Kali Linux

Kali Linux is a special type of computer system based on Linux distribution. It was made to help experts find and fix problems with computer security. Many tools in Kali Linux are made 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 made by two people, Mati Aharoni and Devon Kearns, from Offensive Security. They made 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 look changed from GNOME to Xfce, but a GNOME version was still offered. 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.

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 a few basic things to work well. You need about 20GB of space on a hard disk to install it. It 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 has different versions that work on many types of computers and devices. You can use it on most modern computers with a 64-bit system. There are also special versions for smaller devices like the Beagle Board and Raspberry Pi.

Kali Linux can 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. You can even use Kali Linux on Windows 10 using a special system called Windows Subsystem for Linux, available from the Microsoft Store.

Comparison with other Linux distributions

Kali Linux is made for experts who work on computer security. 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.

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 helps protect computer systems and has tools grouped into different categories.

Kali NetHunter

Main article: Kali NetHunter

Kali NetHunter is a special tool for checking computer safety, and it runs on Android devices. It helps experts find problems using their phones. It has features to spot weak spots in wireless networks.

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