Metasploit Framework 2

Metasploit Framework 2 is an earlier version of the popular Metasploit penetration testing framework. Although no longer actively updated, it remains valuable for specific use cases, particularly involving shellcode. The tool includes directories for data, documentation, encoders, exploits, payloads, and various utilities like msfconsole and msfencode.

Use cases include generating shellcode, encoding payloads, and running legacy exploits where modern versions may not be suitable. Its structure supports modular exploitation workflows typical of the Metasploit series.

Installed size is 7.82 MB, with dependencies on kali-defaults and perl. The framework is accessed via the framework2 command.

Framework2 operates through a directory-based structure under /usr/share/framework2, containing components like exploits, payloads, encoders, nops, and tools such as msfconsole for console interface, msfencode for encoding payloads, msfpayload for generating payloads, and msfelfscan/msfpescan for scanning ELF/PE files. It supports shellcode generation and manipulation techniques central to exploitation development.