04. Get the tools onto your Mac 🛠️¶

Target environment: macOS (both Apple Silicon and Intel). On this page we'll manually set up the nmap / Docker / Metasploit you need for the practice ahead.

📌 Not sure which setup to use? Start with 03. Choose a setup pattern. There's also an automated script that installs everything at once (bash scripts/install-tools.sh).

Goal of this page¶

flowchart LR
    A["Homebrew"] --> B["nmap<br>(recon)"]
    A --> C["Docker<br>(stand up targets)"]
    A --> D["Metasploit<br>(attack)"]
    style A fill:#2d333b,stroke:#3fb950,stroke-width:2px,color:#e6edf3
    style B fill:#2d333b,stroke:#3fb950,stroke-width:2px,color:#e6edf3
    style C fill:#2d333b,stroke:#58a6ff,stroke-width:2px,color:#e6edf3
    style D fill:#2d333b,stroke:#bc8cff,stroke-width:2px,color:#e6edf3

1. Homebrew (package management)¶

The foundation for installing tools on a Mac. If you don't have it, follow the official steps at brew.sh.

# Check whether it's installed
brew --version

2. nmap (recon tool)¶

brew install nmap

# Check
nmap --version

nmap is the go-to recon tool for finding out "which ports are open" and "what's running."
Some features, such as -sS (SYN scan) and -O (OS detection), require root privileges (sudo).

3. Docker Desktop (stand up a practice target)¶

Install Docker Desktop from docker.com and launch it.

# Check whether it's running
docker info

💡 An important property of Docker on macOS: On macOS, Docker runs a small Linux VM internally and runs containers inside it. This structure matters a great deal later in Appendix D. The reverse shell won't come back. Keep it in mind.

4. Metasploit (the attack framework)¶

Metasploit is a tool with thousands of built-in attack codes (exploits) that target known vulnerabilities. There are two ways to install it.

Method A: Install directly on the Mac¶

brew install --cask metasploit

# Check (the first launch takes a little while)
msfconsole --version

Method B: Use it as a Docker container (recommended in this guide)¶

In a later chapter, to "put the attacker on the same network as the target," we'll run Metasploit in a container. Pull the official image ahead of time.

docker pull metasploitframework/metasploit-framework

Why the container version? → Because in Appendix D. The reverse shell won't come back, "putting the attacker and the target on the same Docker network" is the fix.

5. Check: what you've got so far¶

nmap --version        # recon
docker info           # the base for standing up targets
docker images | grep metasploit   # attack container

If everything shows up, you're ready. Next, head to 05. Stand up a practice target.