Kali Linux

Kali Linux
DeveloperOffensive Security
OS familyLinux (Unix-like)
Working stateActive
Source modelOpen-source
Initial release13 March 2013 (11 years ago) (2013-03-13)[1]
Latest release2024.3[2] Edit this on Wikidata / 11 September 2024; 56 days ago (11 September 2024)
Repository
Update methodRolling release
Package managerAPT (several front-ends available)
Platformsx86, x86-64, armel, armhf
Kernel typeMonolithic (Linux)
Default
user interface		Xfce,[3] GNOME,[3] KDE[3]
LicenseGNU General Public License v3.0
Official websitewww.kali.org
Support status
Active

Kali Linux is a Linux distribution designed for digital forensics and penetration testing.[4] It is maintained and funded by Offensive Security.[5] The software is based on the Debian Testing branch: most packages Kali uses are imported from the Debian repositories.[6] The tagline of Kali Linux and BackTrack is "The quieter you become, the more you are able to hear", which is displayed on some backgrounds, see this example.

Kali Linux has approximately 600[7] penetration-testing programs (tools), including Armitage (a graphical cyber attack management tool), Nmap (a port scanner), Wireshark (a packet analyzer), metasploit (penetration testing framework), John the Ripper (a password cracker), sqlmap (automatic SQL injection and database takeover tool), Aircrack-ng (a software suite for penetration-testing wireless LANs), Burp suite and OWASP ZAP web application security scanners,[8][9] etc.[10]

It was developed by Mati Aharoni and Devon Kearns of Offensive Security through the rewrite of BackTrack, their previous information security testing Linux distribution based on Knoppix.[citation needed] Kali Linux's popularity grew when it was featured in multiple episodes of the TV series Mr. Robot. Tools highlighted in the show and provided by Kali Linux include Bluesniff, Bluetooth Scanner (btscanner), John the Ripper, Metasploit Framework, Nmap, Shellshock, and Wget.[11][12][13]

  1. ^ "Official Kali Linux Releases". Archived from the original on 2020-02-02. Retrieved 2020-08-29.
  2. ^ "Kali Linux 2024.3 Release (Multiple transitions) | Kali Linux Blog". 11 September 2024. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
  3. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference softpedia was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ *"Kali Linux 1.0 review". LinuxBSDos.com. 2013-03-14. Archived from the original on 2019-07-12. Retrieved 2019-11-26.
  5. ^ *Watson, J.A. (2014-05-28). "Hands-on with Kali Linux 1.0.7". ZDNet.com. Archived from the original on 2018-02-27. Retrieved 2019-04-10.
  6. ^ "Kali's Relationship With Debian". Kali Linux. 2013-03-11. Archived from the original on 2018-07-02. Retrieved 2019-04-10.
  7. ^ "Kali Linux Penetration Testing Tools". tools.kali.org. Archived from the original on 2021-09-24. Retrieved 2019-04-10.
  8. ^ "Kali Linux Metapackages". www.kali.org. 26 February 2014. Archived from the original on 2016-04-23. Retrieved 2019-12-22.
  9. ^ "Kali Linux arrives as enterprise-ready version of BackTrack - The H Open: News and Features". www.h-online.com. Archived from the original on 2016-03-14. Retrieved 2019-12-22.
  10. ^ "Mr. Robot and Kali Linux". 29 December 2020. Archived from the original on 4 May 2023. Retrieved 27 June 2022./
  11. ^ Leroux, Sylvain (3 May 2017). "The Kali Linux Review You Must Read Before You Start Using it". itsfoss.com. Archived from the original on 2020-04-14. Retrieved 2020-04-15.
  12. ^ Grauer, Yael (2015-08-26). "A Peek Inside Mr. Robot's Toolbox". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Archived from the original on 2015-09-08. Retrieved 2020-04-15.
  13. ^ "Exploring the Hacker Tools of Mr Robot". HackerTarget.com. 2015-08-21. Archived from the original on 2019-12-17. Retrieved 2020-04-15.