Create a Kali Linux VM

Dante Rocca

12 Create a Kali Linux VM

Dante Rocca

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

Phase I – Download and Installation

We will download and install the Kali Linux virtual machine (VM). We will use the .iso image instead of the prebuilt VM. Generally, the pre-made VM works fine; however, a few testers experienced issues. When we used the .iso the configuration and compatibility problems resolved themselves.

Start by downloading the recommended image file here

IMPORTANT: Ensure you download the Installer Image, not the Virtual Machine image.
Select the 64-bit installer image and click the download method you prefer
Once the image file has been downloaded, open VirtualBox
Click on the new button

Figure 1 – Create a new VM
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 – Create a new Kali VM
Leave the defaults for the hardware

Figure 3 – Set resources for Kali VM
Use the defaults for the virtual disk space*

NOTE: If you are using this Kali VM for the attack labs, you will want to expand the disk size to at least 50.00GB

Figure 4 – Set disk space for Kali VM
Verify the settings and click on finish

Figure 5 – Verify settings for new Kali VM
Start the Kali VM
Hit enter over the graphical install

Figure 6 – Start Kali VM
Select your language and hit continue

Figure 7 – Set language
Select your region and hit continue

Figure 8 – Set region
Select your keyboard layout and click continue

Figure 9 – Set keyboard layout
Leave the hostname as default and click continue

Figure 10 – Set the host name as default
Then leave the domain blank and click continue

Figure 11 – Leave domain blank
Give the full name as “student” and click continue

Figure 12 – Set the username to student
Then leave the account name as “student” and click continue

Figure 13 – Set the account name to student
Like other VMs use the password Security1 and click continue

Figure 14 – Set password
Select your time zone and click continue

Figure 15 – Select time zone
Partition Disk
1. Select option guided – use entire disk and press continue
  
  Figure 16 – Use the entire disk
2. Leave the disk partition as the default and click continue
  
  Figure 17 – Use default disk partition
3. Select – All files in one partition and click continue
  
  Figure 18 – Use all files in one partition
4. Verify your partition information and click continue
  
  Figure 19 – Verify settings and continue
Once the software selection screen pops up, leave the defaults and click continue

Figure 20 – Software selection is the default
Once the install GRUB boot loader screen pops up, leave the default yes radio button and click continue

Figure 21 – GRUB loader
On the next screen, select the device; there should be only one, and click continue

Figure 22 – Select the device
Once this is done, click continue one last time
Finish the installation by clicking continue

Figure 23 – Finish the installation
Once the login screen pops up, login to make sure everything works

Phase II – Necessary Software

While Kali comes with a large toolset, there are two tools that we will need later and do not come preinstalled.

Open the terminal and run this command to install rainbow crack

sudo apt-get install rainbowcrack
Once the installation completes, close the terminal and open Firefox
In Firefox, go to this link to download Nessus Essentials for Education. Click on try now

Figure 24 – Install Nessus
You will need to provide a business email, but none of our testers have reported spam from this
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
Open the folder where you downloaded the file. Right-click inside the folder and click Open Terminal Here

Figure 25 – Open the download folder
Use the following command to install the Nessus Package

NOTE: Adjust the filename to reflect the current file name you just downloaded

sudo dpkg -i Nessus-10.7.1-ubuntu1404_amd64.deb
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
In the window that pops up, enter the user password. Following that, reopen Firefox and go to this link

https://kali:8834
The page will tell you that it is insecure. Click advanced and then Accept the risk and continue

Figure 26 – Using Firefox to navigate Nessus
Click continue on the first screen

Figure 27 – Continue
Select the Register for Nessus Essentials radio button

Figure 28 – Register
And click continue. If you have already received the email earlier, then click skip

Figure 29 – Skip if you already have the code
Input the activation code from your email and click continue

Figure 30 – Input the activation code
Make a username and password for your account and select submit

Figure 31 – Create username and password

Figure 32 – This could take a while
Nessus will take a while to download and compile plugins, so wait for this process to complete before switching the machine off