The Metasploit project, which aims to allow plug-and-play exploiting for penetration testers and researchers, will add the ability to target the wireless functionality of Windows and Linux operating systems, a member of the project said on the Metasploit blog this week.

The project has completed a major initiative that allows the framework to exploit flaws in kernel components, including wireless drivers. Project founder HD Moore is working with Jon Ellch--one of the controversial pair of security researchers that pinpointed flaws in laptop wireless drivers including Apple's--to develop the wireless exploits, according to an eWeek report.

"Imagine what it will be like to get a user-mode meterpreter instance, without touching the disk, through a reverse TCP connection when exploiting a flaw in a wireless device driver," Metasploit member Matt Miller, who did the kernel development, said on the project's blog. "If this were a Mastercard commercial, I'd be shooting for the priceless slot. Surely there will be more fun things to come."

Flaw finders have increasingly been targeting device drivers rather than the main components of the operating system. The increased focus on security among operating-system developers have resulted in fewer flaws in the systems software, while many device drivers' code quality remains haphazard.

Moore has said that a demonstration of the new capabilities should be ready in a week.

CORRECTION: The original brief attributed the Metasploit blog entry to the wrong project member. Matt Miller, also known as "skape," posted the information about the kernel-mode exploitation feature of Metasploit 3.0.