Kali Linux installs on ARM devices like Raspberry Pi, virtual machine hosts like VMWare and VirtualBox, or directly onto hardware like a laptop or PC. Installation is roughly the same for Kali Linux on VMWare, VirtualBox, Raspberry Pi, or as the main operating system of your laptop or desktop computer.
Installing Kali Linux On a Laptop or Desktop Computer
An ISO is a file that is a copy of the data you would find on an installation DVD, including the filesystem. So, if you had a disk to install Kali Linux and made a copy that you could use to install it, that copy would be an ISO file. There are a few ways that you can install Kali from an ISO. You could make a bootable USB drive or DVD and then install it on hardware like a laptop or PC. Use our article How to Create, Mount, and Burn ISO Image Files for Free to help. Or you could use it to create a virtual machine (VM). Use the ISO to create a bootable USB drive or DVD or use it as the install disk for a VM. What looks like a failure error message may appear. Let it continue. Select Continue and it will detect and mount the ISO. Once it finds it, it will do some automatic procedures. Linux Kali will install now. The tools will install. It will ask what device to install GRUB on. There’s only one, so select that. The installation will start finishing. Yes, the wording is strange in the install. Some white text on a black background may scroll by. Just wait. Kali Linux will boot and give the option to boot into Kali GNU/Linux or Advanced options for Kali GNU/Linux. The first is the default and will auto select if you don’t choose.
Installing Kali Linux As a Virtual Machine
A custom VM image is the fastest way to create a Kali Linux virtual machine. Offensive Security provides images to use on VirtualBox or VMWare. We’ll be using VirtualBox for this installation and we’ll assume you have VirtualBox already installed. Prepare by downloading the Kali Linux image from Offensive Security’s site. Note that all images have the username kali and the password kali already set. Change that when you log in for the first time. Importing will begin. This could finish in under 10 minutes. Log in to your new Kali Linux VM using the username kali and password kali. Remember to change them immediately.
What Can You Do With Kali Linux?
Kali is essentially ordinary Linux with a bunch of security tools already installed and ready to go. You can also add more tools to Kali easily. Some are free and fully featured, while some require a paid upgrade to get all the functions. All have their place in security research. In the Applications menu, notice how the tools are grouped by function. Also, notice there is a link to Offensive Security’s training. These are tools, not toys and will require serious study. Let’s look at a few of the most popular tools in Kali Linux.
Wireshark
If you want to work in IT, learn to use Wireshark. It’s the best-known network analyzer. Use Wireshark to see what’s happening on a network, and knowing Wireshark looks good on a resume. You can capture packets to analyze the contents and figure out how the network functions and the data traveling on it, like usernames and passwords. Wireshark has great built-in documentation and the Wireshark community is large and helpful.
Aircrack-ng
As the name suggests, Aircrack-ng can gather Wi-Fi data that’s flying around and help crack the security keys being transmitted. This helps you get into a network without being in the building.
Metasploit
It’s not a single tool, but more a framework or platform to help you find and validate vulnerabilities. It can discover devices, collect evidence, gain access and take control of systems. The free version is great for most pen-testing beginners, but you’ll want to upgrade when you go pro. Pen testers rely heavily on Metasploit.
Burp Suite
This tool has been around for a long time, and for good reason. It’s the go-to tool for testing web application security. If you develop web apps, learn Burp Suite and use it to make sure your end project is watertight.
John the Ripper
Cracking passwords is what gets most of us into things like Kali Linux. You can use John the Ripper to test passwords that people have and let them know to make better passwords. It can also be used to recover forgotten passwords for things like Excel. It does this by deciphering hashed passwords stored by your system. You can see how this is valuable to computer forensics and security professionals.
What Will You Do With Kali Linux?
Whether it’s for securing your network, penetration testing, white-hat hacking, computer forensics, or becoming a security professional, Kali Linux is the ultimate multi-tool. The price is right, and you can be up and running in minutes. What will you do with Kali Linux?
