Installing Kali on Raspberry PI

In this recipe, we will walk through the process of installing Kali Linux on a Raspberry Pi. The Raspberry Pi is a compact, affordable, and versatile piece of hardware, making it an excellent platform for learning and experimentation. Despite its small size, the Raspberry Pi offers sufficient processing power and memory to run Kali Linux effectively, enabling users to perform various security tasks. The Raspberry Pi allows easy deployment in diverse environments, such as fieldwork, where you may want to place a small device physically inside an environment you are pen testing.

Getting ready…

You need the following to complete this recipe:

• A Raspberry Pi 4 or 5
• HDMI adapter, cable, and monitor
• Keyboard and mouse
• Micro SD card – 32 GB minimum

How to do it…

1. Insert the SD Card reader and card into your Windows PC.
2. From your Windows machine, navigate to https://www.raspberrypi.com/software/.

Figure 1.16 – Raspberry Pi imager download

3. Download the Raspberry Pi Imager application for Windows.
4. Navigate to the download location and start the installation by double-clicking on the installer named similar to imager_x.x.x.exe.
5. When presented with the Raspberry Pi Imager – Setup dialog, click Install to begin the installation process.
6. When the installer completes, ensure Run Raspberry Pi Imager is selected and click Finish.
7. You will now be presented with the main Raspberry Pi Imager dialog box. Choose the appropriate device based on which Raspberry Pi you have. This example uses RASPBERRY PI 4.

Figure 1.17 – Raspberry Pi Imager CHOOSE OS

8. Next, click on CHOOSE OS. You will be presented with a list of operating systems. Scroll down and select Other specific-purpose OS.

Figure 1.18 – Raspberry Pi Imager, selecting other OS

9. Next, select Kali Linux and then the 64-bit version.
10. Finally, choose the appropriate storage device and select Next.

Figure 1.19 – Raspberry Pi Imager NEXT

Tip

It is important to ensure you have selected the correct storage device to ensure you don’t accidentally erase something important.

11. When presented with the ...apply OS customisation? dialog box, select EDIT SETTINGS.

Figure 1.20 – Raspberry Pi Imager EDIT SETTINGS

12. From the OS Customisation panel, you have the option to preconfigure various settings. For this example, enter the username and password and select wireless and locale settings. Select SAVE to continue.

Figure 1.21 – Imager OS Customization

13. Now, in the Use OS customisation? menu, select YES.
14. Lastly, select YES on the warning regarding erasing your storage device.

You will finally be presented with a status screen showing the progress of imaging your SD card (this will take several minutes).

15. Once your image is complete, you will see the write successful dialog box. Click CONTINUE to exit the imager.
16. Remove the SD card from the reader and insert it into the Raspberry PI. Connect your monitor, keyboard, mouse, and power supply. Turn on the power supply and it will automatically boot.

You will now be presented with the Kali Linux login screen. If your customizations were set up correctly, you will be able to log in, will have the correct time, and will be connected to the internet via the wireless settings we used.

How it works…

Raspberry Pi Imager is a straightforward and efficient tool for installing operating systems on Raspberry Pi devices. Raspberry Pi Imager makes setting up a Raspberry Pi quick and easy, even for those new to using Raspberry Pi devices. Pairing a Raspberry Pi with Kali gives you a penetration testing toolkit that can fit in the palm of your hand.

There is more…

Kali is compatible with a variety of single-board computers, such as the Raspberry Pi. Each platform offers unique benefits that may aid in various use cases. You can see a listing of the various options and research each one on the following website: https://www.kali.org/docs/arm/.