Popular hacking toolkit Metasploit adds hardware testing capabilities

The Metasploit hacking toolkit now includes a new hardware bridge that makes it easier for users to analyze hardware devices.

The popular offensive hacking toolkit Metasploit now is powerful, it included a hardware bridge to conduct security tests on hardware. It is a great support to the users that have to test hardware, including IoT devices.

Metasploit already includes more than 1,600 exploits and 3,300 modules, with a huge hacking community that works on news modules and scripts.

Up until now, the Metasploit allowed the creation of custom scripts for hardware testing, now the update to the Hardware Bridge API will allow users to test a variety of hardware including vehicles’ CAN buses.

The new Hardware Bridge API gives a precious instrument to customers focused on the development of hardware exploits.

The first update to the Hardware Bridge API focuses is specifically designed for the testing of automotive systems, Rapid7 that manages the tool will soon add other modules to extend the capabilities of its product.

Metasploit aim to be an institutional tool for a wide range of hardware platforms, including SCADA and industrial control systems (ICS), IoT systems, and software defined radio (SDR). The company believes the new capability makes Metasploit an ideal tool for conducting hardware-based network research.

“Metasploit condensed a slew of independent software exploits and tools into one framework and now we want to do the same for hardware,”

“Every wave of connected devices – regardless of whether you’re talking about cars or refrigerators – blurs the line between hardware and software. As we like to say, this hardware bridge lets you exit the Matrix and directly affect real, physical things,” explained Craig Smith, director of transportation research at Rapid7. “We’re working to give security professionals the resources they need to test and ensure the safety of their products — no matter what side of the virtual divide they’re on.”

“Much in the same way that the Metasploit framework helped unify tools and exploits for networks and software, the Hardware Bridge looks to do the same for all types of hardware.”

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Pierluigi Paganini

(Security Affairs – hardware testing, hacking)