This lesson will teach you how to set up a Kali Linux VM in minutes and accompanies the video of the same name. Be sure to check out the video on the cyberspacemanmike youtube channel (when it’s finnaly out).
A virtual machine is a software-based computer that runs an operating system just like a physical machine. It’s essentially a computer within a computer. Like Neo in the early part of The Matrix franchise, it doesn’t even know it’s trapped in the matrix. For all intents and purposes it is a fully functional computer.
To run a Kali Linux VM, we need a hypervisor. A hypervisor is software (or firmware) that creates and manages virtual machines, allocating system resources from the host machine to run multiple OS instances independently. Here’s a quick analogy:
- If VMs are game cartridges,
- Then hypervisors are the game consoles that load and run them.
Enable Virtualization in BIOS
Before we proceed, we need to enable virtualization settings in the BIOS. Modern CPUs have built-in hardware acceleration for virtualization, but these settings are often disabled by default. Without them, hypervisors like VirtualBox, VMware, and Hyper-V won’t function properly.
Check Your BIOS for the Following Settings:
- VT-x (Intel) or AMD-V (AMD)
- VT-d (Intel) or AMD-Vi (AMD)
- Intel TXT or SVM Mode
Additionally, check for:
- Hardware-assisted CPU Virtualization Extensions – Ensure that any related settings are enabled.
- Power Management Settings – Features like Intel SpeedStep or AMD Cool’n’Quiet may affect virtualization performance. Consider disabling them if you experience issues.
If you run into problems, the first thing to troubleshoot is BIOS settings.
Downloading the Hypervisor and Kali Linux
We’ll be using VMware as our hypervisor.
VMware Workstation Pro
VMware Workstation Player (Pre-Acquisition Version)
Download Here
(Note: No checksum available.)
Kali Linux VM Image
Download Here (official site)
Direct Mirror (.7z files available for different hypervisors & architectures)
Verify the Download: Right-click the .7z file, select SHA256, and compare it to the checksum listed on the site.
Installing Kali Linux in VMware
- Install VMware Workstation.
- Extract the Kali Linux Image’s
.7zfile. - Open VMware and click “Open a Virtual Machine.”
- Navigate to the extracted folder and select the .vmx file.
- Click “Edit virtual machine settings.”
- Increase Memory & Processor Cores as needed – the more, the better.
- Under Network Adapter, select NAT (Network Address Translation) to share your host’s internet.
- Click “Play Virtual Machine.”
- Watch for messages in the upper-left corner.
- Resize the Window – minimize & maximize to adjust Kali’s resolution.
- Login Credentials:
- Username:
kali - Password:
kali
You’re in!
First Things First: Updating, Upgrading & Cleaning Up
Open the command line interface. It’s the black rectangle towards the middle of the panel at the top of the Kali interface. This is our new hacker home where we’ll be spending almost all of our time! Run the following command to update everything:
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y && sudo apt full-upgrade -y && sudo apt autoremove -y && sudo apt cleanSwitching Browsers
Firefox has gotten a bad reputation as of late. Let’s switch over to the privacy conscientious Brave browser. Run the Install Brave on Linux Command:
curl -fsS https://dl.brave.com/install.sh | sh
Now we can search for it in the start menu (top left), right-click it and add it to the panel. For some reason, it ends up all the way to the top right of the panel. Right-click it, select move, and move it to a more convenient location. While we’re here, let’s hide Firefox by right-clicking and selecting “remove.”
Switching Browsers
The default Kali Linux logo has always looked like something a middle schooler would scratch into a desk with a protractor. So, before anything else, let’s change the wallpaper.
Ideal choice: Dark mode world map with neon accents.
This one is great! Check out the others here.
Enhance Kali with PimpMyKali
PimpMyKali is a script that optimizes Kali by installing additional hacking tools and tweaking settings for performance. I like to snap my terminal to the right hand side of the display, but this installation’s format is weird and it is difficult to read if it’s not in fullscreen. So, let’s run it in fullscreen and then issue the following command:
git clone https://github.com/Dewalt-arch/pimpmykali
cd pimpmykali
sudo ./pimpmykali.sh- Select option ‘N’ when prompted.
Import 101 Hacker Website Bookmarks!
Curated by me, these bookmarks will supercharge your pentesting workflow. Download them from:
here on cyberspacemanmike.com.
Wrapping Up
In this guide, we:
- Installed VMware & Kali Linux
- Updated & upgraded Kali
- Switched browsers
- Swapped out our wallpaper
- Installed hacking tools and PimpMyKali
- Imported 101 essential hacker bookmarks
If you are having technical difficulties, be sure to see the cyberspacemanmike video, Troubleshooting Virtual Machines in BIOS and UEFI. This has been How to Set Up a Kali Linux VM in Minutes! Next up: Using OpenVPN to connect to TryHackMe! Stay tuned.