Armitage: Setup & Troubleshooting

System Requirements#

• PostgreSQL database
• Metasploit Framework
• Java Runtime Environment

Common Problems and Solutions#

Problem 1: Database Connection Issues#

Check if database user exists:

sudo -u postgres psql -c "\du"

Check if database exists:

sudo -u postgres psql -c "\l"

If user doesn't exist, create it:

sudo -u postgres psql -c "CREATE USER msf WITH PASSWORD 'msf';"
sudo -u postgres psql -c "CREATE DATABASE msf OWNER msf;"

If user exists but connection fails, reset password:

sudo -u postgres psql -c "ALTER USER msf PASSWORD 'msf';"

Reinitialize Metasploit database:

sudo msfdb delete
sudo msfdb init

Problem 2: SSL Connection Errors#

Stop PostgreSQL and disable SSL:

sudo systemctl stop postgresql
sudo -u postgres psql -c "ALTER SYSTEM SET ssl = off;"

Test database connection:

sudo -u postgres psql -U msf -d msf -h localhost -c "SELECT version();"

Manually edit PostgreSQL configuration:

sudo nano /etc/postgresql/16/main/postgresql.conf

Find and set:

ssl = off

Restart PostgreSQL:

sudo systemctl restart postgresql

Problem 3: Armitage Java Issues#

Run Armitage with SSL disabled:

sudo java -Dpostgresql.ssl=false -jar /usr/share/armitage/armitage.jar

Run Armitage with Java compatibility fixes:

 
sudo java -Dswing.defaultlaf=javax.swing.plaf.nimbus.NimbusLookAndFeel -jar /usr/share/armitage/armitage.jar
sudo java -Dpostgresql.ssl=false --add-opens=java.base/java.lang=ALL-UNNAMED -jar /usr/share/armitage/armitage.jar

Problem 4: PostgreSQL Recovery Mode#

If database is in recovery mode, rebuild cluster:

sudo systemctl stop postgresql
sudo pg_dropcluster 16 main --stop
sudo pg_createcluster 16 main --start
sudo msfdb init

Alternative Solution: Use MSFConsole Directly#

If Armitage continues to have issues, use Metasploit directly:

sudo msfconsole

Inside msfconsole, check database status:

db_status

Quick Fix Summary#

• Reset database:

sudo msfdb delete && sudo msfdb init

• Disable SSL in PostgreSQL

• Run Armitage with:

sudo java -Dpostgresql.ssl=false --add-opens=java.base/java.lang=ALL-UNNAMED -jar /usr/share/armitage/armitage.jar
or 
sudo java -Dpostgresql.ssl=false -jar /usr/share/armitage/armitage.jar

Open Armitage#

sudo msfdb init
sudo systemctl start postgresql
sudo msfdb start
sudo java -Dswing.defaultlaf=javax.swing.plaf.nimbus.NimbusLookAndFeel -jar /usr/share/armitage/armitage.jar

• If problems persist, use msfconsole directly

System requirements#

database + Metasploit

First Problem#

if we have the msf user in our database#

sudo -u postgres psql -c "\du"

if we have the database msf#

sudo -u postgres psql -c "\l"

we need change the password of user msf#

sudo -u postgres psql -c "ALTER USER msf PASSWORD 'msf';"

if we don't have#

sudo -u postgres psql -c "CREATE USER msf WITH PASSWORD 'msf';" sudo -u postgres psql -c "CREATE DATABASE msf OWNER msf;"

احذف التهيئة القديمة#

sudo msfdb delete

أنشئ تهيئة جديدة#

sudo msfdb init

Second Probleme SSL#

sudo systemctl stop postgresql sudo -u postgres psql -c "ALTER SYSTEM SET ssl = off;"

sudo -u postgres psql -U msf -d msf -h localhost -c "SELECT version();"

open with java#

sudo java -Dpostgresql.ssl=false -jar /usr/share/armitage/armitage.jar

open the file with sudo /etc/postgresql/16/main/postgresql.conf#

search ssl and do ssl = off and run

sudo java -Dpostgresql.ssl=false --add-opens=java.base/java.lang=ALL-UNNAMED -jar /usr/share/armitage/armitage.jar