apt -y install openvas

gvm-setup
gvm-check-setup

and then wait some hours for nvt database sync.

Eero

5

@LarryMenard if you installed it using source version, then follow instructions and set feed owner.

Eero

6

Hello Eero.

I did not install GVM. It comes pre-installed on the Kali Linux VMware appliance I downloaded. I have no idea how they installed it.

7

Hi rippledj.

As I said, the environment is a Kali Linux VM. GVM came pre-installed on it.

I will look into the link you provided. Thanks.

8

I guess that’s one my points of confusion. How exactly can I be able to tell when the sync is complete? Is there a log message or some notification?

9

@LarryMenard

You need to follow my instruction to install Kali from scratch and set up OpenVAS according to my guidelines; your current setup using a random Kali image from somewhere isn’t on my support list—forget it.

Eero

10

Hi,

please take a look at the official Greenbone Community Docs for some troubleshooting hints. Also if a feed sync is still running should always be visible in an up-to-date GSA UI. You can also take a look at the feed status page in the UI.

1 Like
11

Greenbone does not come preinstalled with the Official Kali Linux VMs from Offensive Security. So, I’m not sure which third-party source you received this VM. I strongly suggest using the Official Kali VMs and our Kali Linux Install Guide](Kali Linux Install Guide - Greenbone Community Documentation).

Easiest way is to look the Feed Status page in the Greenbone web-interface. This will indicate whether the sync is processing or complete.

12

@rippledj well. kali packages just work, no need to set feed owner. that installation is probably ****** up.

Eero