Ultimate ExploitDB Cheat Sheet

Samir KC
March 15, 2026


Ultimate ExploitDB Cheat Sheet

Master searchsploit to find exploit code offline instantly.

1. Basic Searching

The standard way to query the local database.

Simple Search

Search for a specific software name.

searchsploit wordpress

Exact Title Match (-t)

Search only the title (avoids false positives in the path).

searchsploit -t "windows 10"

2. Advanced Filters

Refine your search to find the exact exploit type.

Filter by Platform & Type

Look for exploits targeting Windows, specifically "local" or "remote".

searchsploit windows local privilege
searchsploit linux remote overflow

Exclude Terms

The --exclude flag is powerful for filtering out "DoS" (Denial of Service) scripts.

searchsploit apache --exclude="DoS"
searchsploit wordpress --exclude="(PoC)|(DoS)"

Strict Search (-s)

Perform a strict search (exact match).

searchsploit -s "Apache 2.4.49"

3. Mirror & Inspect

Once you find an exploit ID (e.g., 4231.py), you need to get it ready for use.

Mirror (Copy) to Folder (-m)

Copies the exploit file to your current working directory. You don't need the full path.

searchsploit -m 42031

Inspect (Read) Code (-x)

Open the exploit code in your default pager/editor (vim/less) to check for hardcoded IPs or instructions.

searchsploit -x 42031

Show Full Path (-p)

Just print the absolute path to the file.

searchsploit -p 42031

4. Online Links (-w)

Sometimes the local script is broken or missing comments. Get the URL to the website.

searchsploit -w 42031

Output: https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/42031

5. Updating

Exploits are released daily. Keep your local DB fresh.

searchsploit -u
Note: If you are on Kali Linux, you should use sudo apt update && sudo apt install exploitdb instead.

6. Nmap Integration

You can feed Nmap results directly into Searchsploit.

Scan and Search

Export Nmap results to XML, then search for exploits based on found versions.

nmap -sV 192.168.1.10 -oX target.xml
searchsploit --nmap target.xml
Pro Tip: This is a "quick check" method. Always manually verify versions, as automated matching often returns false positives.
⇧