This Kali release is the first to include the Linux 4.15 kernel, which includes the x86 and x64 fixes for the much-hyped Spectre and Meltdown vulnerabilities. It also includes much better support for AMD GPUs and support for AMD Secure Encrypted Virtualization, which allows for encrypting virtual machine memory such that even the hypervisor can’t access it.
In an earlier post, we covered Package Management in Kali Linux. With the ease of installation that APT provides, we have the choice amongst tens of thousands of packages but the downside is, we have tens of thousands of packages. Finding out what packages are available and finding the one(s) we want can be a daunting task, particularly for newcomers to Linux. In this post, we will cover three utilities that can be used to search through the haystack and help you take advantage of the vast open source ecosystem.
No, really…this isn’t clickbait. For the past few weeks, we’ve been working with the Microsoft WSL team to get Kali Linux introduced into the Microsoft App Store as an official WSL distribution and today we’re happy to announce the availability of the “Kali Linux” Windows application. For Windows 10 users, this means you can simply enable WSL, search for Kali in the Windows store, and install it with a single click. This is especially exciting news for penetration testers and security professionals who have limited toolsets due to enterprise compliance standards.
Welcome to our first release of 2018, Kali Linux 2018.1. This fine release contains all updated packages and bug fixes since our 2017.3 release last November. This release wasn’t without its challenges–from Meltdown and Spectre to a couple of other nasty bugs, we had our work cut out for us but we prevailed in time to deliver this latest and greatest version for your installation pleasure.
“Whether you’re new to the fight, or a seasoned pro, don’t stop training…”
This statement, like the video that introduced it, has real punch. We did this on purpose to get you fired up, excited about your training, and to kickstart your journey. If it worked, and you’re in the fight, welcome aboard! If you haven’t jumped in for whatever reason, we want to introduce you to the plethora of resources we’ve made available to help you master Kali Linux, the penetration testing distribution.
We’re always on the prowl for novel environments to run Kali on, and with the introduction of the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) in Windows 10, new and exciting possibilities have surfaced. After all, if the WSL can support Ubuntu, it shouldn’t be too hard to incorporate another Debian-like distribution, right? This is especially true with the Windows Subsystem for Linux Distribution Switcher utility.
