Metasploit is an exploitation framework that provides tools for penetration testing and exploit development.
What is Metasploit?
Metasploit is an open-source framework that provides tools for penetration testing, exploit development and security research.
Components
Framework Core
- Exploits: Exploitation modules
- Payloads: Payloads
- Auxiliaries: Auxiliary modules
- Encoders: Encoders
Metasploit Pro
- Web interface: Advanced web interface
- Automation: Task automation
- Reports: Advanced reports
- Integration: Integration with other tools
Metasploit Community
- Free version: Free version
- Basic features: Basic features
- Community: Community support
- Documentation: Complete documentation
Features
Exploitation
- Exploits: Vulnerability exploitation
- Payloads: Payloads
- Post-exploitation: Post-exploitation
- Pivoting: Network pivoting
Development
- Exploit development: Exploit creation
- Payload development: Payload creation
- Testing: Exploit testing
- Debugging: Code debugging
Automation
- Scripts: Automation scripts
- Workflows: Workflows
- Batch processing: Batch processing
- Scheduling: Task scheduling
Basic Usage
Starting Metasploit
Exploitation
Post-exploitation
Modules
Exploits
- Windows: Windows exploits
- Linux: Linux exploits
- Web: Web application exploits
- Mobile: Mobile device exploits
Payloads
- Shell: Command shells
- Meterpreter: Advanced payload
- Bind: Bind payloads
- Reverse: Reverse payloads
Auxiliaries
- Scanners: Network scanners
- Fuzzers: Application fuzzers
- Spoofers: Spoofers
- Sniffers: Traffic capturers
Use Cases
Penetration Testing
- Reconnaissance: Reconnaissance phase
- Scanning: Target scanning
- Exploitation: Vulnerability exploitation
- Post-exploitation: Post-exploitation
Red Team
- Simulation: Attack simulation
- Evaluation: Defense evaluation
- Training: Team training
- Research: Security research
Development
- Exploit development: Exploit creation
- Testing: Security testing
- Research: Vulnerability research
- Education: Security education
Best Practices
Ethical Use
- Authorization: Obtain authorization
- Scope: Define testing scope
- Documentation: Document activities
- Responsibility: Assume responsibility
Techniques
- Stealth: Use stealth techniques
- Timing: Adjust attack timing
- Fragmentation: Use fragmentation
- Decoy: Use decoys
Analysis
- Results: Analyze results
- False Positives: Identify false positives
- Correlation: Correlate with other data
- Documentation: Document findings
Related Concepts
- Ethical Hacking - Methodology that uses Metasploit
- Penetration Testing - Technique that uses Metasploit
- Vulnerability Assessment - Assessment that includes Metasploit
- Nmap - Complementary tool to Metasploit
- Nessus - Complementary scanner to Metasploit
- Firewall - Device that Metasploit can test
- VPN - Connection that Metasploit can analyze
- VLAN - Segment that Metasploit can scan
- Routers - Devices that Metasploit identifies
- Switches - Devices that Metasploit scans
- Logs - Metasploit test logs
- Dashboards - Metasploit results visualization