Metasploit Framework is an open-source sub-project form the Metasploit Project. Based on its functionality, Metasploit Framework is categorized as a Pen-testing tool, an exploit writing tool, and an anti-forensic and evasion tool. As a penetration tester, it can simulate attacks from malicious programs in order to check and evaluate the level of security of any computer system.
The project started in 2003 as a portable network game using the Perl scripting language. Later, the entire Metasploit Framework was rewritten in Ruby programming language. This project was acquired by Rapid7 in October 2009. Metasploit Framework installation is not a straightforward operation when it comes to Windows, especially if you have installed any antivirus software program alongside. Most of the antivirus tools consider Metasploit Framework’s scripts and components as Trojans and other malware, which causes installation problems.
Metasploit Framework comes with both a graphical and a character-based interface. This tool is meant only for developers and for security professionals, those who are testing, developing, and executing exploits in a controlled manner. Thus, if you ever use it, you will need to be very careful, since this kind of software tools can be either used in a good and productive way, or misused in malicious ways.
v3.4 [May 19, 2010]
The dns_enum auxiliary module now supports bruteforcing IPv6 AAAA records.
Command shell sessions can now be automated via scripts using an API similar to Meterpreter.
The console can be automated using Ruby code blocks within resource files
Initial sound support is available by loading the "sounds" plugin.
The Report mixin and report_* methods are now one-way, you can write to the database but not work with the results. This increases the scalability of the database.
Many modules report information to the database by default now (auxiliary/scanner/*).
Lotus Domino version, login bruteforce, and hash collector auxiliary modules.
Upgrade any command shell session to Meterpreter via sessions -u.
The VNC injection payload now uses the latest TightVNC codebase and bypasses Session 0 isolation.
Several modules were renamed to include their Microsoft Technet bulletin number.
Code can now interface directly with an installed Java Development Kit via a Java mixin.
Tomcat and JBoss installations can be exploited to gain sessions (Windows x86/x64, Linux x86/x64)
The msfencode utility can now generate WAR payloads for Tomcat and JBoss
Oracle XDB SID brute forcing is much more comprehensive.
The msfencode utility can now inject into an existing executable while keeping the original functionality
The XMLRPC server has been improved and additional APIs are available
The db_import command now supports NeXpose Simple XML, NeXpose Export XML, Nessus (NBE, XMLv1, XMLv2), QualysGuard XML, and Nmap
There is a new db_status command that shows which driver is currently in use and whether your database connection is active.
