Before we take a deep dive into various aspects of the Metasploit framework, let's first lay a solid foundation of some of the absolute basics. In this chapter, we'll conceptually understand what penetration testing is all about and where the Metasploit Framework fits in exactly. We'll also browse through some of the additional tools that enhance the Metasploit Framework's capabilities. In this chapter, we will cover the following topics:
- Importance of penetration testing
- Differentiating between vulnerability assessment and penetration testing
- Need for a penetration testing framework
- A brief introduction to Metasploit
- Understanding the applicability of Metasploit throughout all phases of penetration testing
- Introduction to supporting tools that help extend Metasploit's capabilities
