How to Set Up Kali VM with Vagrant

Are you interested in setting up a virtual machine (VM) for penetration testing or cybersecurity research? If so, you may want to consider using the popular operating system, Kali. In this article, we will explore how to set up a Kali VM using Vagrant.

To get started, you will need to download the necessary files and create a new Vagrant box. This can be done with the command `vagrant box add packer/builds/windows_2008_r2_*_0.1.0.box -name=rapid7/metasploitable3-win2k8`. This command adds a new box named 'rapid7/metasploitable3-win2k8' to your Vagrant environment.

Once you have created the new box, you will need to add it to your Vagrant environment. This process can take some time as it requires downloading the OS installation ISO. Currently, virtualbox-iso, qemu, and vmware-iso providers are supported.

To build the base VM image, run the command `packer build -only=. /packer/templates/windows_2008_r2.json`. This will create a new VM image based on your preferred virtualization platform.

Once you have built the base VM image, you can clone this repository and navigate to the main directory. The default credentials for the Kali VM are U: vagrant and P: vagrant.

To start the Windows box, run `vagrant up win2k8`. To start the Linux box, run `vagrant up ub1404`. If you want to start both boxes, simply run `vagrant up`.

If you prefer to build your own Kali VM from scratch, you can use the `build.ps1` script. This script is designed for Windows users and allows you to specify which box to build by passing a command-line argument.

For example, to build the Linux box using the `build.ps1` script, run `powershell -file build.ps1 ubuntu1404`. To build the Windows box, run `powershell -file build.ps1 windows2008`.

In addition to Vagrant, you will also need to install a virtualization platform such as VirtualBox, libvirt/qemu-kvm, or vmware (paid license required). A VT-x/AMD-V supported processor is recommended, and the OS should be capable of running all of the required applications listed below.

By following these steps, you can set up your own Kali VM with Vagrant. This will allow you to have a dedicated environment for penetration testing and cybersecurity research without compromising your primary operating system.

Kali vm