use Verified current stable Not installed? Security

Use / Use Module

Use Module

Selects a specific module for use in the Metasploit Framework.

$
Terminal
use <auxiliary/scanner/portscan/syn>

When To Use

When a specific exploit or auxiliary module is required for testing.

Pro Tip

Use 'info' after 'use' to understand prerequisites and options offered by the module.

Anatomy of Output

Understanding the result

[*] Using auxiliary/scanner/portscan/syn Module Selected

Confirms the selected module is now active.

[+] Module options have been set. Options Status

Indicates successful configuration of module-specific options.

[*] Ready for execution. Ready State

The session is primed for running the selected module.

Power User Variants

Optimized versions

use exploit/multi/http/apache_mod_cgi_bash_env_exec

Selects an exploit for Apache web servers.

use payload/windows/meterpreter/reverse_tcp

Selects a reverse shell payload for Windows.

Troubleshooting

Common pitfalls

[-] Module does not exist: 'invalid/module'.

Solution: Check for typos in the module path or ensure it is part of the current installation.

[-] No options defined for selected module.

Solution: Review the module's options and configure as needed.

[ERROR] Module type not accessible; check permissions.

Solution: Ensure your user has permission to access the necessary modules.

Command Breakdown

What each part is doing

use
Base Command
The executable that performs this operation. Here it runs Use before the shell applies any redirect operators.
<auxiliary/scanner/portscan/syn>
auxiliary scanner portscan syn
The port value supplied to this command.

Alternative Approaches

Comparable commands in other tools

Alternative security tools for the same job.