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Topic starter 15/08/2025 8:37 pm
Metasploit is one of the most widely used tools in cybersecurity for penetration testing, vulnerability assessment, and ethical hacking. Here’s a comprehensive overview:
🧠 What Is Metasploit?
- Metasploit Framework is an open-source penetration testing platform developed by Rapid7.
- It allows security professionals to simulate cyberattacks to identify and fix vulnerabilities before malicious hackers can exploit them.
🧰 What Can Metasploit Do?
| Capability | Description |
|---|---|
| Exploit Development | Use or create modules to exploit known vulnerabilities. |
| Payload Generation | Create custom payloads to execute code on target systems. |
| Post-Exploitation | Maintain access, gather data, or escalate privileges after a breach. |
| Reconnaissance | Scan networks and systems to identify potential targets. |
| Social Engineering | Launch phishing attacks or fake websites to harvest credentials. |
| Integration | Works with tools like Nmap, Nessus, and Wireshark for enhanced analysis. |
🖥️ How It Works
- Start Metasploit: Launch via terminal using
msfconsole. - Scan Target: Use tools like Nmap to find open ports and services.
- Select Exploit: Choose from hundreds of pre-built exploit modules.
- Configure Payload: Define what you want to execute on the target (e.g., reverse shell).
- Launch Attack: Execute the exploit and monitor results.
- Post-Exploitation: Use Meterpreter or other tools to explore the compromised system.
🔐 Ethical Use Only
Metasploit is a legitimate tool for authorized testing. Using it without permission is illegal. It’s primarily used by:
- Security consultants
- Ethical hackers
- Red teams
- IT departments
Here are some commonly used Metasploit commands that help you navigate and operate within the msfconsole interface—the command-line hub of the Metasploit Framework:
🧭 Basic Navigation Commands
| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
msfconsole |
Launches the Metasploit Framework. |
search |
Finds modules (exploits, payloads, etc.) by keyword. |
use |
Loads a specific module (e.g., use exploit/windows/smb/ms08_067_netapi). |
back |
Exits the current module and returns to the main console. |
info |
Displays detailed information about the selected module. |
help |
Lists all available commands and their descriptions. |
exit |
Closes the Metasploit console. |
⚙️ Configuration & Execution
| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
show options |
Displays required and optional settings for the selected module. |
set |
Assigns a value to a module option (e.g., set RHOST 192.168.1.10). |
setg |
Sets a global variable across all modules. |
exploit |
Launches the attack using the configured module. |
run |
Alternative to exploit, used in auxiliary modules. |
🧪 Useful Utilities
| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
check |
Verifies if the target is vulnerable to the selected exploit. |
banner |
Displays a random Metasploit banner. |
connect |
Acts like Netcat to connect to a remote host (e.g., connect 192.168.1.1 23). |
color |
Enables or disables colored output (color true, color false). |
🧬 Payload & Session Management
| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
sessions |
Lists active sessions. |
sessions -i [ID] |
Interacts with a specific session. |
jobs |
Lists background jobs. |
kill [Job ID] |
Terminates a background job. |
For a full reference, you can check out the Metasploit Cheat Sheet from Comparitech or the Msfconsole command guide from OffSec.
