Kali Linux Kali Linux is the new generation of the industry-leading BackTrack Linux penetration testing and security auditing Linux distribution. Kali Linux is a complete re-build of BackTrack from the ground up, adhering completely to Debian development standards.” (Source and to learn more: http://docs.kali.org/). Kali Linux is a free open source toolbox with more than 600 penetration testing tools included. Kali Linux will be our main tiger box (toolbox).
Note: We are downloading a pre-installed VM that we can simply open. The alternative is to download a disk image (i.e. an ISO file) and do the installation yourself. The 2nd option is time consuming and more advanced.
Note: The virtual networking components in Workstation Pro include virtual switches, virtual network adapters, the virtual DHCP server, and the NAT device. You can configure bridged networking, NAT, and host-only networking for virtual machines. Bridged Networking
Bridged networking connects a virtual machine to a network by using the network adapter on the host system. NAT Networking
With NAT, a VM does not have its own IP address on the external network. Instead, a separate private network is set up on the host system. In the default configuration, a virtual machine gets an address on this private network from the virtual DHCP server. The VM and the host system share a single network identity that is not visible on the external network. Host-Only Networking
Host-only networking creates a network that is completely contained within the host computer. Host-only networking provides a network connection between the VM and the host system by using a virtual network adapter that is visible on the host OS.
In this activity, you will install Kali Linux as the Tiger Box for the course.
Expert Mode
Download the latest version of Kali Linux (skip this if your instructor already provided Kali)
Install Kali Linux as a VM on your physical machine
Configure Kali's network settings to NAT
Power on Kali, log in, and obtain the IP address
Update Kali's system using apt update
Upgrade Kali's system using apt upgrade
For HCT students, the three machines should be available on your lab computer. Check with your instructor.
Visit the Kali Linux Download page, and find the Virtual Machines category (skip this if your instructor already provided Kali)
Choose your architecture (64 vs. 32 bits). If not sure, most modern computers are 64 bits.
Download the VM file that suits your hypervisor:
For VMWare Workstation, download the 7z file: kali-2022.2/kali-linux-2022.2-vmware-amd64.7z (version may vary)
If you are using Oracle VirtualBox, download the OVA file: kali-2022.2/kali-linux-2022.2-virtualbox-amd64.ova (version may vary)
If you want to perform a full installation (advanced), you can download the appropriate Bare Metal (i.e., .iso disk image) version. This is the best option if you want to install on an Apple machine with an M1 chip
Load the VM using your hypervisor:
For VMWare Workstation, extract the 7z file into your Document/Virtual Machines folder (create it the folder if needed); open the extracted VM using your VMWare Workstation (File»Open)
If you are using Oracle VirtualBox, open the OVA file
If you are doing a full installation (advanced), read the detailed guides Virtualization Guides »
Click the VM menu and select Settings
Click Network Adapter and select the NAT option. Click OK when done
Note Kali's credentials in the Description section, and power it on
Log in using the following credentials: (kali/kali)
Start a new Terminal window
Type the following command to get the IP address: ip a
First let's update the system. Type the following command: sudo apt update
Now let's upgrade the system. Type the following command: sudo apt upgrade
Update vs. Upgrade The update command only updates the package list with the latest available versions, however, it does not install or upgrade the package. The upgrade command actually upgrades and installs the latest versions of packages that are already installed.
Note: If you get 403 Forbidden Error during the update, do the next step.
Open the etc/apt/sources.list file (as root) and update the dep http:// entry to deb https://
Note: The update and upgrade might take a while
Explore your Kali and make sure you know your way around it. This is the absolute minimum knowldge you should have: a) file system; b) available applications; c) basic linux commands; d) installing new tools and updating existing ones
Vulnerable Targets Now that we have a Tiger Box (Kali Linux), we need some targets for practice. There are hundreds of intentionally vulnerable VMs that you can use. One popular sourse is VulnHub »
Warning! Running a vulnerable VM on your machine can be risky. To ensure you are protected, isolate the vulnerable VM using the network adapter settings discussed in the previous task. When you use discoverable settings, you can disconnect from the Internet.
In this activity, you will add two Target Machines for practice and testing.
Expert Mode
Download Metasploitable 2 from VulnHub (skip this if your instructor already provided Metasploitable 2)
Extract and open in VMWare Workstation
Set the network settings to NAT
Power on Metasploitable
Repeat the steps above for the Windows 10 target (download here »)
Visit VulnHub and search for Metasploitable (skip this if your instructor already provided Metasploitable 2)
Click the Metasploitable: 2 VM to go its page
Read the description and other details on the page. This will help you select other targets in the future. Notice the Format: Virtual Machine (VMware) and Operating System: Linux
Download the metasploitable-linux-2.0.0.zip file from one of the download sites
When the download is complete, unzip the file in your Documents/Virtual Machines folder
Open your VMWare Workstation and from the File menu, select Open
Navigate to the unzipped folder and select the Virtual Machine Configuration file VMX to open (it would be the only accessible file)
The VM should now be present in your Worstation. Edit Settings → Network Adapter Settings → NAT
Run the new target VM
Run Kali
In Kali, start a new Terminal window
Get Kali's IP ip a
Copy the entire IP address with the /24 from eth0 interface
Scan the network to discover the target's IP using the following command and your own IP address nmap -sn 192.168.135.154/24
Ping the target's IP address ping 192.168.135.155
Download the Windows Target here » (skip this if your instructor already provided Windows 10)
Extract the contents and open in VMWare Workstationas you did before
Ensure the network adapter is NAT and power on the machine
Login using the credentials samer/password
Launch a terminal window and get the IP address ipconfig
Conduct a host discovery scan using nmap as you did before nmap -sn <Your Network IP>
You should be able to see the Windows target IP address in your scan results
