Want to Try Kali Linux? Here’s How to Install It in VirtualBox

Need to use the penetration testing operating system Kali Linux but don't want to install it? Run it in VirtualBox instead.

With its huge collection of tools and utilities, Kali Linux is the first choice of many users when it comes to penetration testing and ethical hacking. While many penetration testers use Kali as their primary operating system, this is not a feasible choice for users who just want to try the OS.

Installing Kali Linux on a hypervisor like VirtualBox is viable in such situations. Anything you do inside the virtual machine won't affect your host system and vice versa. Also, you'll be able to use both operating systems at the same time without any issue.

In this article, you will learn how to install Kali Linux in VirtualBox.

How to Install Kali Linux in VirtualBox

While the traditional process of installing the operating system using an ISO file on VirtualBox is time-consuming, it is still the recommended option if you want to install a complete version of Kali Linux inside your primary OS.

Prerequisites

To install Kali Linux on VirtualBox, you'll need the following software and hardware specifications:

• Kali Linux ISO
• VirtualBox
• At least 20GB of disk space
• 4GB of RAM

First of all, download the version of VirtualBox compatible with your host machine and install it on your system.

Download: VirtualBox

Next, download the Kali Linux ISO image from the website. Choose the Bare Metal platform and select Installer from the available options.

Download: Kali Linux

Step 1: Create a New Virtual Machine

Launch VirtualBox on your host machine and click on the New button. Type the name you want your virtual machine to have. The recommended name is Kali Linux. VirtualBox will automatically select the rest of the options for you. But if it doesn't, you can manually select the options to match the image below.

Once done, hit Next. Now use the slider to select the memory size for your new virtual machine. VirtualBox automatically tells you that the recommended memory size is 1024MB. Choose 4096MB and hit Next. Feel free to use 2048MB or 1024MB if you have a computer with less RAM.

Select Create a virtual hard disk now and click on Create. Choose the option that says VDI (VirtualBox Disk Image) and select Dynamically Allocated in the screen that follows.

Now specify the amount of storage you want to provide to the virtual machine. Make sure you select at least 20GB as the hard disk size. Choose 40GB to ensure that your virtual machine doesn't run out of space. Once done, click on the Create button.

Your new virtual machine has been created. Now it's time to configure the settings of the machine.

Related: Reasons to Start Using a Virtual Machine

Step 2: Configure the Virtual Machine

Right now, you just have a virtual machine on your system that does nothing. To make it functional, you will have to make some changes in its settings. Highlight your virtual machine from the left pane and click on the Settings button.

Select General and switch to the Advanced tab. Select Bidirectional for the Shared Clipboard and Drag'n'Drop option.

From the left pane, select System and uncheck everything except Optical and Hard Disk under the Boot Order label. Also, reorder the entries so that Optical is first and Hard Disk is the second boot device.

Switch to the Processor tab and move the Processor(s) slider to where the green and red colors meet. Also, click on the Enable PAE/NX option.

Now from the left sidebar, click on Display and select the maximum possible Video Memory for the virtual machine. Head over to Storage and click on the Empty option under the Controller: IDE label.

On the right pane, click the Disk icon and select Choose a disk file. Now browse the Kali Linux ISO from your local storage. Once done, click on OK to finalize the process.

Step 3: Start and Install Kali Linux

Highlight the virtual machine from the left sidebar and click on the Start button. Kali Linux will now boot using the ISO file you just selected. Select the Graphical Install option from the list.

The system will start loading the necessary files. Select the language you prefer for the installation and click on Continue. Next, choose your geographical location from the list of available options.

Then select an appropriate keyboard layout for the operating system. Although the recommended option is American English, you can choose any other keyboard layout as well.

Kali Linux will now automatically detect and mount the installation media. A few more configurations will be done by the system. Enter the hostname for your virtual machine. For this guide, keep the default hostname, which is kali. On the next screen, the system will ask you for a domain name. Simply click on Continue to skip.

Enter the full name of the new user. On the next screen, type the username you want the user to have. Click on Continue to proceed and then type a strong password for the user account.

The next step is partitioning the disks. Since you're not dual-booting Kali Linux with another operating system, you can proceed with the Guided- use entire disk option. Select the hard disk file to partition and click on Continue. Select Separate /home, /var, and /tmp partitions from the list of available options.

On the next screen, select Finish partitioning and write changes to disk and click on Continue. Choose Yes and hit Continue again to confirm the process. The system will automatically start the installation for you.

Kali Linux will ask you for the files that you want to download. Choose an appropriate desktop environment that fits your needs and check the large -- default selection plus additional tools option. Click on Continue to proceed.

Kali Linux will start downloading the necessary files for the installation. Click Yes when the system asks you to install the GRUB bootloader to your primary drive. Select the hard drive from the list and click on Continue.

After Kali Linux has finished installing, click on Continue. The system will restart and boot into Kali Linux. When you see the login screen, enter the password that you set up during installation.

Learn More: Best Operating Systems to Try in a Virtual Machine

Installing Kali Linux VirtualBox Image

Another way to install Kali Linux on VirtualBox is by using the prebuilt VirtualBox image. Unlike installing from the ISO, VirtualBox image files are easy and quick to install.

First, download the Virtual Machine image for VirtualBox from the Kali Linux website.

Download: Kali Linux VirtualBox Image

Launch VirtualBox on your host machine and select Tools from the left pane. Then, click on the Import button.

Browse the VirtualBox image file that you've just downloaded by clicking on the small File icon. After selecting the file, click on Next. VirtualBox will display the settings and configurations associated with the image file.

Change the base folder for storing the virtual machine files. Don't select the drive containing your host operating system. Once done, click on Import and select Agree when the system displays the license agreement.

Wait for some time and let VirtualBox import the operating system from the downloaded file. When it's completed, highlight the virtual machine from the left pane and click on the Start button to boot the OS.

If you bump into the USB 2.0 Controller Support error, simply disable the feature by heading over to Settings > USB  and then uncheck Enable USB Controller.

Leverage the Power of Kali Linux

Kali Linux is a well-known operating system that comes with thousands of tools related to penetration testing and digital forensics. Although several operating systems for ethical hacking are available, Kali Linux still stands out to be one of the best.

Apart from desktops, you can also install Kali Linux on Raspberry Pi. Kali Linux installed on a Raspberry Pi is really powerful and has huge potential when it comes to penetration testing and ethical hacking.

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