There are a variety of different ways to install Kali Linux, and choosing the best one for your situation can make the process much easier. Here is a rundown of the possibilities.
Kali Linux is a Debian-based Linux distribution that is specifically designed for Penetration Testing, Digital Forensics, and Security Auditing. It is developed and maintained by the Offensive Security team.
Kali Linux is available for installation in a number of different formats, and for a number of different systems, and that variety can sometimes be a bit intimidating. If you are confused, about which installation image is perfect for you, read the complete detail.
Get Kali | Kali Linux
Single or multiple boot Kali, giving you complete control over the hardware access (perfect for in-built Wi-Fi and GPU), enabling the best performance. Range of hardware from the leave-behind devices end to high-end modern servers System architecture limits certain packages Not always customized kernel Works on relatively inexpensive & low powered Single Board Computers (SBCs) as well as modern ARM based laptops, which combine high speed with long battery life.
The installation images available on the Kali Downloads page are:
- 32-bit (i386) and 64-bit (amd64) versions: Some distributions have dropped 32-bit support, but not Kali.
- Full Installer: This is a slightly modified version of the Debian GNU/Linux installer. Yes, I can hear a lot of users out there going "Ugh". It is a very old installer, primarily text-based, with no spiffy GUI interface.
- But the important thing is that it does the job very, very well in almost every situation and on almost every kind of system, without having to worry about graphic adapters, display resolution, or much of anything else. The basic "Installer" is text-only, and the "Graphic Installer" is the same thing with mouse support added (but still no other graphics or GUI).
- The installation image includes the complete Kali system, so it can be installed without having an Internet connection. It weighs in at just over 4GB.
- NetInstaller: This is the same installation program as the full installer, but the downloaded image includes only enough to get the computer booted and connected to the Internet, and the rest of the packages are downloaded as needed during installation. It is a very svelte 471 MB.
- Live: This is a bootable image that can be run from a USB stick (or DVD). As with other Linux Live distributions, you can use it to check that your hardware works properly with Kali Linux, but you can go even further than that.
- When it is copied to a USB stick, you can add a partition for "persistence", where data created or modified while running the Live image will be saved across shutdown and rebooting – and that persistence data can even be encrypted. So you can use the USB stick as a conveniently portable Kali Linux platform.
- Virtual Images for VMware and VirtualBox: Just download and import the image, and you're ready to go.
- ARM Images: Tailored and tested images for the Raspberry Pi, Pine 64, ODROID, and others. Download the image, copy it to the appropriate media, and it's ready to go.
Each of the download links is accompanied by the SHA256
checksum for that image. Be SURE to validate the checksum before installing the
image!
Installer Image (Full Installer / NetInstaller)
Kali Linux offers two types of installer images:
- The Full Installer
- The NetInstaller
The Full installer image is a large file that contains all of the packages and software that are included in Kali Linux. This image can be used to perform a standard installation of the operating system and is typically used for installing Kali on a computer that does not have an internet connection.
The NetInstaller image, on the other hand, is a smaller file that only contains the basic packages needed to install Kali Linux. During the installation process, the system will connect to the internet to download and install additional packages as needed. This image is typically used for installing Kali on a computer that has an internet connection.
Steps to Install Kali Linux ISO image
a. Set a name and version to Debian 64bit. b. Now set the memory size. c. Click next. Next. Here set the size of the disk. Click create. Click on display. Here increase the video memory. Now go to the storage section. Here upload the downloaded iso file. Now click ok.
Both the full installer and Net installer images can be downloaded from the Kali Linux website. It's important to note that the net installer image uses a minimal set of the package, so the user needs to be connected to the internet during the installation process and it will download packages as per the selection and requirements.
Pre-built Virtual Machines
If you already have VirtualBox or VMware installed, then this is probably the fastest/easiest way to get Kali Linux running. Both 32-bit and 64-bit images are available on the Kali Linux Custom Image Downloads web page. Just download the image, import it into your VM management utility, and you're ready to go.
Install Kali Linux From OVF File
There are a few different ways to install Kali Linux as a prebuilt virtual machine, but one of the most common methods is to use VirtualBox. Here are the general steps you would need to follow: 1. Download and install VirtualBox on your host machine.
A pre-built Kali Linux virtual machine (VM) is a virtualization of the Kali Linux operating system that has been created and configured by a vendor or third party before it is made available for download. These VMs can be run on various virtualization software such as VMware, VirtualBox, Hyper-V, etc.
A pre-built Kali Linux VM typically includes the operating system, software, and tools that are commonly used in penetration testing and digital forensics. These VMs are typically ready to use out of the box and do not require any additional configuration. This can be a convenient option for those who want to use Kali Linux for penetration testing or digital forensics without the need to install the operating system on a physical machine or create their own Virtual Machine.
It's important to note that pre-built VMs are typically not recommended for use in production environments, and should only be used for testing and learning purposes.
Users can download pre-built Kali Linux VM images from the Kali Linux website or from other trusted sources. Additionally, there are also third-party providers that offer pre-built VMs for a fee.
Live Boot
Kali Live Boot is a feature in Kali Linux that allows users to boot the operating system directly from a bootable USB drive or DVD, without installing it on a hard drive. This allows users to run Kali Linux on a temporary basis, and any changes made to the system are not saved after the system is shut down.
When booting Kali Linux in live mode, the Operating System is loaded into memory and runs from there. This allows the user to test the system and perform various tasks, such as Penetration Testing, Digital Forensics, and Incident Response, without making any changes to the host system.
Kali Live USB Persistence
Follow the below steps to create a Live USB bootable Pendrive: Download the Kali Linux Live image from their official site. Now, Plug in your Pendrive and run Rufus. Select the Kali Linux image from the download. Set the Persistent Partition Size. Click on Start to start the process.
One of the advantages of Kali Live Boot is that it allows users to boot and run Kali Linux on a wide range of hardware, including older or less powerful systems. Additionally, it also allows users to test Kali Linux on a computer before installing it on a Hard Drive, which can be useful for ensuring compatibility and identifying potential issues.
To create a Kali Live Boot USB drive, users can download a Kali Linux ISO file and then write it to a USB drive using a tool like Rufus or Etcher. Once the media is created, the user can boot from it to run Kali Linux in live mode.
It's important to note that while a live system is useful for testing and troubleshooting, it may not include all the tools and packages as per the full installation, as it is designed to run on a USB or DVD drive with limited storage. Additionally, the performance of the live system may be slower than a full installation.
A live system for Kali Linux is a version of the operating system that can be run directly from a Bootable USB drive or DVD without being installed on a hard drive. This allows users to run Kali Linux on a temporary basis, and any changes made to the system are not saved after the system is shut down.
A live system for Kali Linux typically includes all of the software and tools that are included in the standard installation of the operating system, such as the Metasploit Framework, Nmap, Wireshark, and others. It also allows the user to choose the graphical environment to use (Kali Linux desktop environment Gnome, KDE, Xfce, Mate, LXDE, etc)A live system for Kali Linux is useful for a variety of tasks, such as Penetration Testing, Digital Forensics, and Incident Response. It allows users to run the operating system on a temporary basis without making any changes to the host system, and it can be used to boot and run Kali Linux on a wide range of hardware, including older or less powerful systems.
To create a live system for Kali Linux, users can download a Kali Linux ISO file and then write it to a USB drive or DVD using a tool like Rufus or Etcher. Once the media is created, the user can boot from it to run Kali Linux.
It's important to note that a live system may not include all the tools and packages as per the full installation, as it is designed to run on a USB or DVD drive with limited storage. Additionally, the performance of the live system may be slower than a full installation.
ARM Image
Kali Linux ARM image is a version of the Kali Linux operating system that is specifically optimized for use on ARM-based devices. These devices include single-board computers like the Raspberry Pi, Odroid, and others, as well as ARM-based laptops and tablets.
An ARM image for Kali Linux typically includes all of the software and tools that are included in the standard installation of the operating system, such as the Metasploit Framework, Nmap, Wireshark, and others. However, it also includes specific drivers and software to run on ARM-based devices.
The Kali Linux ARM image is useful for a variety of tasks, such as penetration testing, digital forensics, and incident response on ARM-based devices. It allows users to run the operating system on devices with limited resources and it can be used to boot and run Kali Linux on a wide range of ARM-based hardware.
To create a Kali Linux ARM image, users can download the appropriate image file from the Kali Linux website and then write it to an SD Card or eMMC module using a tool like Raspberry Pi Imager, Etcher, or Win32DiskImager. Once the image is written to the storage, the user can boot from it to run Kali Linux on the ARM-based device.
It's important to note that not all Kali Linux tools are available for the ARM architecture, so some of the tools may not be available or may work differently on ARM-based devices. Additionally, the performance of Kali Linux on an ARM device may be slower than on an x86 or x64-based machine.
NetHunter
Kali Nethunter offers 3 different variants:
- Kali NetHunter Lite
- Kali NetHunter Full
- Kali NetHunter Pro
Kali Nethunter Lite is a version of the Kali Nethunter operating system that is specifically optimized for use on mobile devices with limited resources. It is a lightweight version of Nethunter that includes a minimal set of tools and software, making it suitable for use on older or lower-end devices.
Kali Nethunter is a version of the Kali Linux operating system that is optimized for use on mobile devices, specifically the Nexus and OnePlus smartphones. NetHunter is a full version of the operating system that includes all the tools and software that are included in the standard version of Kali Linux, as well as additional features and tools that are specifically designed for use on mobile devices.
Kali NetHunter Pro is the official Kali Linux build for mobile devices such as the Pine64, PinePhone, and PinePhone Pro.It's important to note that not all Nethunter tools are available for all devices, so some of the tools may not be available or may work differently on certain devices. Additionally, the performance of the Nethunter on mobile devices may be slower than on a full-fledged desktop machine.
Kali Linux on Cloud
Kali Linux can be run on cloud platforms such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform (GCP), and Microsoft Azure. This allows users to access and use Kali Linux from anywhere with an internet connection, and to scale resources up or down as needed.To run Kali Linux on a cloud platform, users first need to create an account with the cloud provider and set up a virtual machine (VM) instance. Then, they can download the Kali Linux image from the official website and use it to create a new VM instance on the cloud platform.
Once the VM instance is set up, users can access it through a secure shell (SSH) connection, and use it as they would use a regular Kali Linux installation. They can install additional tools and software, perform penetration testing and other security assessments, and use it as a remote machine.It's important to note that running Kali Linux on a cloud platform may incur additional costs, such as user fees for the virtual machine instance, storage, and bandwidth. Users should also be aware of the security implications of running Kali Linux on a cloud platform and take the necessary steps to secure their instance, such as using a VPN, securing the SSH connection, and limiting access to the instance.
