Generate an API Key

The Vulnerability Management API uses key-based authentication, which pairs an access key and a secret key in request headers. To get an API key, you must have a Tenable Vulnerability Management user account with the appropriate permissions, as described in Access Control.

You generate API keys in the user interface. Each account can only have one API key at a time, so new keys invalidate existing keys.

To generate a Vulnerability Management API Key:

Log in to Tenable at cloud.tenable.com.
In the upper-right corner, click the user profile icon.

The My Account page appears.
In the left navigation, click API Keys.

The API Keys section appears.
In the bottom-left corner, click Generate.

In the top-right corner, a dialog appears with a message that existing keys will be unauthorized.
Click Continue.

Under ACCESS KEY and SECRET KEY, new keys appear.
Copy the keys to a safe location. After you close the My Account page, you cannot view the keys again.