Today we will learn Kali Linux and we will know why ethical hackers use Kali Linux. Each operating system has its own limitations. When it comes to video editing or content creation, we immediately think of MacOS. When it comes to development or programming, we think about Linux distros. Similarly, when it comes to playing with ethical hacking or networking tools, the first Linux distro that should come to your mind should be Kali Linux.
What is Kali Linux?
Kali Linux is a Linux distribution derived from Debian and maintained by an IT company called Offensive Security. The main goal of creating such a Linux distro is to perform advanced-level penetration testing and security auditing. It’s also used for digital forensics. This is a recreation of the backtrack tool which was Knoopix-based and mainly used for penetration testing. It is an OS specially designed for penetration testers, forensic experts, network analysts, and similar professionals. It fully follows Debian standards which means it does not use X11.
Why do Ethical Hackers Use it?
It is the favorite and sought-after OS for ethical hackers and other cyber professionals. There are several reasons behind this. It allows cybersecurity experts and analysts to modify the operating system based on their requirements. Moreover, it has more than 600 tools for penetration testing pre-installed with it which makes it the Swiss knife of ethical hackers. Some popular tools are Nmap, Metasploit, Armitage, Wireshark, OWASP ZAP, John the Ripper, Aircrack-ng, etc.
Key Features of Kali Linux
Some of the key features of Kali Linux make it extremely popular among cybersecurity professionals, network analysts, and similar professionals.
- The entire code is open-sourced and free to use.
- Most are installed as VMs using tools like VMware, VirtualBox, etc. on existing machines like Linux, Windows, Mac, etc.
- Most of the tools in Kali Linux have multiple language support.
- It is highly customizable and can be tweaked according to one’s own requirements.
- Each package is signed by whoever developed it.
- It has over 600 pre-installed tools for penetration testing.
- It has the option to disable network services by default.
- It has a kernel that is patched for injections that can happen wirelessly.
- By default, it only has a root user because most tools require Sudo privileges.
- It is valid only if you use it for ethical purposes.
System Requirements for Kali Linux
Installing Kali Linux is easy-pacy-lemon-squeezy. It couldn’t get any easier. The only important need is to have compatible hardware. Kali Linux can easily run on both ARMEL and ARMHF platforms on i386, AMD64, and ARM processors. Let’s take a look at the minimum requirements for installing this Linux. The better the hardware support, the better the performance. However, must be listed below.
- A minimum of 20 gigs of hard disk space is enough to get started. However, if you want to install additional equipment, try to keep it as much as possible.
- i386 and amd64 hardware must have a minimum of 2 Gigs of RAM if you want smooth performance.
- You may need a USB stick that is bootable, a CD/DVD drive, or a virtual box on any platform.
How to download it?
For both 32-bit and 64-bit architectures, there are 3 types of images available for download on the Kali Linux page.
- An installer is always recommended. You get a local copy of all packages and can perform the entire installation offline.
- NetInstaller, which is quite small in size as it does not include local copies of packages but will download them during installation and therefore, requires a network connection.
- Live which allows you to run Kali Linux without installing it. You can play it using a CD/DVD or a USB stick. It has a default config and doesn’t allow you to choose an environment or install packages.
Top Tools in Kali Linux
As discussed earlier, This Linux has more than 600+ pre-installed tools and programs that are especially used by penetration testers and analysts. Some top tools used are:
- Nmap – Developed by Gordon Lyon, it is a network scanner and is mainly used to scan for services, hosts, etc. running on a system by analyzing packet transmissions and responses. It is open source and therefore free. Also, it is quite intuitive and easy to learn. It is widely used to test networks on PC. Buy Linux VPS from Oudel Inc.
- Aircrack-Ng – This is a set of tools used to attack and manipulate WiFi networks. You can put your NIC in monitor mode and capture packets. It contains analysis tools like packet sniffer, wireless LAN, WEP and WPA cracker, etc. The main steps that follow are observation and attack. After that, it is tested and then cracked.
- Wireshark – This is an open-source protocol and packet analyzer tool that can be used to monitor and analyze minute details of a network with features such as advanced alerts, triggers, reports, pcap file access, etc. You will see the result. Scans in a human-readable format and supports over 2000 different network protocols.
- Nessus – It is proprietary, developed by Tenable, and is used to scan for vulnerabilities. It is used remotely and uses over 1200 checks to help figure out architectures to allow seamless cross-linking and displays warnings where patching is required.
Checklist before using Kali Linux
Here is a list of a few points that you must understand before getting your hands dirty with Kali Linux.
- Background information such as origin, history, target audience, validation, release cycle, and community support.
- How to install and use the desktop environment, package management, etc.
- Support for drivers, firmware, Windows compatibility, and virtualization.
- Embedded, Android support, security, privacy, and other similar aspects.
- Degree of customization, documentation, and tools offered.
Conclusion
Kali Linux is generally famous among penetration testers for the plethora of tools it provides. It is privacy-focused, and open-source, and can be an ideal companion for beginners as well as advanced security professionals.
In this guide, we started with a basic introduction to Kali Linux, we skimmed some of the key features of Kali Linux and why it is popular among ethical hackers. We have discussed the minimum system requirements as well as various methods of installation. Finally, we discussed some of the 600+ tools that Kali Linux has to offer and ended our guide with a checklist that you should go through before getting started with Kali Linux.
