Kali Linux

Kali Linux is a special type of computer system based on Linux distribution. It was created to help experts find and fix problems with computer security. Many tools in Kali Linux are designed to test how safe computers and networks are, finding weak spots before bad people can use them.

The software is kept up to date and supported by a company called Offensive Security. Most of the programs in Kali Linux come from another computer system called Debian, which is known for being reliable and easy to use.

Kali Linux was developed by two people, Mati Aharoni and Devon Kearns, from Offensive Security. They created it by changing and improving an older system called BackTrack, which itself was based on Knoppix.

Because of its useful tools, Kali Linux became very popular among people who work with computer safety. It was even shown in some episodes of the TV show Mr. Robot, helping more people learn about it.

Version history

The first version, 1.0.0 "moto", came out in March 2013.

In November 2019, with version 2019.4, the main way it looks changed from GNOME to Xfce, but a GNOME version was still offered. However, the terminal tool used was QTerminal from the LXQt desktop, not xfce4-terminal.

In August 2020, with version 2020.3, the main command line tool changed from Bash to ZSH, with Bash still available as a choice.

Starting with version 2023.1, the KDE Plasma version began using Wayland.

In December 2024, with version 2024.4, version 6.11 of the Linux kernel was added, support for 32-bit images ended, and DSA keys were no longer used for OpenSSH.

Requirements

Kali Linux needs some basic things to work well. You will need at least 20GB of space on a hard disk to install it. It also needs at least 128 MB of memory (RAM), but if you want to use the Xfce4 interface, you should have 2 GB of RAM. You can start Kali Linux from a CD, DVD, USB stick, or other bootable media.

Supported platforms

Kali Linux comes in different versions to work on many types of computers and devices. You can use it on most modern computers with a 64-bit system, and there are special versions for smaller devices like the Beagle Board and Raspberry Pi. Older 32-bit computer systems are no longer supported.

Kali Linux can also be used on many small computers and tablets, including the BeagleBone Black, CubieBoard 2, CuBox, Odroid devices, and various Chromebooks. With a special version called Kali NetHunter, it works on some Android phones and tablets too. You can even use Kali Linux on Windows 10 through a special system called Windows Subsystem for Linux, which you can get from the Microsoft Store.

Comparison with other Linux distributions

Kali Linux is made for experts who work on computer security and finding weak spots in systems. Other special types of Linux exist for this purpose too, like Parrot OS, BlackArch, and Wifislax. Kali Linux is different because it was designed in a special way, such as having a user with very high powers by default, until it changed its rules in 2020.

Included software

Kali Linux has many tools to help find and fix security problems. These tools are grouped by what they do, like finding weak spots, testing websites, and checking passwords.

Some important tools in Kali Linux are Nmap for finding devices on a network, Metasploit for testing how well systems can stand up to attacks, Wireshark for looking at data traveling over networks, and Burp Suite for testing website security. It also includes tools like John the Ripper and Hashcat for testing passwords, Aircrack-ng for checking wireless networks, and a trial version of Nessus. Other tools help with testing websites for problems and looking deep into how programs work.

Kali Purple

Kali Purple is a special version of Kali that started in 2023. It is made for helping protect computer systems and has tools grouped into different categories that match the NIST Cybersecurity Framework.

Kali NetHunter

Main article: Kali NetHunter

Kali NetHunter is a special tool for checking computer safety, and it runs on Android devices. It lets experts test for problems using their phones, with features that help find weak spots in wireless networks.

It was the first free tool of its kind for certain Android phones, made together by a Kali community member named "BinkyBear" and Offensive Security. It can work with wireless networks, set up fake access points quickly, mimic keyboards, and more.