12 Create a Kali Linux VM

Kali Linux is the distribution of choice for attacking a network thanks to the many attack tools it comes bundled with.  This lab provides instructions for making a Kali Linux VM.

Learning Objectives

• Successfully download, install, and run Kali Linux in a GNS3 environment

Prerequisites

• Chapter 2 – Setting Up a GNS3 Environment

Deliverables

• None – this is a preparatory lab that supports other labs in this book

Resources

• Download Kali Linux
• Download Nessus Essentials for Education

Contributors and Testers

• Mathew J. Heath Van Horn, PhD, ERAU-Prescott

1. Start by downloading the recommended image file here

   IMPORTANT: Make sure you download the Installer Image and not the Virtual Machine image.

2. Select the 64-bit installer image and click the download method you prefer
3. Once the image file has been downloaded, open VirtualBox
4. Click on the new button (Figure 1)
   1. Give the new VM a name
   2. Select the folder you want to save the VM
   3. Select the ISO image you downloaded earlier
   4. Select next (Figure 2)
5. Leave the defaults for the hardware (Figure 3)
6. Use the defaults for the virtual disk space (Figure 4)
7. Verify the settings and click on finish (Figure 5)
8. Start the Kali VM
9. Hit enter over the graphical install (Figure 6)
10. Select your language and hit continue (Figure 7)
11. Select your region and hit continue (Figure 8)
12. Select your keyboard layout and click continue (Figure 9)
13. Leave the hostname as default and click continue (Figure 10). Then leave the domain blank and click continue (Figure 11)
14. Give the full name as student and click continue  (Figure 12)
15. Then leave the account name as student and click continue (Figure 13)
16. Like other VMs use the password Security1 and click continue (Figure 14)
17. Select your time zone and click continue (Figure 15)
18. Partition Disk
    1. Select option guided – use entire disk and press continue (Figure 16)
    2. Leave the disk partition as default and click continue (Figure 17)
    3. Select – All files in one partition and click continue (Figure 18)
    4. Verify your partition information and click continue (Figure 19)
19. Once the software selection screen pops up, leave the defaults and click continue (Figure 20)
20. Once the install GRUB boot loader screen pops up, leave the default yes radio button and click continue (Figure 21)
21. On the next screen select the device, there should be only one, and click continue (Figure 22)
22. Once this is done, click continue one last time
23. Finish the installation by clicking continue (Figure 23)
24. Once the login screen pops up, login to make sure everything works

1. Open the terminal and run this command to install rainbow crack

   sudo apt-get install rainbowcrack

2. Once the install completes, close the terminal and open Firefox
3. In Firefox, go to this link to download Nessus Essentials for Education. Click on try now (Figure 24). You will need to provide a business email but none of our testers has reported spam from this
4. Click the download button that appears. Then leave the defaults on the next screen and click download. At the time of writing the version of Nessus is 10.7.1
5. Open the folder where you downloaded the file. Right-click inside the folder and click open terminal here (Figure 25)
6. Use the following command to install the Nessus Package

   sudo dpkg -i Nessus-10.7.1-ubuntu1404_amd64.deb

7. Use the following command to start the Nessus Scanner. While we won’t do much with it right now, we will need to input the activation code from our email

   /bin/systemctl start nessusd.service

8. In the window that pops up enter the user password. Following that, reopen Firefox and go to this link

   https://kali:8834

9. The page will tell you that it is insecure. Click advanced and then Accept the risk and continue (Figure 26)
10. Click continue on the first screen (Figure 27)
11. Select the Register for Nessus Essentials radio button (Figure 28) and click continue. If you already got the email earlier, then click skip (Figure 29)
12. Input the activation code from your email and click continue (Figure 30)
13. Make a username and password for your account (Figure 31) and select submit
    

    

14. Nessus will take a while to download and compile plugins so wait for this process to complete before switching the machine off

End of Lab

Figures for Printed Version