Installing Kali Linux on Oracle's Virtual Box
This is a step-by-step guide on how to install Kali linux as a virtual machine on Oracle's Virtual Box
- Download Oracle Virtual Box https://www.virtualbox.org/ and install it
- Download the Kali ISO https://www.kali.org/ Kali Linux 64-Bit (Live)
- Start VBox
- Machine > New
- Give it a name, location, Type: Linux, Version: Debian (64-bit)
- Next
- Set memory (2048MB)
- Next
- Create a virtual hard disk now
- Create
- VDI (Virtualbox Disk Image)
- Next
- Dynamically allocated
- Next
- Select HDD size (20GB minimum)
- Create
In the UI select Settings and set the following:
- General > Advanced:
- Shared Clipboard: Bidirectional
- Drag'n'Drop: Bidirectional
- System > Motherboard:
- Boot order: Hard Disk then Optical (untick Floppy)
- System > Processor:
- Embedded Features: tick Enable PAE/NX
- Display > Screen:
- Video memory: 128MB
- Storage:
- Storage Devices: select the empty optical disc and under optical drive select Choose a disk file... and choose your Kali ISO file
- Tick Live CD/DVD
- Audio:
- Extended features: tick Enable Audio Input
- Network:
- Adapter 1:
- Attached to: Bridged Adapter
- Name: Select your adapter
- Advanced:
- Adapter Type: Intel PRO/1000 MT Server (82545EM)
- Promiscuous Mode: Allow VMs
- OK
Start the VM and if it asks you to select a disk select cancel. Choose Start installer from the menu.
- Select your language i.e. English
- Continue
- Select your location i.e. United Kingdom
- Continue
- Configure the keyboard i.e. British English
- Continue
- Installer components will now load
- Enter a hostname for your new VM
- Continue
- Just select Continue for Configure the network
- Add user account name
- Continue
- Enter password for user account twice
- Continue
- Installation will continue
- Guided - use entire disk
- Continue
- Select disk
- Continue
- All files in one partition (recommended for new users)
- Continue
- Continue
- Partition disks: Yes, Continue
- System will be installed
- Software selection
- Continue
At this point the VM will need to access the internet so you need to ensure that it can do that. First make sure that any firewall running on the host allows the IP address assigned to the VM through. You can do this by looking at your access log and then add the IP address to the allowed list. Next login to your broadband router and assign the IP address to your VM as a static address.
- Install the GRUB boot loader: Yes, Continue
- Select device and Continue
- Finish the installation: Continue
- VM will reboot
- Login (at UI not command prompt)
- Shutdown VM from within
In Virtual box select Settings.
- Storage
- Select optical disk
- Untick Live CD/DVD
- Select CD icon and Remove Disk from Virtual drive
- OK
Start VM and login.
- Open a terminal
- sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade
- Enter your password and hit return
- sudo apt install -y --reinstall virtualbox-guest-x11
- Close terminal
- Shutdown VM
- Take a snapshot of VM
If you have any issues, suggestions or feedback for this article please email me.
Dave
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Last updated: 11th July 2022
