If that does not describe you or your use case, then give the user-friendly Ubuntu or Mint Linux distributions a go instead.

Kali is a specialized Linux distro that is meant for experienced Linux users who need an offensive security-focused penetration testing platform. If you're new to Kali, download a preconfigured VMWare or VirtualBox VM to get up and running quickly. As such, it is frequently installed as a virtual machine on a laptop, using VMWare or VirtualBox on a Windows, Mac, or even Linux host. Aim wisely.Īgain, Kali is not meant for use as a daily default operating system, but for security testing. Especially since pointing most of these tools at targets without their permission is illegal under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) in the US and under similar laws around the world, you might feel a little like a baby with a howitzer. That's approximately what it feels like to pick up Kali and start playing around with it.

It's officially recognized as a compliant Debian variant by the Debian Project, and with a default GNOME desktop, looks and feels at first glance like you might expect.įast forward to that scene in a World War II movie where a grizzled, cigar-chomping sergeant removes the dusty tarp covering the Big Guns.

If you're familiar with Linux, especially a Debian flavor like Ubuntu (or, well, Debian) then Kali will seem familiar to you, at least at first.

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