Qualys Cloud Agent on BSD
Overview
BSD (Berkeley Software Distribution) operating systems are widely recognized for their security, robustness, and advanced networking features. The Qualys Cloud Agent for BSD extends continuous security monitoring to these systems, providing essential visibility into:
- Vulnerability Management (VMDR)
- Policy Compliance Auditing
- Asset Inventory and System Profiling
With its lightweight footprint and secure architecture, the agent runs silently in the background, collecting system telemetry and transmitting it securely to the Qualys Cloud Platform.
Who Should Use This Guide?
- FreeBSD and OpenBSD System Administrators
- Security Compliance Teams
- Network and Infrastructure Engineers
- Organizations running BSD in hardened or performance-sensitive environments
Before You Begin
- Running a supported BSD distribution (e.g., FreeBSD 12.x or later)
- Root or
sudoprivileges on the target system - A valid Qualys Activation Key
- Outbound network access to Qualys Cloud Platform (HTTPS on port 443)
- (Optional) Proxy or Qualys Gateway Server (QGS) setup if direct internet access is restricted
What You’ll Learn
- Downloading the Qualys Cloud Agent package for BSD
- Installing and configuring the agent manually or via package manager
- Registering the agent to your Qualys subscription
- Validating communication and agent status in the Qualys Console
- Troubleshooting and log verification
Deployment Highlights
- Distributed as a BSD-compatible binary package
- Uses secure TLS communication to Qualys platform
- Auto-recovers after system reboots and temporary outages
- Designed for high-stability, low-interference environments
Related Resources
Need Help?
For advanced configurations, automation, or security hardening support, contact your Qualys Technical Account Manager, participate in the Qualys Community, or reach out to Qualys Support.