Building your penetration testing lab Pt. 1

Installing Kali Linux & VMWare tools in VMWare Workstation

Step by Step Guide – How to Install Kali Linux 2020.2 and VMware Tools in VMware Workstation 15

Step 1 – Download Kali Linux ISO image

To install the Kali Linux, we will have to first get the installer ISO image file.  Check the tools section of this site to download. Remember to use the appropriate version (32 or 64 bit)

Kali Linux official download page

Step 2 – Locate the downloaded file

You can find the downloaded image file in the downloads folder, if you have not changed the default settings. The filename would be something like kali-linux-2020.2-installer-amd64.iso and would be around 3.6 GB. If you have downloaded through torrent, the ISO file will be downloaded in a folder, folder name would be something like kali-linux-2020.2-installer-amd64.iso.

Step 3- Open VMWare Workstation

Open VMware Workstation from Windows Start menu or from you desktop if you have VMware Workstation icon there.

VMware Workstation 15.5 Pro Home Screen

Step 4 – Launch VMware Workstation New Virtual Machine installation wizard.

To launch the wizard to create a new virtual machine, Click on Create a New Virtual Machine or File -> New Virtual Machine. Welcome to the new Virtual Machine Wizard dialog box will open. Select typical and click on next.

VMware workstation – create a new virtual machine screenshot

Step 5- Welcome to the new Virtual Machine Wizard dialog box appears

This is where you get a chance to select the way virtual machine will be created. Typical is predefined or mostly the defaults. Custom is where you get to set advanced options such as compatibility with older Virtual Machines, SCSI controller type, etc. We will go with the default options. Select Typical and click Next.

VMware workstation – create a new virtual machine screenshot

Step 6- Select installation media or source

In this dialog box you will have to browse to the downloaded ISO file and click next. Generally, VMware Workstation detects the OS automatically and initiates what they call as the Easy Install. But in the case of Kali Linux this is not the case and you will see a warning(yellow triangle). Please ignore that and click next to continue.

Kali Linux Installation – New Virtual machine Wizard – Browse Guest Operating System

Step 7- Select Guest Operating System

In this dialog box, you will be asked to select the Guest Operating System. Select Guest operating system as Linux and Version as Debian 9.x 64-bit or 32 bit depending on your system.

VMware Workstation – New Virtual machine Wizard – Select Guest Operating System

Step 8- Provide Virtual machine name

In this dialog box, you will be asked to provide the name of the virtual machine. You can provide any name you like. You can also change the location of the virtual machine. By default it is place in the Documents/Virtual Machine folder. Leaving it as the default is also fine.

VMware Workstation – Install New Virtual Machine – Virtual machine name

Step 9- Specify disk capacity

This dialog box asks you to specify the disk capacity. This is the maximum amount of disk space it will utilize once the Virtual Machine is created. You can leave it to the default but if you are running low on disk space, you can reduce it to 20 GB. This is generally sufficient if you are not planning to install heavy disk using software’s such as Photoshop. Such software’s reduce the performance of your Virtual Machine if your Computer is not powerful enough.

Check Split Virtual Disk into multiple files. This is the default option. Say if you specify 60 GB, all of 60 GB will not be utilized or say 60 GB will not be blocked at once. These Virtual Disks expand according to the usage with a Maximum size you specified as the disk capacity. On a fresh install normally it takes 10 GB of space which will grow according to the software’s you install in the VM.

VMware Workstation – Create new virtual machine – specify disk capacity

Step 10- Ready to create Virtual Machine Dialog Box

This is the final dialog box and what you see is all the options you have selected in previous dialog boxes.

VMware Workstation – Create new virtual machine – ready to create virtual machine

Normally I increase the RAM and memory before clicking finish. This helps to finish the installation process faster. If you have sufficient RAM and CPU on your host Windows machine, I suggest even you should increase RAM and CPU. To increase the RAM, before clicking Finish, click on customize hardware. Increase the memory using the slider.

VMware Workstation – Virtual machine hardware settings – memory

To increase the CPU, Enter the values number of processors and number of cores. Click on Finish to start the installation process.

VMware Workstation – Virtual machine hardware settings – processors

Click on Close and Finish to start the installation process

Step 11 – Power on Virtual Machine

Now you will have to power on the virtual machine to start the process. You can see the option to power on the VM on top left hand side.

VMware Workstation- Power on Virtual machine

Step 12 – Select Graphical Install from Boot Menu

Here you will see many options. Select Graphical Install using the down arrow key and click continue.

Kali linux installation boot menu screenshot

Step 13 – Select a Language

In this dialog box you will be asked to select a language. Please select a language and continue. This option sets your language in the Kali Linux Operating system. Default is English.

Install Kali Linux 2020 – Select a Language Screenshot

Step 14 – Select Location

In this dialog box you will be asked to select a Location. Please select a location and continue. This option sets your Location in the Kali Linux Operating system. later on, you will be able to set the time zone based on the location you choose here.

Install Kali Linux 2020 – Select Location Screenshot

Step 15 – Configure the Keyboard

In this dialog box you will be asked to select the keyboard layout. Please select a Keyboard layout using the arrow keys and click continue. This option sets your Keyboard in the Kali Linux Operating system. By default it is set to American English.

Install Kali Linux 2020 – Configure keyboard Screenshot

After you click continue, you will see the installation progresses for some them you see the Network Configuration dialog box, which is the next step.

Install Kali Linux 2020 – Installation progress Screenshot

Step 16 – Configure the Network – Enter Hostname

In this dialog box you will be asked to enter the hostname for your system. This being a home network, we can set anything. Enter any anything and click continue.

Install Kali Linux 2020 – Configure the Network Screenshot

Step 17 – Configure the Network – Enter domain name

In this dialog box you will be asked to enter the domain name for your system. This being a home network, we can set anything like example.com

Install Kali Linux 2020 – Configure the Network- Enter Domain Name Screenshot

Step 18 – Set User account and password

In this dialog box you will be asked create an account other than the root user. Please note that this is the user other than the root user. Please type your name and click continue

Install Kali Linux 2020 – Set up Users account Screenshot

Now you will be asked to provide the user name again. I use the same name as the account name in the previous screen.

Install Kali Linux 2020 – Set up Users name Screenshot

You will be asked to setup a password of the user you created. Enter the password. We will login with this username and password once the installation completes.

Kali Linux Installation – set user password

Step 19 – Configure Clock

In this dialog box you will be asked to time zone based on the location you selected earlier. Please enter a time zone of your choice and click continue.

Install Kali Linux 2020 – Configure Clock Screenshot

Step 20 – Partition Disk

In this dialog box you are asked how you would like to partition your disk. Select Guided – Use entire disk and click continue. This is the default option.

Install Kali Linux 2020 – Select Disk to Partition Screenshot

In this dialog box you are asked to select a disk to partition. Select sda, VMware Virtual disk. There should be only one option. Click Continue.

Install Kali Linux 2020 – Select Disk to Partition Screenshot

Step 21 – Select partition scheme

In this dialog box you are asked to select a scheme for disk partition. Select the default, All files in one partition and click Continue.

Install Kali Linux 2020 – Disk Partitioning Scheme Screenshot

Step 22 – Disk partition Overview

In this dialog box you are see the summary of your disk partition. Select the Finish Partitioning and Write changes to disk which should be selected by default. All you have to do is to click continue.

Install Kali Linux 2020 – Disk Partition Overview Screenshot

Step 23 – Disk partition Confirmation

In this dialog you are asked to confirm Write changes to disk. Select yes and click continue.

Install Kali Linux 2020 – Disk Partition Confirmation Screenshot

Step 24 – Installation starts

Now the actual installation starts. Wait for Configure the Package Manager Dialog box to appear.

Kali Linux – Installation begins

Step 25 – Configure the package manager – HTTP Proxy

In this dialog box you will ask if you wish to HTTP proxy. Leave it blank and click continue.

Install Kali Linux 2020 – Configure the Package Manager – HTTP proxy Screenshot

Installation process will continue. Wait for sometime and let the process continue.

Kali Linux Installation

Installation will continue… please have patience.

Kali Linux 2020 Installation progress

Installation will continue. Wait for the process to complete. This can take a long time. So have patience.

Step 26 – Software selection

In this screen, you will have to specify what software you want to install. I accept the default and accept it as it is. Click continue to proceed.

Kali Linux 2020 installation – Software selection

This step took around 2 hours to complete. So have patience

Kali Linux Installation progress

After all the files are retrieved, the installation will begin as shown in the below screenshot.

Kali Linux Installation progress

Step 27 – Install GRUB boot loader

In this dialog box you will be asked if you would like to install the GRUB boot loader. Select Yes and click Continue.

Install GRUB Boot Loader Screenshot

Step 28 – Select device for GRUB boot loader Installation

In this dialog box you will be asked to select boot loader device for GRUB installation. Select /dev/sda and click Continue.

Select GRUB Boot Loader Device

Installation will continue. Wait for the process to complete.

Kali Linux Installation progress

Kali Linux Installation progress

Kali Linux Installation progress

Step 29 – Installation Complete

Installation will continue and now you will see Installation complete dialog box. Click continue to finalize the installation and wait for the VM to reboot. After reboot you will see the boot loader screen.

Install Kali Linux 2020 – Installation Complete Screenshot

Process Complete

After the VM starts, you will see the Grub boot loader. Select Kali GNU/Linux.

Kali Linux – Grub loader

Login with your credential you created. Enter your username and Password

Kali Linux login screen

You will be logged into Kali Desktop 2020.

Kali Linux home screen

Install VMware Tools (Optional for VMware 15)

In VMware Workstation pro 15, you should automatically be able to switch to the full screen mode. If not, follow the below steps.

If you don’t have internet connection, you can install VMware tools directly from the VM. If you have internet connection, follow the next instruction which is easier.

1. Goto VM-> Install VMware Tools
2. You will see VMware tools Icon on the desktop. If you don’t, then click on Places in the menu, Places->VMwre Tools. Double click to open.
3. Copy the file with the file name something like this VMware-tools….tar.gz to the desktop.
4. Right click on this file on the desktop and click Extract here. You will see that the file is extracted to the folder vmware-tools-distrib.
5. Open terminal by going to System Tools -> terminal
6. Goto the folder vmware-tools-distrib on desktop by entering the command cd /Desktop/vmware-tools-distrib
7. Now run this command:

sudo ./vmware-install.pl -d

1. Enter your password and press Enter. You will be asked if you want to proceed with the legacy installer. Enter Y and press Enter.
2. Now you will be asked series of questions, just accept the default by pressing Enter for all and wait for the installation to complete.
3. Wait for the installation to complete. You will see more prompts, except the defaults by clicking enter. Once completed, restart your VM by going to VM->Power->Restart Guest
4. Once the system restarts, you will be prompted to login. Once you login, you can see the desktop in full screen mode which stretches up to the complete screen.

If you have internet connection, try this

1. Open Terminal
2. Execute the command

sudo apt-get install open-vm-tools-desktop fuse

1. Enter your password
2. Enter your password, if asked
3. Enter Y to accept whenever asked
4. Wait for the process to complete and restart. You are done. Login and now you will see the desktop in full screen mode

Install VMware tools

You can check the version of installed VMware Tools. In terminal, execute the command

vmware-toolbox-cmd -v

. This will show you the version number.

Process Complete

You are done, You can start working on Kali Linux 2020.

Kali Linux home screen

Installing Metasploitable & Windows Target VMs In your lab

Installing your target VMs is a MUCH easier and simpler process.

1. Download Target VMs from “Tools” page
2. Open VMWare
3. Open VM from download location
4. Start VM