Configuring Metasploit on Windows

Installation of the Metasploit framework on Windows is simple and requires almost no effort. The framework installer can be downloaded from the Metasploit official website (http://www.metasploit.com/download).

Getting ready

You will notice that there are two types of installer available for Windows. It is recommended to download the complete installer of the Metasploit framework which contains the console and all other relevant dependencies, along with the database and runtime setup. In case you already have a configured database that you want to use for the framework as well, then you can go for the mini installer of the framework which only installs the console and dependencies.

How to do it...

Once you have completed downloading the installer, simply run it and sit back. It will automatically install all the relevant components and set up the database for you. Once the installation is complete, you can access the framework through various shortcuts created by the installer.

How it works...

You will find that the installer has created lots of shortcuts for you. Most of the things are click-and-go in a Windows environment. Some of the options that you will find are Metasploit web, cmd console, Metasploit update, and so on.

Note

While installing Metasploit on Windows, you should disable the antivirus protection as it may detect some of the installation files as potential viruses or threats and can block the installation process. Once the installation is complete, make sure that you have white-listed the framework installation directory in your antivirus, as it will detect the exploits and payloads as malicious.

There's more...

Now let's talk about some other options, or possibly some pieces of general information, that are relevant to installing the Metasploit framework on Windows explicitly.

Database error during installation

There is a common problem with many users while installing the Metasploit framework on the Windows machine. While running the setup you may encounter an error message, as shown in the screenshot:

This is the result of an error in configuring the PostgreSQL server. The possible causes are:

• PostgreSQL not running. Use Netstat to figure out if the port is open and the database is running.

• Some installers require a default installation path. For example, if the default path is C drive, changing it to D drive will give this error.

• Language encoding.

If you face this problem then you can overcome it by downloading the simpler version of the framework which contains only the console and dependencies. Then, configure the database manually and connect it with Metasploit.