Kali Linux - VM

First Install - Virtual Machine

• Create a new Virtual Machine in VMWare with preferred specs:

  • Processors: 1 CPU - 2 Cores

  • RAM Memory: 4 GB

  • Hard Disk: 40 GB

  • CD: use the Kali Installer .iso image file - Download here - and check Connect at power on

  • Network: set it as NAT

• Boot the virtual machine and proceed with the Kali Installation

First Boot & Update

• Boot Kali Linux

• Open the Terminal and run the command

sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade -y

• full-upgrade performs the function of upgrade but will remove currently installed packages if this is needed to upgrade the system as a whole.

• This command will upgrade the system to the latest Kali version.

• Tips from the Updating Kali post:

  • ❗ You should be checking for updates every few weeks

  • 📌 A good practice is that you ensure all tools work before an engagement and during that engagement you should not update

• Reboot the system

reboot

• Customize Kali and finish off the setup using kali-tweaks

kali-tweaks

zshell alias - Update packages

nano ~/.zsh_aliases

• Append the following text with the necessary commands to update all packages:

# Upgrade all packages and remove unused packages

alias updateos='sudo -- sh -c "sudo apt update && sudo apt -y upgrade && sudo apt -y autoremove"'

• Download and add hacking platforms .ovpn files and set up OpenVpn aliases

mkdir htb tcm pwnx
# Copy every .ovpn file in the respective dir

# OpenVpn Aliases
alias htbvpn='sudo openvpn --config ~/htb/htb.ovpn --daemon'        # HTB FREE VPN
alias htbvipvpn='sudo openvpn --config ~/htb/htbvip.ovpn --daemon'  # HTB VIP VPN
alias thmvpn='sudo openvpn --config ~/thm/thm.ovpn --daemon'
alias pwnxvpn='sudo openvpn --config ~/pwnx/pwnx.ovpn --daemon'
alias killopenvpn='sudo pkill openvpn'

• Save and exit.

• Reload the zshell configuration:

source ~/.zshrc

• Test the command

updateos

---

Configurations

GRUB Timeout

• Set the seconds in the GRUB_TIMEOUT value to 1

sudo sed -E '/^GRUB_TIMEOUT=/s/=(.*)/=1/' -i /etc/default/grub
sudo update-grub

# Or edit it manually
# sudo nano /etc/default/grub

Set Chrony NTP

sudo apt install -y chrony
sudo systemctl enable --now chrony
sudo systemctl status chrony --no-pager
sudo timedatectl status

Set Timezone

sudo unlink /etc/localtime
sudo ln -s /usr/share/zoneinfo/Europe/Rome /etc/localtime
sudo timedatectl set-timezone "Europe/Rome"

New SSH Host and User Keys

# Host ssh keys
sudo /bin/rm -v /etc/ssh/ssh_host_*
sudo dpkg-reconfigure openssh-server
sudo systemctl restart ssh

# User ssh key pair

cd
mkdir -p .ssh
cd .ssh
# Generate SSH Key Pair for User Authentication
ssh-keygen -t ed25519
# Set appropriate permissions
chmod 700 ~/.ssh
chmod 600 ~/.ssh/*

Zsh & Oh-My-Zsh

Follow the guide here to setup ZSH with Oh-My-Zsh - Zsh & Oh-My-Zsh - syselement

---

Personal Kali Config

# KALI Linux XFCE Theme mod #

echo -ne "\n--------Kali Theme Mod--------\n"

## Login: Kali-Dark + Wallpaper + User ##
sudo apt install kali-wallpapers-2020.4
sudo ln -sf /usr/share/backgrounds/kali/kali-neon-16x9.png /usr/share/desktop-base/kali-theme/login/background
sudo sed s:"Kali-Light":"Kali-Dark":g -i /etc/lightdm/lightdm-gtk-greeter.conf
sudo sed '/#greeter-hide-users=false/s/^#//g' -i /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf

## Set autologin for <username> ##
# sudo nano /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf
# # In the [Seat:*] section of the file, set the following values:
# autologin-user=<username>
# autologin-user-timeout=0

# Set Adwaita-dark Theme
xfconf-query -c xsettings -p /Net/ThemeName -s "Adwaita-dark"

## Desktop Wallpaper ##
xfconf-query -c xfce4-desktop -p /backdrop/screen0/monitorVirtual1/workspace0/last-image -s /usr/share/backgrounds/kali/kali-neon-16x9.png

## Show Panel on primary display ##
xfconf-query -c 'xfce4-panel' -p '/panels/panel-1/output-name' -t string -s "Primary" --create
## Turn Numlock ON
xfconf-query -c keyboards -p /Default/Numlock -t bool -s true --create

## Set Keybindings - Print, Alt+Shift+D, Win+E, Alt+T ##

nano ~/.config/xfce4/xfconf/xfce-perchannel-xml/xfce4-keyboard-shortcuts.xml

# Insert those lines under the first <property name="custom" type="empty">
      <property name="&lt;Alt&gt;t" type="string" value="terminator"/>
      <property name="&lt;Super&gt;e" type="string" value="/usr/bin/Thunar"/>
      <property name="&lt;Shift&gt;&lt;Alt&gt;s" type="string" value="/usr/bin/flameshot gui --clipboard"/>
      <property name="Print" type="string" value="/usr/bin/flameshot gui --clipboard"/>

---

Tools

Basic Tools

• Install basic tools

sudo apt install -y apt-transport-https btop curl duf eza flameshot gdu htop kali-wallpapers-all locate nano neofetch net-tools pipx software-properties-common speedtest-cli terminator tor tree ugrep vlc wget

Terminator

sudo apt install -y terminator

• From the Default Applications / Utilities menu, set terminator as the default terminal to use

sudo update-alternatives --config x-terminal-emulator

• Set up your layout. CTRL+SHIFT+O and CTRL+SHIFT+E in my case.

  • Terminator Shortcuts here

• Go to Preferences - Global and set Window state to Maximized

• Go to Preferences - Profiles - Background and set the Background transparency as you like.

• Go to Preferences - Profiles - Scrolling and set the checkmark on Infinite Scrollback.

• Go to Preferences - Layouts and click on Add button to create a new layout and give it a name.

• This should create the ~/.config/terminator/config file.

• Now you can start terminator using the saved layout using:

terminator -l <yourLayout>

• Edit the ~/.config/terminator/config file, rename yourLayout to default and remove/rename the previous default layout. Now, when Terminator starts without any parameters, it will load your custom [[default]] layout!

  • Edit the [[[terminalx]]]/ command = neofetch;zsh for the desired terminal, so that it will run your custom command during startup!!

nano ~/.config/terminator/config

[global_config]
  window_state = maximise
  suppress_multiple_term_dialog = True
[keybindings]
[profiles]
  [[default]]
    background_darkness = 0.99
    background_type = transparent
    scrollback_infinite = True
    palette = "#1f2229:#d41919:#5ebdab:#fea44c:#367bf0:#9755b3:#49aee6:#e6e6e6:#198388:#ec0101:#47d4b9:#ff8a18:#277fff:#962ac3:#05a1f7:#ffffff"
    use_theme_colors = True
    title_transmit_bg_color = "#1c71d8"
    title_receive_bg_color = "#3584e4"
[layouts]
#  [[default]]
#    [[[window0]]]
#      type = Window
#      parent = ""
#    [[[child1]]]
#      type = Terminal
#      parent = window0
#      profile = default
  [[default]]
    [[[child0]]]
      type = Window
      parent = ""
      order = 0
      position = 0:35
      maximised = True
      fullscreen = False
      size = 2550, 1529
      title = syselement@syskali: ~
      last_active_term = bad1ac94-7015-4914-b44a-dbeb25a78357
      last_active_window = True
    [[[child1]]]
      type = VPaned
      parent = child0
      order = 0
      position = 762
      ratio = 0.5
    [[[terminal2]]]
      type = Terminal
      parent = child1
      order = 0
      profile = default
      uuid = bad1ac94-7015-4914-b44a-dbeb25a78357
      command = neofetch;zsh
    [[[child3]]]
      type = HPaned
      parent = child1
      order = 1
      position = 1272
      ratio = 0.499803536345776
    [[[terminal4]]]
      type = Terminal
      parent = child3
      order = 0
      profile = default
      uuid = f9bdedfc-607c-4975-abaa-7c64fc7076b2
    [[[terminal5]]]
      type = Terminal
      parent = child3
      order = 1
      profile = default
      uuid = e7f2289c-ce5b-4b54-ba1c-59cdad3b77c3
[plugins]

• CTRL+ALT+T is a keyboard shortcut already configured in Kali. It should open the terminator with your configured layout.

Sublime

sudo sh -c '
    wget -qO- https://download.sublimetext.com/sublimehq-pub.gpg | gpg --dearmor -o /usr/share/keyrings/sublimehq-archive.gpg &&
    echo "deb [arch="$(dpkg --print-architecture)" signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/sublimehq-archive.gpg] https://download.sublimetext.com/ apt/stable/" | tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/sublime-text.list &&
    apt update &&
    apt install -y sublime-text
'

• Run it with subl command.

Brave

sudo sh -c '
    apt install -y curl
    curl -fsSLo /usr/share/keyrings/brave-browser-archive-keyring.gpg https://brave-browser-apt-release.s3.brave.com/brave-browser-archive-keyring.gpg
    echo "deb [arch="$(dpkg --print-architecture)" signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/brave-browser-archive-keyring.gpg] https://brave-browser-apt-release.s3.brave.com/ stable main" | tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/brave-browser-release.list
    wget http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/main/libu/libu2f-host/libu2f-udev_1.1.10-3.2_all.deb
    dpkg -i libu2f-udev_1.1.10-3.2_all.deb
    apt update && apt install -y brave-browser
    rm -rf libu2f-udev_1.1.10-3.2_all.deb
'

Github Desktop

wget -qO - https://apt.packages.shiftkey.dev/gpg.key | gpg --dearmor | sudo tee /usr/share/keyrings/shiftkey-packages.gpg > /dev/null

sudo sh -c 'echo "deb [arch=amd64 signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/shiftkey-packages.gpg] https://apt.packages.shiftkey.dev/ubuntu/ any main" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/shiftkey-packages.list'

sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y github-desktop

VS Codium

wget https://gitlab.com/paulcarroty/vscodium-deb-rpm-repo/raw/master/pub.gpg && sudo mv pub.gpg /usr/share/keyrings/vscodium-archive-keyring.asc

sudo sh -c 'echo "deb [ signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/vscodium-archive-keyring.asc ] https://paulcarroty.gitlab.io/vscodium-deb-rpm-repo/debs vscodium main" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/vscodium.list'

sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y codium

Docker

sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y curl apt-transport-https software-properties-common ca-certificates gnupg

packages=("docker.io" "docker-doc" "docker-compose" "podman-docker" "containerd" "runc")
for pkg in "${packages[@]}"; do
    sudo apt remove "$pkg" -y
done &&

sudo sh -c '
    curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/debian/gpg | gpg --dearmor -o /usr/share/keyrings/docker.gpg &&
    chmod a+r /usr/share/keyrings/docker.gpg &&
    echo "deb [arch="$(dpkg --print-architecture)" signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/docker.gpg] https://download.docker.com/linux/debian bullseye stable" |  tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list &&
    apt update && 
    apt install -y docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-buildx-plugin docker-compose-plugin &&
    sudo gpasswd -a "${USER}" docker
'

---

Offensive Sec Tools

SecLists

seclists() {
    if [[ -d /usr/share/seclists ]];
     then
      echo -e "\n /usr/share/seclists  already exists -- skipping"
     else
      echo -e "\n Download Seclists to /tmp/SecLists.zip"
      sudo wget https://github.com/danielmiessler/SecLists/archive/master.zip -O /tmp/SecList.zip
      echo -e "\n Extracing /tmp/Seclists.zip to /usr/share/seclists"
      sudo unzip -o /tmp/SecList.zip -d /usr/share/seclists
      # rm -f /tmp/SecList.zip
      echo -e "\n Seclists complete" 
    fi
    }
seclists

Searchsploit

sudo apt update && sudo apt -y install exploitdb

searchsploit -u

pimpmykali

Kali Linux Fixes for Newly Imported VM's

❗ Read docs before running it! It may contains mods that you do not want.

cd /opt
sudo rm -rf pimpmykali/
sudo git clone https://github.com/Dewalt-arch/pimpmykali

sudo /opt/pimpmykali/pimpmykali.sh

# For a new kali vm, run menu option N

AutoRecon

AutoRecon is a multi-threaded network reconnaissance tool which performs automated enumeration of services. It is intended as a time-saving tool for use in CTFs and other penetration testing environments (e.g. OSCP). It may also be useful in real-world engagements.

sudo apt update -y && sudo apt install -y autorecon

mkdir -p ~/scans/autorecon

cd ~/scans/autorecon
sudo autorecon <TARGET-IP>

# ./results/target Directory Structure
.
├── exploit/
├── loot/
├── report/
│   ├── local.txt
│   ├── notes.txt
│   ├── proof.txt
│   └── screenshots/
└── scans/
	├── _commands.log
	├── _manual_commands.txt
	├── tcp80/
	├── udp53/
	└── xml/

pwntools

Pwntools is a CTF framework and exploit development library. Written in Python, it is designed for rapid prototyping and development, and intended to make exploit writing as simple as possible.

sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y python3 python3-pip python3-dev git libssl-dev libffi-dev build-essential
python3 -m pip install --upgrade pip
python3 -m pip install --upgrade pwntools

Katana

A next-generation crawling and spidering framework

sudo apt install -y golang

go install github.com/projectdiscovery/katana/cmd/katana@latest

sudo cp ~/go/bin/katana /usr/bin/

katana -u <URL>