🎯 Targets

🧠 What Are Targets?

• Targets define specific OS/software combinations for which an exploit is designed.

• Choosing the correct target ensures the payload and return addresses work as intended.

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🛠️ show targets Command

msf6 > show targets

• Used within an exploit module to list all available target configurations.

• Run outside a module = error: "No exploit module selected."

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📌 Target Structure Example

msf6 exploit(windows/smb/ms17_010_psexec) > show targets

• Many modules have:

  Id  Name
  --  ----
  0   Automatic
  1   IE 7 on Windows XP SP3
  2   IE 8 on Windows XP SP3
  ...

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🧪 Target Selection

msf6 exploit(windows/browser/ie_execcommand_uaf) > set target 6

• You can manually set the exploit's target using:

  set target <index number>

• If left as 0 (Automatic), Metasploit attempts to detect the version during exploitation.

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🔍 View Module Info Before Targeting

msf6 > info

• Learn what the exploit does and its known vulnerable targets.

• Best practice: Read info before using unknown exploits.

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⚙️ Return Address Relevance

• Targets differ in:

  • OS version

  • Service pack

  • Language

  • DLL versions

• These affect:

  • jmp esp

  • pop pop ret

  • Other return address logic.

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🛠️ Tools for Target Research

• 🧾 Comments in exploit code often provide insights into target requirements.

• 🔍 Use msfpescan to find return addresses in binaries (for exploit dev work).

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🔁 Summary Commands

# Show available targets (inside an exploit module)
show targets

# Set a specific target by ID
set target <ID>

# Get more info about the module & what it's targeting
info

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