Last updated at Thu, 08 Feb 2024 21:43:57 GMT

As a result of export restrictions placed on Metasploit Community and Pro trials, this year we have introduced some new systems to help process license requests. We have received a lot of questions about this, and this post will hopefully answer some of them for you. If you haven't read the original blog post about the export controls, please take a moment to review the information there on the updates and who is affected.

To help shed light on why some requests from those outside the U.S. or Canada for Metasploit Community or Pro license keys may be denied, below we list some common mistakes we've seen since this process began. To increase the likelihood of your request being quickly approved, be sure to avoid these pitfalls.

1) Supply a legitimate physical mailing address

All applications must include a valid physical mailing address, without exception. We frequently receive applications with blank information, gibberish, numbers, or dashes (e.g. -----,----- or 12345, 12345 or ghjghjgh, ghujhgjg).

  • Please only use Latin characters, without accents. Non-Latin characters, including Cyrillic, Arabic, Chinese, and Japanese characters, cannot be validated (e.g. 瑞安中心 6- 8海港路湾仔香港). Also, accents often render incorrectly, so please do not use any accented characters (e.g. 43 Rue Delarivi�re Lefoullon, Paris).
  • The address must be specific at a street level. Unfortunately geocodes to a neighborhood, city, or county level are not sufficient (e.g. Beijing, Beijing).
  • You must not be located in a U.S.-embargoed country: Cuba, Crimea, North Korea, Iran, Sudan, or Syria.

2) Disclose any government affiliations clearly in your application

In addition to address-related issues, we also have seen a number of problems relating to applications from government agencies. Sometimes we'll receive an application from an agency that either is not eligible for an exemption from export restrictions, or did not self-identify as a government agency when applying. In both cases these kinds of applications will be rejected.

We realize this application process may seem cumbersome and appreciate your patience as we process your license key request, as each application is manually and individually verified by a legal team. We only ask for information that is required by the U.S. Government export regulations, so please note that omitting or falsifying any information on the application form will most certainly invalidate your application.

As always, if you are outside the U.S. or Canada and interested in evaluating Metasploit Pro, don't hesitate to reach out to your Account Executive directly. We appreciate your cooperation as we work to comply with U.S. government regulations.