Kali Linux VM Setup (this walkthrough is for Virtual Box)

Step 1 – Download Virtual Box and Kali .iso Virtual Box – https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads

Kali Linux – https://www.kali.org/downloads/

**If you have a 64 bit system download the 64 bit version & 32 bit version if you have a 32 bit system**

Step 2 – Install Virtual Box

Right click on the VirtualBox installer and select “Run as administrator”. Follow the prompt.

Step 3 – Start Virtual Box

Click on “New”. This will begin creation of a new virtual machine.

Name it whatever you want. Click the drop down next to Type, select Linux. Then click the drop down

next to Version select Debian (64-bit) unless you’re on a 32 bit system then select Debian (32-bit). Click

“Next”.

Set the memory size. You can type in the amount you would like to give the Virtual Machine. I chose

2048. This can be changed later.

**If you don’t give enough memory the VM will be slow, if you give it too much the host will be slow**

Once that is done click “Next”.

By default, “Create a virtual hard disk now” should be selected. Click “Create”.

Again, take the default and click “Next”.

Take the default again and click “Next”.

I set this to 32 GB. If you have more space to spare, try 64 GB. **DO NOT take the default**

Click “Create”.

Now that the Virtual Machine is created open its settings and go to Network. Make your Network

settings look just like the above. Press “OK” and start the Virtual Machine.

Step 4 – Install the Kali .ios

The “Select start-up disk” window will pop up, browse to the Kali .iso you downloaded in step one. Press

“Start”.

Select “Install”

Choose the language to be used for the installation.

Select your location.

Enter the host name for the system. This can be whatever you want.

Domain name is not required. Just hit enter to continue.

Enter a root password. DO NOT FORGET THIS PASSWORD.

Hit enter to continue and re-enter the password.

Now set your time zone and hit enter.

Take the default here and press enter.

Again, hit enter.

Enter again here.

Tab over to “Yes” and hit enter. Installation will begin. This takes time so be patient.

When that finishes it will ask if you want to use a Network Mirror. Select the default “No” and hit enter.

Take the default “Yes” here by hitting enter.

Select the second option here and press enter.

Again, press enter here.

Once Kali boots login as root using the password you created during installation.

Now your Kali VM is installed. Let move on to the final step.

Step 5 – Tweak, Update and Install Guest Additions

Open a terminal and change the directory to /etc/NetworkManager/ using the cd command.

Now we want to edit the NetworkManager.conf file. I recommend using vim but for those not familiar

with such we will use nano. Issue the command shown above…

Where it says managed=false change this to managed=true. Hit Ctrl-O to save the file then Ctrl-X to exit.

Next we want to change the directory to /etc/apt/ again using the cd command show above and open

the sources.list file with nano to make sure the source file contains the correct repositories.

Make sure it looks like the above by typing such in. Once done hit Ctrl-O to save and Ctrl-X to exit

Now that we have the correct repositories in our source.list file lets update Kali using the command

shown above. This will take some time so be patient. Once it is finished you will want to issue the apt-

get dist-upgrade -y command. When this is finished reboot Kali and do the apt-get update && apt-get

upgrade -y command to make sure you have everything.

Now let’s check the Linux headers by issuing the above command. When this finished do the apt-get

update && apt-get upgrade -y again just in case. (There will probably be nothing) then in the terminal

type reboot to reboot the Virtual Machine.

Now we will install the Guest Additions by going to “Devices” and clicking “Insert Guest Additions CD

image”

A pop up will appear asking if you want to run the software on the CD. Click “Run” and it will fail.

We will now want to open a terminal and change the directory to /media/cdrom0/ using the cd

command shown above.

Next you will want to make a copy of VBoxLinuxAdditions.run and put it in your Desktop directory using

the command above.

You will now want to run the VBoxLinusAdditions.run using ./VBoxLinusAdditions.run from you

~/Desktop/ directory. Once this finishes you may remove VBoxLinusAdditions.run and eject the

VBOXADDITIONS cd image.

That’s it! Enjoy!

Created by Rodney Thomas for the EWU Cybersecurity Club