Defense contractors, critical infrastructure operators, and government agencies maintain networks physically disconnected from the internet. To test these networks, Metasploit Pro must reside on a machine inside the gap. Online activation is impossible.

Open the file using a standard text editor (like Notepad or TextEdit) on your internet machine before moving it. Ensure it contains a structured block of cryptographic data and does not show an error message.

When prompted for a license, select the option.

This depends on your license terms. Most Metasploit Pro licenses specify the number of concurrent users. Activation files may be hardware-bound to prevent unauthorized use across multiple systems. For multi-user deployments, contact Rapid7 about site licensing.

msfpro-offline-request → produces a file with:

Compare the MD5 or SHA256 hash of the file on the internet machine vs. the air-gapped machine.

But what happens when your testing lab is air-gapped? Or when your client’s asset is in a high-security zone with no internet access?

, typically for users with strict network isolation requirements Offline Activation Process

This API method performs the same verification steps as the web interface: signature validation, hardware ID matching, and expiration date checks.

Copy the activation_request.txt file onto your secure portable storage drive.