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</style><table class="infobox vevent"><tbody><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-above summary">Metasploit</th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-image logo"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-image logo"><span typeof="mw:File"></span><div class="infobox-caption">Metasploit Community showing three hosts, two of which were compromised by an exploit</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="white-space: nowrap;"><a href="Programmer" title="Programmer">Original author(s)</a></th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="H._D._Moore" title="H. D. Moore">H. D. Moore</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="white-space: nowrap;"><a href="Programmer" title="Programmer">Developer(s)</a></th><td class="infobox-data">Rapid7, Inc.</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="white-space: nowrap;">Initial release</th><td class="infobox-data">2003<span style="display:none"> (<span class="bday dtstart published updated">2003</span>)</span><sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></td></tr><tr style="display: none;"><td colspan="2" class="infobox-full-data"></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="white-space: nowrap;"><a href="Software_release_life_cycle" title="Software release life cycle">Stable release</a></th><td class="infobox-data"><div style="margin:0px;">6.4.59<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

/ April 24, 2025<span style="display: none;"> (<span class="bday dtstart published updated itvstart">2025-04-24</span>)</span></div></td></tr><tr style="display:none"><td colspan="2">

</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="white-space: nowrap;"><a href="Repository_(version_control)" title="Repository (version control)">Repository</a></th><td class="infobox-data"><span class="url"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://github.com/rapid7">github<wbr>.com<wbr>/rapid7</a></span></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="white-space: nowrap;">Written in</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="Ruby_(programming_language)" title="Ruby (programming language)">Ruby</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="white-space: nowrap;"><a href="Operating_system" title="Operating system">Operating system</a></th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="Cross-platform" class="mw-redirect" title="Cross-platform">Cross-platform</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="white-space: nowrap;"><a href="Software_categories#Categorization_approaches" title="Software categories">Type</a></th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="Computer_security" title="Computer security">Security</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="white-space: nowrap;"><a href="Software_license" title="Software license">License</a></th><td class="infobox-data">Framework: <a href="BSD_License" class="mw-redirect" title="BSD License">BSD</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-bsdlicense_3-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-bsdlicense-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Community/Express/Pro: Proprietary</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="white-space: nowrap;">Website</th><td class="infobox-data"><span class="url"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.metasploit.com/">www<wbr>.metasploit<wbr>.com</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table>

<p>The <b>Metasploit Project</b> is a <a href="Computer_security" title="Computer security">computer security</a> project that provides information about <a href="Vulnerability_(computer_science)" class="mw-redirect" title="Vulnerability (computer science)">security vulnerabilities</a> and aids in <a href="Penetration_testing" class="mw-redirect" title="Penetration testing">penetration testing</a> and <a href="Intrusion-detection_system" class="mw-redirect" title="Intrusion-detection system">IDS signature</a> development. It is owned by <b>Rapid7</b>, a <a href="Boston" title="Boston">Boston</a>, Massachusetts-based security company.

</p><p>Its best-known sub-project is the <a href="Open-source_software" title="Open-source software">open-source</a><sup id="cite_ref-bsdlicense_3-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-bsdlicense-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <b>Metasploit Framework</b>, a tool for developing and executing <a href="Exploit_(computer_security)" title="Exploit (computer security)">exploit</a> code against a remote target machine. Other important sub-projects include the Opcode Database, <a href="Shellcode" title="Shellcode">shellcode</a> archive and related research.

</p><p>The Metasploit Project includes <a href="Anti-computer_forensics" class="mw-redirect" title="Anti-computer forensics">anti-forensic</a> and evasion tools, some of which are built into the Metasploit Framework. In various operating systems it comes pre installed.

</p>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="History">History</h2></div>

<p>Metasploit was created by <a href="H._D._Moore" title="H. D. Moore">H. D. Moore</a> in 2003 as a portable network tool using <a href="Perl" title="Perl">Perl</a>. By 2007, the Metasploit Framework had been completely rewritten in <a href="Ruby_(programming_language)" title="Ruby (programming language)">Ruby</a>. On October 21, 2009, the Metasploit Project announced<sup id="cite_ref-:0_4-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:0-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> that it had been acquired by Rapid7, a security company that provides unified vulnerability management solutions.

</p><p>Like comparable commercial products such as Immunity's Canvas or <a href="Core_Security_Technologies" title="Core Security Technologies">Core Security Technologies</a>' Core Impact, Metasploit can be used to test the vulnerability of computer systems or to break into remote systems. Like many <a href="Information_security" title="Information security">information security</a> tools, Metasploit can be used for both legitimate and unauthorized activities. Since the acquisition of the Metasploit Framework, Rapid7 has added an <a href="Open_core" class="mw-redirect" title="Open core">open core</a> proprietary edition called Metasploit Pro.<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

</p><p>Metasploit's emerging position as the <a href="De_facto" title="De facto">de facto</a> exploit development framework<sup id="cite_ref-:1_6-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:1-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> led to the release of software vulnerability advisories often accompanied<sup id="cite_ref-:2_7-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:2-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> by a third party Metasploit exploit module that highlights the exploitability, risk and remediation of that particular bug.<sup id="cite_ref-VMwareNAT_8-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-VMwareNAT-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-MOKB-11-11-2006_9-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-MOKB-11-11-2006-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Metasploit 3.0 began to include <a href="Fuzzing" title="Fuzzing">fuzzing</a> tools, used to discover software vulnerabilities, rather than just exploits for known bugs. This avenue can be seen with the integration of the <a href="Lorcon" title="Lorcon">lorcon</a> wireless (802.11) toolset into Metasploit 3.0 in November 2006.

</p>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Framework">Framework</h2></div>

<p>The basic steps for exploiting a system using the Framework include.

</p>

<ol><li>Optionally checking whether the intended target system is vulnerable to an exploit.</li>

<li>Choosing and configuring an <i>exploit</i> (code that enters a target system by taking advantage of one of its <a href="Software_bug" title="Software bug">bugs</a>; about 900 different exploits for <a href="Microsoft_Windows" title="Microsoft Windows">Windows</a>, <a href="Unix" title="Unix">Unix</a>/<a href="Linux" title="Linux">Linux</a> and <a href="MacOS" title="MacOS">macOS</a> systems are included).</li>

<li>Choosing and configuring a <i><a href="Payload_(software)" class="mw-redirect" title="Payload (software)">payload</a></i> (code that will be executed on the target system upon successful entry; for instance, a remote shell or a <a href="Virtual_Network_Computing" class="mw-redirect" title="Virtual Network Computing">VNC server</a>). Metasploit often recommends a payload that should work.</li>

<li>Choosing the encoding technique so that hexadecimal opcodes known as "bad characters" are removed from the payload, these characters will cause the exploit to fail.</li>

<li>Executing the exploit.</li></ol>

<p>This modular approach – allowing the combination of any exploit with any payload – is the major advantage of the Framework. It facilitates the tasks of attackers, exploit writers and payload writers.

</p><p>Metasploit runs on Unix (including Linux and macOS) and on Windows. The Metasploit Framework can be extended to use add-ons in multiple languages.

</p><p>To choose an exploit and payload, some information about the target system is needed, such as operating system version and installed network services. This information can be gleaned with <a href="Port_scanning" class="mw-redirect" title="Port scanning">port scanning</a> and <a href="TCP/IP_stack_fingerprinting" title="TCP/IP stack fingerprinting">TCP/IP stack fingerprinting</a> tools such as <a href="Nmap" title="Nmap">Nmap</a>. <a href="Vulnerability_scanner" title="Vulnerability scanner">Vulnerability scanners</a> such as <a href="Nessus_(software)" title="Nessus (software)">Nessus</a>, and <a href="OpenVAS" title="OpenVAS">OpenVAS</a> can detect target system vulnerabilities. Metasploit can import vulnerability scanner data and compare the identified vulnerabilities to existing exploit modules for accurate exploitation.<sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

</p>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Interfaces">Interfaces</h2></div>

<p>There are several interfaces for Metasploit available. The most popular are maintained by Rapid7 and Strategic Cyber LLC.<sup id="cite_ref-Metasploit_editions_11-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Metasploit_editions-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

</p>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Metasploit_Framework_(Open_Source_Edition)">Metasploit Framework (Open Source Edition)</h3></div>

<p>The Metasploit Framework is the freely available, open-source edition of the Metasploit Project.

</p><p>It provides tools for vulnerability assessment and exploit development including:

</p>

<ul><li>A command-line interface for controlling exploit modules.</li>

<li>Database for managing scan data and exploit results.</li>

<li>Import of network scan results from external scanning utilities such as Nmap.</li>

<li>Scanning support using the integrated `db_nmap` feature for automated execution and data integration.</li>

<li>Over 1,500 built-in exploits, with the ability of adding custom exploit modules or automated resource scripts.</li></ul>

<p>The Metasploit Framework is implemented in Ruby and uses a modular software architecture.<sup id="cite_ref-12" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

</p>

<p>In October 2010, Rapid7 added Metasploit Pro, an open-core commercial Metasploit edition for penetration testers. Metasploit Pro adds onto Metasploit Express with features such as Quick Start Wizards/MetaModules, building and managing <a href="Social_engineering_(security)" title="Social engineering (security)">social engineering</a> campaigns, web application testing, an advanced Pro Console, dynamic payloads for anti-virus evasion, integration with Nexpose for ad-hoc vulnerability scans, and VPN pivoting.

</p>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Discontinued_editions">Discontinued editions</h3></div>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Community">Community</h4></div>

<p>The edition was released in October 2011, and included a free, web-based user interface for Metasploit. Metasploit Community Edition was based on the commercial functionality of the paid-for editions with a reduced set of features, including network discovery, module browsing and manual exploitation. Metasploit Community was included in the main installer.

</p><p>On July 18, 2019, Rapid7 announced the end-of-sale of Metasploit Community Edition.<sup id="cite_ref-13" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Existing users were able to continue using it until their license expired.

</p>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Express">Express</h4></div>

<p>The edition was released in April 2010, and was an open-core commercial edition for security teams who need to verify vulnerabilities. It offers a graphical user interface, It integrated nmap for discovery, and added smart brute-forcing as well as automated evidence collection.

</p><p>On June 4, 2019, Rapid7 discontinued Metasploit Express Edition.<sup id="cite_ref-14" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

</p>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Armitage">Armitage</h3></div>

<p><a href="Armitage_(computing)" title="Armitage (computing)">Armitage</a> is a graphical cyber attack management tool for the Metasploit Project that visualizes targets and recommends exploits. It is a <a href="Free_and_open_source" class="mw-redirect" title="Free and open source">free and open source</a> <a href="Network_security" title="Network security">network security</a> tool notable for its contributions to <a href="Red_team" title="Red team">red team</a> collaboration allowing for shared sessions, data, and communication through a single Metasploit instance.<sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

</p><p>The latest release of Armitage was in 2015.

</p>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Cobalt_Strike">Cobalt Strike</h3></div>

<p>Cobalt Strike is a collection of threat emulation tools provided by HelpSystems to work with the Metasploit Framework.<sup id="cite_ref-16" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Cobalt Strike includes all features of <a href="Armitage_(computing)" title="Armitage (computing)">Armitage</a> and adds post-exploitation tools, in addition to report generation features.<sup id="cite_ref-17" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

</p>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Exploits">Exploits</h2></div>

<p>Metasploit currently has over 2074 exploits, organized under the following platforms: <a href="AIX" class="mw-redirect" title="AIX">AIX</a>, <a href="Android_(operating_system)" title="Android (operating system)">Android</a>, <a href="BSD" class="mw-redirect" title="BSD">BSD</a>, <a href="BSDi" class="mw-redirect" title="BSDi">BSDi</a>, <a href="Cisco" title="Cisco">Cisco</a>, <a href="Firefox" title="Firefox">Firefox</a>, <a href="FreeBSD" title="FreeBSD">FreeBSD</a>, <a href="HP-UX" title="HP-UX">HP-UX</a>, <a href="Irix" class="mw-redirect" title="Irix">Irix</a>, <a href="Java_(programming_language)" title="Java (programming language)">Java</a>, <a href="JavaScript" title="JavaScript">JavaScript</a>, <a href="Linux" title="Linux">Linux</a>, <a href="Mainframe" class="mw-redirect" title="Mainframe">mainframe</a>, multi (applicable to multiple platforms), <a href="NetBSD" title="NetBSD">NetBSD</a>, <a href="NetWare" title="NetWare">NetWare</a>, <a href="Nodejs" class="mw-redirect" title="Nodejs">NodeJS</a>, <a href="OpenBSD" title="OpenBSD">OpenBSD</a>, <a href="MacOS" title="MacOS">macOS</a>, <a href="PHP" title="PHP">PHP</a>, <a href="Python_(programming_language)" title="Python (programming language)">Python</a>, <a href="R_(programming_language)" title="R (programming language)">R</a>, <a href="Ruby_(programming_language)" title="Ruby (programming language)">Ruby</a>, <a href="Solaris_(operating_system)" class="mw-redirect" title="Solaris (operating system)">Solaris</a>, <a href="Unix" title="Unix">Unix</a>, and <a href="Windows" class="mw-redirect" title="Windows">Windows</a>.

</p><p>Note that <a href="IOS" title="IOS">Apple iOS</a> is based on FreeBSD, and some FreeBSD exploits may work, while most won't.

</p>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Payloads">Payloads</h2></div>

<p>Metasploit currently has over 592 payloads. Some of them are:

</p>

<ul><li>Command shell enables users to run collection scripts or run arbitrary commands against the host.</li>

<li>Meterpreter (the Metasploit Interpreter) enables users to control the screen of a device using VNC and to browse, upload and download files.</li>

<li>Dynamic payloads enable users to evade anti-virus defense by generating unique payloads.</li>

<li>Static payloads enable static IP address/port forwarding for communication between the host and the client system.</li></ul>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Auxiliary_modules">Auxiliary modules</h2></div>

<p>The Metasploit Framework includes hundreds of auxiliary modules that can perform scanning, fuzzing, sniffing, and much more. There are three types of auxiliary modules namely scanners, admin and server modules.

</p>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Contributors">Contributors</h2></div>

<p>Metasploit Framework operates as an open-source project and accepts contributions from the community through GitHub.com pull requests.<sup id="cite_ref-18" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-18"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>18<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Submissions are reviewed by a team consisting of both Rapid7 employees and senior external contributors. The majority of contributions add new modules, such as exploits or scanners.<sup id="cite_ref-19" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

</p><p>List of original developers:

</p>

<ul><li><a href="H._D._Moore" title="H. D. Moore">H. D. Moore</a> (founder and chief architect)</li>

<li>Matt Miller (core developer from 2004–2008)</li>

<li>Dean McNamee (Spoonm) (core developer from 2003–2008)</li></ul>

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<li><a href="OWASP" title="OWASP">OWASP</a> Open Web Application Security Project</li></ul>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2></div>

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</style><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.oreilly.com/library/view/metasploit/9781593272883/pr04s03.html">"A Brief History of Metasploit"</a>. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20230803154255/https://www.oreilly.com/library/view/metasploit/9781593272883/pr04s03.html">Archived</a> from the original on 2023-08-03<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2024-05-23</span></span>.</cite></span>

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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Further_reading">Further reading</h2></div>

<ul><li><i><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://searchsecurity.techtarget.com/originalContent/0,289142,sid14_gci1135581,00.html">Powerful payloads: The evolution of exploit frameworks</a></i>, searchsecurity.com, 2005-10-20</li>

<li>Chapter 12: Writing Exploits III from <i>Sockets, Shellcode, Porting & Coding: Reverse Engineering Exploits and Tool Coding for Security Professionals</i> by James C. Foster (<a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>1-59749-005-9</bdi>). Written by Vincent Liu, chapter 12 explains how to use Metasploit to develop a buffer overflow exploit from scratch.</li></ul>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="External_links">External links</h2></div>

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