metasploit

The primary command-line interface for Metasploit is msfconsole.

msfconsole [options]

-q
    Starts msfconsole in quiet mode, suppressing the startup banner and any introductory messages.

-r
    Executes commands from a specified resource file upon startup. This is useful for automating common tasks or setting up specific environments.

-x
    Executes one or more Metasploit commands specified as a string upon startup. Commands are separated by semicolons.

-n
    Starts msfconsole without connecting to the database. Useful if the database is not configured or not needed.

-v
    Displays the version information of the Metasploit Framework and then exits.

-h
    Shows the help message for msfconsole, listing available options and their descriptions.

The Metasploit Framework is a widely used open-source penetration testing tool that helps security professionals identify, exploit, and validate vulnerabilities. It is not a single Linux command but a comprehensive platform comprising a suite of tools and a powerful console interface. Its primary interface is msfconsole, which allows users to interact with the framework's various components.

Metasploit provides a vast collection of modules, including exploits (code that targets a specific vulnerability), payloads (code executed on a target after successful exploitation), auxiliary modules (scanners, fuzzers, denial-of-service tools), and post-exploitation modules (tools for gaining further access or information after initial compromise). It streamlines the process of vulnerability research, exploit development, and security assessment, making it an indispensable tool for ethical hackers, red teams, and security researchers.

Metasploit is an extremely powerful tool that, if misused, can cause significant damage. It is crucial to use it only in authorized and ethical contexts, such as penetration testing with explicit permission from the target's owner. Misuse can lead to legal consequences. Users should have a strong understanding of networking, operating systems, and security concepts to wield Metasploit effectively and responsibly.

The strength of Metasploit lies in its modular architecture. Key module types include:
Exploits: Code that targets a specific vulnerability on a system.
Payloads: Code that is executed on the target system after a successful exploit (e.g., a reverse shell, VNC session).
Auxiliary: Tools for scanning, discovery, fuzzing, and other non-exploitative tasks.
Post: Modules used after initial access to gather more information, escalate privileges, or pivot to other systems.

Metasploit can integrate with a PostgreSQL database to store results from scans, exploits, and other operations, making it easier to manage large engagements. The msfdb command-line utility is used to initialize, start, stop, and manage the database service for Metasploit, for example, msfdb init to set up the database for the first time.

The Metasploit Project was created by H. D. Moore in 2003 as a portable network security tool. It quickly gained popularity as an open-source project written in Perl. In 2007, it was entirely rewritten in Ruby. In 2009, Rapid7, a leading cybersecurity company, acquired the Metasploit Project, further investing in its development and integrating it into their commercial products while maintaining the open-source Metasploit Framework.

nmap(1), netcat(1), wireshark(1), armitage(1) (GUI for Metasploit)