Creating and configuring a VirtualBox virtual machine on Mac OS with a Kali Linux ISO image

25 August 2023 5 minutes
Author: D2-R2

Creating and Configuring Kali Linux in a macOS Virtual Environment Using Oracle VM VirtualBox

Creating a virtual machine using VMware on Mac OS based on a Kali Linux ISO image is a step towards a powerful and flexible tool for cyber security professionals. Our guide will provide you with specific steps to configure and optimize your OS so that you can get the most performance from your virtual environment. Kali Linux is one of the most popular operating systems for penetration testing and security analysis. By using VMware on your Mac OS, you can easily isolate this powerful OS and run it side-by-side with your main system. This gives you plenty of opportunities to test, analyze, and learn without affecting your primary environment.

The main focus of our tutorial is on the detailed creation process, from choosing the right ISO image to optimal system settings. Given the large amount of tools available in Kali Linux, optimal configuration is the key to efficiency. In the final stages, we delve into the fine-tuning of Kali Linux on VMware, looking at aspects such as resource allocation, network configuration, and integration with Mac OS. These settings will allow you to get the most out of your virtual machine. For cybersecurity professionals using Mac OS, creating a virtual machine based on Kali Linux in VMware is a strategic step to expand their capabilities and skills. Follow our guide to get the upper hand in this ultimate digital environment!

What is the difference between VMware Workstation Player and Virtual Box?

Virtual machines are becoming a key tool for those seeking maximum security in the online space. They create an isolated environment that effectively blocks out potential threats and malware. Using a virtual machine reduces the risk of compromising the underlying system and provides an additional layer of protection against intrusions. Thus, for those who want to keep their data safe, virtual machines are becoming an indispensable tool in today’s digital world. VMware Player and VirtualBox are two well-known virtualization platforms for creating a virtual machine. Their key difference is that VMware Player is free for personal use only, while VirtualBox is completely free and open source software available for personal and commercial use. VMware Player is developed by VMware, a leader in virtualization, while VirtualBox is owned by Oracle. “Oracle” is an American corporation that specializes in the production of software, hardware for computing and other products and services in the field of information technology. VirtualBox, thanks to its transparent operation, has a larger set of features and settings, so we consider this virtual machine to be the best. Also, VirtualBox provides more flexible options and this is all thanks to its open source. On top of that, compatibility in VirtualBox, thanks to its open nature, supports a wider range of operating systems compared to VMware Player. Both tools, VMWare Player and VirtualBox, have their merits and each of them may be better depending on the specific use case scenario. The best way to determine which app best suits your needs is to install both and experiment with them. Only practice will help you figure out which virtual machine best meets your requirements.

Step-by-step installation instructions

We download the Kali Linux installer

Step 1

Open the Safari browser

Step 2

 

Step 3

Click on the download icon as shown in the screenshot

Step 4

Click “Allow”

Step 5

Here we can see that our file has been uploaded

We download VirtualBox 7.0

Step 7

Click on the highlighted fragment “macOS/Intel hosts”

Step 8

We click twice on the specified file and start downloading it

Step 9

Double-click the “VirtualBox” icon on the desktop. After that, the VirtualBox window opens with you, on which we also double-click on the selected fragment, as shown in the screenshot

Step 10

Click “Continue”

Step 11

Click “Install”

Step 12

Here we just need to wait for the files to download

Step 13

Click “Close”

Configuring VirtualBox

Step 14

Click on the icon as shown in the screenshot

Step 15

Double-click the VirtualBox icon

Step 16

Click “Add”

Step 17

We name our virtual machine, specify the path of our ISO image and move on

Step 18

You can modify the hardware by changing the amount of RAM and the virtual number of CPUs, then click “Next”

Step 19

Choose the size of the Virtual Hard disk (at least 45 GB), and click “Next”

Step 20

Click “Settings”

Step 21

Click “General”. In both cases, select “Bidirectional” and click “OK”

Step 22

Click on the arrow as shown in the screenshot

Step 23

Select the language and click “Continue”

Step 24

Select the country and click “Continue”

Step 25

Choose the language for the keyboard and press as in the screenshot

Step 26

Waiting for download

Step 27

We give a name and move on

Step 28

Just click “continue” and skip this step

Step 29

Give a name and click “continue”

Step 30

Click “Continue”

Step 31

Here we need to come up with a password and enter it twice, after that click next

Step 32

We choose managed use of the entire disk, and move on

Step 33

We select our disk

Step 34

We choose their storage location

Step 35

Finishing our installation

Step 36

First click “Yes”, after that we can click “Continue”

Step 37

Here and there you also need to wait a little while the file is loaded

Step 38

We select all the ticks that are shown in the screenshot. This is the most optimal option for choosing all tools and optimal operation of the OS

Step 39

First click “Yes”, after that we can click “Continue”

Step 40

We install the GRUB bootloader

Step 41

The installation is finished, click next

Step 42

Enter your login and password and click “Log In”

Step 43

Click on the icon where the arrow points, as shown in the screenshot

Step 44

Click on “Virtual Screen 1” and select the scale. Congratulations. Everything worked out for you. now we can use VirtualBox on Kali Linux

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