Which of the following is considered an exploit framework and has the ability to perform automated attacks on services, ports, applications and unpatched security flaws in a computer system?

Wireshark is a network protocol analyzer used for packet capture and traffic inspection, not for launching exploits.

Maltego is an OSINT and data-visualization tool used for reconnaissance and link analysis, not for executing automated attacks.

Metasploit is an open-source exploit framework that provides a structured environment for developing, testing, and executing exploits against target systems. It includes automated modules for attacking services, ports, and known CVEs, making it the definition of an exploit framework. Tools like msfconsole and msfvenom allow attackers or pentesters to launch payloads against unpatched flaws with minimal manual effort.

Nessus is a vulnerability scanner that identifies weaknesses but does not exploit them - it reports findings rather than launching attacks.