If you are a cybersecurity enthusiast or an ethical hacker, you must have heard about Kali Linux. It’s a Debian-derived Linux distribution designed for digital forensics and penetration testing. This blog post will guide you through the steps of installing Kali Linux on your Windows 10 system.
Step 1: Enable the Windows Subsystem for Linux
The first step in installing Kali Linux on Windows 10 is to enable the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL). WSL allows you to run Linux on top of Windows without the need for a traditional dual-boot or virtual machine setup.
To enable WSL, open PowerShell as Administrator and run the following command:
<strong>Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux</strong>
After running the command, restart your computer.
Step 2: Install the Windows Subsystem for Linux 2
WSL 2 is a new version of the Windows Subsystem for Linux and is much faster than the previous version. Before installing it, make sure you have installed the latest Windows updates.
Open PowerShell as Administrator again and run the following command:
<strong>wsl --set-default-version 2</strong>
Step 3: Install Kali Linux
Now that you have WSL 2 installed, you can install Kali Linux. Visit the Microsoft Store, search for Kali Linux, and then click Install.
Step 4: Set Up Kali Linux
After the installation, launch Kali Linux. A console window will open and you’ll be asked to create a new user and password. This will be your non-root user that you’ll use to sign in.
Step 5: Update Kali Linux
Once you’ve set up your new user, it’s a good practice to update and upgrade your Kali Linux system. In the Kali Linux console, run the following commands:
<strong>sudo apt-get update</strong> <strong>sudo apt-get upgrade</strong>
And there you have it! You have successfully installed Kali Linux on your Windows 10 system. Now you can enjoy the power and flexibility of Kali Linux without leaving your Windows environment.
