Are you ready to move beyond theory and start building real-world cybersecurity skills? Initial Access with Metasploit and Meterpreter is your hands-on guide to understanding how attackers gain their first foothold―and how defenders can stop them. Designed for college students, self-taught learners, and early-career professionals, this book bridges the gap between classroom knowledge and practical expertise.

Assuming a basic familiarity with Windows, Linux, and networking, this intermediate-level text dives straight into the tools and techniques used in offensive security. You’ll begin by using Metasploit and Meterpreter to access systems with known credentials, then progress to brute force attacks, phishing campaigns, and custom malware development. Along the way, you’ll explore how attackers exploit common weaknesses―and how defenders can detect and respond.

From crafting phishing documents in Microsoft Office to generating and analyzing malware for Windows and Linux, you’ll gain a deep understanding of how initial access works in the wild. You’ll also learn how to work with and around Microsoft Defender Antivirus, giving you insight into both offensive and defensive strategies.

With over 100 hands-on exercises, this book is ideal for classroom use or independent study. Whether you're preparing for a cybersecurity career or looking to sharpen your skills, this is your launchpad into the world of ethical hacking and red teaming.

What You’ll Learn:

• Use Metasploit and Meterpreter to control compromised systems
• Launch brute force attacks with Metasploit, NetExec, and CrackMapExec
• Build phishing attacks using document macros and web delivery scripts
• Create and analyze custom malware using PowerShell, Python, and Ghidra
• Understand and manage Microsoft Defender Antivirus

Who This Book Is For: Students, career changers, and aspiring cybersecurity professionals who want to build a solid foundation in offensive security techniques. If you’ve got the basics down and are ready to get your hands dirty, this book is for you.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Foundations

Chapter 2: Meterpreter

Chapter 3: Metasploit

Chapter 4: Brute Force Attacks

Chapter 5: Phishing Attacks

Chapter 6: Malware

Chapter 7: Antivirus

About the Author

Mike O’Leary is a professor at Towson University and was the founding director of the School of Emerging Technologies. He developed and teaches hands-on capstone courses in computer security for both undergraduate and graduate students. He coached the Towson University Cyber Defense team to the finals of the National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition in 2010, 2012, and 2014.