Kali Linux which is formerly known as BackTrack Linus is an open-source operating system. This is funded and maintained by Offensive Security which is an informal training company. The software is a Debian-based Linus distribution built with the aim of advanced penetration testing and security auditing.

You are thinking about “how to learn Kali Linux?”: then this article is the right place for you.  Here we will be discussing systematically the best possible method of learning Kali Linux. Learning Linus is very important if you want to pursue your interest in ethical hacking.

This is the perfect software for ethical hackers as is equipped with a tonne of tools. All the essential tools regarding information security, penetration testing, computer forensics, reverse engineering, etc are included in Kali Linux.

Knowing The Requirements Before Learning Kali Linux

Before you start your journey to learning Kali Linux, it is important to know the requirements first. Installing Kali Linux is easier than you think. All you have to do is to have compatible hardware. Kali Linux is supported by amd64, ARM(including ARMEL and ARMHF), and i368.

If you have the following hardware then you are good to go for installing the Kali Linux. If you have better hardware then the software will run much faster on your desktop. Here are the requirements for Installing the Kali Linux-

  • Requirement for Space- Your desktop or laptop must need a minimum space of 20 GB space in your hard disk so that you can install the Kali Linux.
  • Requirement for RAM- Even though the recommended RAM should be 2 GB, it will still operate in 1 GB RAM. These are applicable for i386 and amd64 hardware.

Also, it is important to have USB boot support or a CD- DVD Drive. If you have these above-mentioned requirements then you are good to go.

Installation Process For learning Kali Linux

You can install Kali Linux with the help of Kali ISO image directly from your desktop or laptop. This is an effective method for those who are working on the spare computer system and know about learning Kali Linux. You should enable your Wi-Fi if you want to perform access point testing on your machine.

Popular hypervisors of Kali Linux underpins like Oracle VirtualBox, Citrix, Hyper-V, VMware can effectively be installed in your computer system. You can download pre-installed images from the official site of Kali or Kali ISO. This can be utilized for hyper installation through the process manual manner. Here are possible methods for installing Kali Linux-

  • Cloud service providers such as Axure and AWS render the image for Kali Linux.
  • Using the Command-Line Interface, it can be run in Windows 10 too.
  • A USB boot disk can be utilized to make it run kali Linux without installing it in the device.
  • Macintosh is also compatible with running Kali Linux. Mac’s boot functionality or Parallels are used for setting up configuration.

Installing VirtualBox for Learning Kali Linux

The most widely popular way to use Kali Linux for learning Kali Linux is using Oracle’s VirtualBox. This method allows you to keep on using the existing specs and try different things with your operating system. It permits you to work with Kali Linux in an isolated environment.

And the best part is, Kali Linux and Oracle VirtualBox are completely free. After installing Oracle’s VirtualBox, it is important to enable 64-bit Virtualization on your device through Bios.

Using Nikto Kali Linux For Learning & Scanning Web Servers For Vulnerabilities

To practice and learn Kali Linux, it is important to learn about scanning web servers for finding loopholes. Before attacking any website it is important to observe and investigate thoroughly and gather log information. This gives a good idea about what configuration the targeted server is using.

Performing effective tasks like recon permit pen-testers to save a lot of time. By targeting the configuration of the webserver, an attacker can quickly find and exploit the vulnerabilities of the web applications.

Using Port Scanning for Learning Kali Linux

A port scanner is an effective tool that is designed to probe websites or hosts for finding open or closed ports. This scanner is used by system administrators to verify the security policies. Using this is a good method for learning and practicing Kali Linux. Penetration testers used port scanners. Whereas hackers use this to identify services through open and closed ports on a host. Attackers exploit the loopholes in the network by gathering information about the target.

Performing Nmap Scan for learning Kali Linux

Nmap is the shorter form of Network Mapper. It is an open-source utility that specializes in network discovery. If you want to learn more about the potential of Kali Linux then you run a basic Nmap Scan. Using the Nmap you can scan a single IP, a DNS name, Subnets, and even scan from text files. For scanning the localhost IP Address, the process is as follow-

  1. Open the dock menu and click on the second tab named Terminal.
  2. Next is opening the Terminal window. Now enter the command ifconfig and the command will return the Kali Linux system’s local IP address.
  3. Take a note of the local IP address that you discover.
  4. Enter the Nmap 10.0.2.15 in the same terminal window. This helps to scan the first 1000 ports on the targeted localhost. Since this is the base install no ports are to be opened.
  5.  Review the results that have been acquired

The default scanning limit of the nmap is 1000 ports. If you want to scan every part of the local host then you need to modify the command and include -p-.

Another useful and basic feature of Nmap can detect the OS of the host system.

Now throughout the article, you have a better knowledge of how to learn Kali Linux and the best possible methods. Kali Linux is the pinnacle of the hacking sector and through this operating system, you can develop your hacking skills a lot.