Learn Metasploit with online courses and programs
What is Metasploit?
Cybersecurity professionals rely on a variety of tools to help them keep their organizations and their data safe. Information security teams use Metasploit to find, exploit, and validate system vulnerabilities. The open-source framework includes exploitation tools and penetration testing tools, which help to protect an organization’s networks from hackers and other security threats.
The Metasploit framework consists of a series of interfaces, libraries, modules, tools, and plugins. These enable users to access the framework, run exploits, perform various tasks, and enhance overall functionality.
IT professionals can also use Metasploit to stage hacking scenarios, which can help them learn how to respond to advanced hacking techniques. The framework can perform the various phases of penetration testing, including information gathering, gaining access, privilege escalation, and maintaining access.Footnote 1 The framework can also save IT teams time by automating some of the repetitive tasks required for penetration testing.
Additionally, Metasploit's reporting features highlight the vulnerabilities that need to be prioritized. This allows computer security teams to focus on their most vulnerable areas and protect networks from threats.Footnote 2
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Metasploit tutorial curriculum
By taking a Metasploit tutorial, you can gain hands-on experience that helps to build your cybersecurity skill set. A Metasploit course curriculum may cover the following topics:
Setting up a Metasploit development environment
Contributing to Metasploit
Accepting modules and enhancements
Writing exploits
Parsing an HTTP response
Reversing shells
Using Powershell in an exploit
If you already have some experience using Metasploit, you may prefer to enroll in a class that covers its uses more in-depth. This could involve conducting vulnerability assessments, hardening, or automating exploitation activities.
Depending on the specific career you want to pursue, you may also take more advanced cybersecurity classes that include Metasploit in their coursework. edX offers many educational options for individuals interested in learning about cybersecurity, ranging from cybersecurity boot camps to bachelor’s degree programs in computer science.
Explore Metasploit jobs
Metasploit is designed to perform many different cybersecurity tasks, which makes it useful in various information security roles. Any cybersecurity professional that works with penetration testing, vulnerability exploiting, and ethical hacking can benefit from learning how to use Metasploit.
Some of the positions that could benefit from knowledge of Metasploit include:
Information security analysts, who develop cybersecurity requirements for their organizations and apply various techniques to keep systems secure.Footnote 3
Security management specialists, who assess various security threats faced by their organization, coordinate cybersecurity work, and oversee the implementation of cybersecurity practices.Footnote 4
Penetration testers, who assess system security, conduct system audits, and develop solutions to vulnerabilities.Footnote 5
While learning how to use Metasploit can be a helpful skill, many of these roles will have additional educational and skills requirements that vary based on employer. edX can help build those skills with a variety of educational pathways including bachelor’s degree programs and master’s degree programs, as well as specialized boot camps, such as cybersecurity or coding boot camps. Before deciding on which option is right for you, research the professional role you hope to obtain and learn more about what potential employers expect of candidates.