Kali Linux is not like your regular Windows or macOS—it’s built specifically for ethical hacking and cybersecurity tasks. It comes with hundreds of pre-installed security tools that allow users to test networks, find vulnerabilities, and protect systems from attacks.
One of the biggest advantages of Kali Linux is its portability—you can install it on a computer, run it from a USB drive, or even use it inside a virtual machine. This makes it easy for cybersecurity professionals, students, and researchers to practice ethical hacking safely without affecting their main system.
i like kali :-))
Kali Linux focuses on various information security tasks, such as penetration testing, security research, and computer forensics. While it’s one of the top choices in terms of security, it’s primarily focused on safety testing rather than general-purpose computing. Kali Linux may not be favorable to mainstream users but it’s still a perfect choice for cybersecurity professionals, researchers, and those willing to spend countless hours trying to understand the ins and outs of network elements and computer science.
This is a great OS. I love that it comes preloaded with a lot of the necessary tools and can be bootable from just a flash drive. It is so lightweight and a great utility. I have used it pretty extensively in school in labs for a “CTF” competition and various other projects. I have also used it professionally to test some of our security measures.
pros:
+Lightweight
+Bootable from flash drive (no install)
+All the tools and utilities loaded with it
cons:
+ Zero = (0)
i like kali-linux and is very good for cyber-security-students :-))
This latest version also brings more than a dozen new tools to the Kali repositories. These include specialized tools like Azurehound for gathering data from Microsoft Azure, binwalk3 for analyzing device firmware, and bopscrk for creating smart wordlists.
There are also new utilities for identifying vulnerabilities, managing shellcode, and interacting with network protocols like LDAP and Kerberos. These additions, along with updates to desktop environments like GNOME 48 and KDE Plasma 6.3, and improvements for Raspberry Pi users, show Kali Linux’s ongoing commitment to providing powerful and user-friendly tools for security professionals.
Kali Linux is a security-focused OS built for penetration testing, cybersecurity, and ethical hacking.
While not designed for anonymity, its powerful security tools make it a top choice for professionals who need robust protection in a secure environment.
Pros:
Comprehensive Security Tools: Ideal for penetration testing and forensics.
Regular Updates: Frequent security patches keep vulnerabilities in check.
Highly Customizable: Adaptable to specific security needs.
Lightweight & Efficient: Runs well on a cheap Linux VPS.
Cons:
Not Built for Anonymity: Focuses on security, not anonymous browsing.
Complex for Beginners: Requires technical expertise.
Legal Risks: Some tools must be used ethically.
Cybersecurity professionals, ethical hackers, and penetration testers looking for a secure Linux OS with advanced tools and cost-effective Linux VPS hosting.
With extensive security tools, Kali Linux detects and mitigates vulnerabilities, making it an excellent choice for those who need Linux security-focused operating systems in a privacy and security-centric Linux distro setup.
Kali Linux is more than just a Linux distribution. It’s a specialized operating system packed with tools designed for penetration testing, ethical hacking, and vulnerability assessment. Developed and maintained by Offensive Security, it plays a pivotal role in the cybersecurity landscape.
Penetration testing (pen testing) involves simulating real-world cyberattacks to identify vulnerabilities before malicious hackers can exploit them. Kali Linux is the go-to OS for this practice.
It’s more than an OS—it’s a powerful framework for security experts, ethical hackers, and digital defenders. Backed by Offensive Security, it continues to evolve as a cornerstone of modern cybersecurity.
If you’re responsible for safeguarding infrastructure or testing resilience, Kali Linux is an indispensable tool in your arsenal.
I Like Kali-Linux!
The release of Kali Linux 2025.2 marks a significant advancement in the capabilities and usability of this ethical hacking distribution. With its revamped menu, new tools, and enhanced support for various environments, Kali Linux continues to be a vital resource for security professionals seeking to enhance their cybersecurity defenses.
Kali Linux 2025.2 stands as a testament to the commitment of Offensive Security and the Kali Linux Community in providing cutting-edge tools and features for the cybersecurity community. The updates introduced in this release offer improved usability, functionality, and performance, making Kali Linux an indispensable tool for ethical hackers and security professionals.
Kali 2025.2 isn’t just another dot-release—it’s a thoughtful harmony of better ergonomics, tooling advances, and community creativity. The MITRE menu, enhanced desktop environments, wrist-sized Wi‑Fi injection, automotive hacking tools, and fresh utilities show Kali’s commitment: making complex testing more intuitive, powerful, and fun. Whether you’re a seasoned pentester or just starting out, this version delivers refined polish with practical power. Give it a try, explore the menu, and dive into those new NetHunter toys—you just might stumble on your next breakthrough.
A Debian-based distribution for advanced penetration testing and security auditing. This is the distribution’s second major update of the year.
One of the most notable changes in this release is the complete reorganization of the Kali menu. Gone is the old structure inherited from BackTrack and WHAX, which, according to devs, had become increasingly difficult to manage.
Instead, the menu now follows the MITRE ATT&CK framework, making it far more intuitive for both red and blue teams to locate the right tools for their tasks.
I like the new Menu and i like the 13 new cybersecurity tools, including binwalk3 for firmware analysis, crlfuzz for CRLF vulnerability scanning, and gitxray for scanning GitHub repositories.
A very good Job (Kali-Developer's) !
Kali Linux focuses on various information security tasks, such as penetration testing, security research, and computer forensics. While it’s one of the top choices in terms of security, it’s primarily focused on safety testing rather than general-purpose computing. Kali Linux may not be favorable to mainstream users but it’s still a perfect choice for cybersecurity professionals, researchers, and those willing to spend countless hours trying to understand the ins and outs of network elements and computer science.
I like Kali-Linux;
Why?
Kali Linux is an open-source, Debian-based Linux distribution that is designed for various information security tasks, such as penetration testing, security research, computer forensics, and reverse engineering.
It can be installed on various platforms, including mobile devices, containers, ARM, cloud providers, Windows Subsystem for Linux, pre-built virtual machines, and installer images. It also provides a well-documented ISO customization process, making it easy to generate an optimized version of Kali for specific needs.
Kali Linux has a vibrant and active community with active forums, an IRC Channel, Kali Tools listings, an open bug tracker system, and even community-provided tool suggestions.
The Kali Linux is said to be the most advanced Penetration Testing Distribution. Kali Linux is an open-source, Debian-based Linux distribution designed for various information security activities like computer forensics, reverse engineering, and penetration testing.
It can be used on ARM-based gadgets like the Raspberry Pi and is also considered to be one of the best-rated and safest Linux distributions out there, according to numerous surveys of developers.
Reasons to get Kali
1. This distribution's "forensic" mode makes it ideal for forensic work.
2. Materials on Kali are readily available, making it easy to learn.
3. Testing for penetration is possible with it.
Kali Linux is a security-focused OS built for penetration testing, cybersecurity, and ethical hacking.
With Kali-Whoami (Tornetwork) designed for anonymity, its powerful security tools make it a top choice for professionals who need robust protection in a secure environment.
Comprehensive Security Tools: Ideal for penetration testing and forensics.
Regular Updates: Frequent security patches keep vulnerabilities in check.
Highly Customizable: Adaptable to specific security needs.
Lightweight & Efficient: Runs well on a cheap Linux VPS.
Kali Linux isn’t just for breaking in, it’s loaded with tools to harden your setup too. Perfect for privacy-aware tinkerers.
Cybersecurity professionals, ethical hackers, and penetration testers looking for a secure Linux OS with advanced tools and cost-effective Linux VPS hosting.
With extensive security tools, Kali Linux detects and mitigates vulnerabilities, making it an excellent choice for those who need Linux security-focused operating systems in a privacy and security-centric Linux distro setup.
Kali Linux is a specialized, Debian-based Linux distribution designed for cybersecurity tasks like penetration testing and digital forensics. With over 600 pre-installed tools, robust security features, and support for various platforms, Kali Linux is widely used by ethical hackers and security professionals. Its open-source nature, active community, and extensive documentation make it accessible for beginners and experts alike.
Kali Linux is a Debian-based Linux distribution that has gained immense popularity among cybersecurity professionals, ethical hackers, and penetration testers. Packed with a comprehensive suite of tools for digital forensics, vulnerability analysis, and security testing, Kali Linux is designed to cater to the specific needs of the cybersecurity community. This blog explores what Kali Linux is, its features, and why it is widely used in the field of cybersecurity.
cheers.
Think of Kali Linux as your ultimate toolbox, packed full of specialized tools designed specifically for ethical hackers, security researchers, and penetration testers. It’s not just another Linux distribution—it's a powerful operating system that allows experts to find and fix vulnerabilities before attackers exploit them.
Kali Linux isn't just secure—it’s specifically designed to strengthen security by helping professionals identify and fix vulnerabilities. Its comprehensive toolkit, advanced kernel customizations, and ease of use make it the first choice for penetration testers and ethical hackers worldwide.
Kali Linux is an industry-standard pentesting distro. In 2025, its latest updates include AI-driven pentesting tools, automating vulnerability detection, and improving workflow efficiency for security professionals. It is one of the most popular distros among pentesters, ethical hackers, and security researchers worldwide and contains hundreds of tools.
A Kali Linux contributor provides some insight into the distro’s history and the benefits it offers users:
“Named after a Hindu goddess, Kali has been around for a long time – but it’s still updated weekly, can be run in live mode or installed to a drive, and can also be used on ARM devices like Raspberry Pi.”
Why We Love Kali Linux:
1. Kali Linux uses LUKS full-disk encryption to protect sensitive pentesting data from loss, tampering, and theft.
2. This flexible distro offers complete customization with live build.
3. Users can automate and customize their Kali Linux installations over the network.
4. “Forensics” mode makes this distro perfect for forensics work.
5. A Kaili Linux training suite, Kali Linux Dojo, is available, where users can learn how to customize their own Kali ISO and learn the
basics of pentesting.
no problem using kali linux on my acer aspire business with 16gb of ram, but, i dont know why the cpu its so bad, but dont care, the OS run perfect, i recommend use minimun 16gb of ram for use this, the cpu i recommend minimun 2ghz processor, its decent, but its a nice OS to make security and more :) like it :)
bueno, no hay problema usando el sistema operativo KALI LINUX en mi acer aspire business de 16gb de memoria ram, no se si mi cpu es malisimo pero no importa, me corre decente, recomendaria usar el sistema operativo con minimo 4gb de memoria ram y con un cpu decente de minimo dos nucleos, pero es buen sistema operativo para crear seguridad :) me gusta :)
Perfect for pentesting and ethical hacking. Comes with pretty much everything you will ever need pre-installed for both beginners and experts alike. Kali CAN be used as a daily driver, for example if you only have a single laptop to tote around from home and work, but it shouldn't be your daily if you can help it. If you're interested in getting into the world of cybersec there really isn't a better starting point than installing Kali.
Kali Linux is not like your regular Windows or macOS—it’s built specifically for ethical hacking and cybersecurity tasks. It comes with hundreds of pre-installed security tools that allow users to test networks, find vulnerabilities, and protect systems from attacks.
One of the biggest advantages of Kali Linux is its portability—you can install it on a computer, run it from a USB drive, or even use it inside a virtual machine. This makes it easy for cybersecurity professionals, students, and researchers to practice ethical hacking safely without affecting their main system.
This is perfect for its use case, nothing else even comes close.
Great UI. Fast. Stable. Has useful tools. Customizable without much effort. Well documented. Perfect for when you just want to get work done and don't want to have to mess around with setting things up. It really is the first of its kind, and head and shoulders beyond anything else out there.
One thing I like in particular is the documentation is very well structured. Whenever I need to look up how to do something, I can find it. Plus the multiple device support is really strong, I am hard pressed to name another Linux that has as strong of ARM support. That's not to mention the docker, WSL, cloud images, and so on. It's pretty nice to just have Kali out there and accessible to me no matter where I am.
Its nor for general purpose use, and that's fine. This is a specialized tool for a specialized job role and it's great for that. At its core it is Debian however and so can still be used for anything Debian can be used for, which is pretty cool.
I tend to start with a new install each time I go to use it, so I am always setting it up from scratch. Install goes nice and quick, and I don't have issues with that at all. I have had issues in the past with mirrors not being in sync, but really I get that with anything I use.
I have tried other security focused distros before and they were so/so really. Did not really see anything I liked more in them, and they just did not seem very stable compared to Kali. Some seemed to just take Kali packages and change the UI (for the worse). Not really useful, so I just stick with the main thing.
The best distro for PEN testing. Not easy for new comers like me, but if you don't start you won't learn. I had few issues with Kali, not because of the distro itself rather that the destructive commands I ran without paying attention to the consequences, but I got it back fully working. It has become my daily OS usage, I finally got rid of Windows which I'll never come back to use again EVER even if it becomes free!
Kali has got a good documentation page, especially for the tools included, not easy to use for beginners, but this OS isn't intended for beginners anyway, so no lamentation here. With Linux in general, you must insist in using it and learn your way through the Terminal commands, which is what I am doing. By the way, I am a professional IT guy coming from the Microsoft land. So I have no problems dealing with hard tasks from another OS, it only needs patience, some research, and insisting on learning, to find out that Linux Rocks and it really a lightweight OS with respect to the bloated Windows/macOS. My choice was Kali simply because I come from the Security team on Windows land, and I couldn't be happier with Kali! The learning curve is steep, but the satisfaction is great.
- cool name used for this distro
- I love the count of tools
- Kali wallpapers always motivate me to try harder
- It's command suggestion on terminal is really cool
- I love customizations of interface with kali
- Startup and shut down speed are so good
- I feel like achieved something on every attack
- I like timely updates and upgrades.
- Kali Linux protects your privacy and secures the system by hiding the IP address and other important stuff.
- Kali Linux has several security-focused applications that protect your privacy very well to simplify ethical hacking.
- No excessive internet data usage.
- No issues with virtual machines. works fantastic.
- All things perfect
Kali Linux 2025.1c is the best pentesting Linux distribution I have ever tried.(Even better than BlackArch)
The default desktop environment is really nice-looking and it has so many tools included out of the box, more than you will ever need for penetration testing. I also greatly appreciate the fact that the Metasploit framework is included out of the box, as I love using it to exploit EternalBlue(MS17-010) to hack Windows 7 and earlier versions of Windows. It is also great from daily use. I do not recommend Kali to beginners, but for somewhat experienced users who appreciate Debian and like or want to get started with penetration testing, it is one of the best options out there. Great Job (Developer's) of Kali-Linux
Best and most complete, feature rich pentesting distro with the version 2025.1c.
Kali Linux provides a robust pentesting experience, standing out even when compared to BlackArch.
Its visually appealing default desktop environment comes packed with an extensive array of tools—exceeding penetration testing necessities. The convenient inclusion of the Metasploit framework from the get-go is noteworthy. Personally, I find joy in leveraging it for exploits, but it is also great from daily use.
I do not recommend Kali to beginners, but for somewhat experienced users who appreciate Debian and like or want to get started with penetration testing, it is one of the best options out there.
Works well. I use a couple network tools built in that I could easily install on Debian, but happened to use a Kali VM for work before trying out surface Linux. Ignore the Debbie-downers telling you not to use Kali as a new Linux user. It's basically the same thing as Debian or Ubuntu. Worst part about it is Gnome, which sucks, but is also good for touchscreens.
Firefox crashes constantly, Brave much less so. That happened on this machine with Multiple Arch and Debian based distros, so I don't blame Kali. Fresh install of Kali has browsers crashing, so I also can't blame my use of Debian repositories.
Overall I'm sure Kali would be great for someone needing the tools. For anyone else it's just like Ubuntu or Debian... just something to play with.
I really like kali when it works.
With the update problems, not so much.
Oh no something has gone wrong screen, changes everything.
As soon as I load the updates the system is unusable, and can't be logged into.
I wrestled around with the fixes a little bit, to no resolution on my end.
I had kali gnome on three different computers, the updates killed them all.
So on one laptop I reinstalled the march 19 iso.
It worked grreat until I installed the updates again.
Same issue,
Another thing that is weird about kali.
One iso for live testing, and one iso to install the system.
All the other big linux names have live, and install on same usb iso.
I can see having an update issue now and then?
But, to not be able to login at all is too big of an issue for me.
So I am abandoning a system I had great promise for.
Terry
I really like kali when it works.
With the update problems, not so much.
Oh no something has gone wrong screen, changes everything.
As soon as I load the updates the system is unusable, and can't be logged into.
I wrestled around with the fixes a little bit, to no resolution on my end.
I had kali gnome on three different computers, the updates killed them all.
So on one laptop I reinstalled the march 19 iso.
It worked grreat until I installed the updates again.
Same issue,
Another thing that is weird about kali.
One iso for live testing, and one iso to install the system.
All the other big linux names have live, and install on same usb iso.
I can see having an update issue now and then?
But, to not be able to login at all is too big of an issue for me.
So I am abandoning a system I had great promise for.
Terry
The best distro for PEN testing. Not easy for new comers like me, but if you don't start you won't learn. I had few issues with Kali, not because of the distro itself rather that the destructive commands I ran without paying attention to the consequences, but I got it back fully working. It has become my daily OS usage, I finally got rid of Windows which I'll never come back to use again EVER even if it becomes free!
Kali has got a good documentation page, especially for the tools included, not easy to use for beginners, but this OS isn't intended for beginners anyway, so no lamentation here. With Linux in general, you must insist in using it and learn your way through the Terminal commands, which is what I am doing. By the way, I am a professional IT guy coming from the Microsoft land. So I have no problems dealing with hard tasks from another OS, it only needs patience, some research, and insisting on learning, to find out that Linux Rocks and it really a lightweight OS with respect to the bloated Windows/macOS. My choice was Kali simply because I come from the Security team on Windows land, and I couldn't be happier with Kali! The learning curve is steep, but the satisfaction is great.
Even though it is not designed as a daily driver, it just works. I have had no issues with this distro that a quick search of their fourms, or docs could not fix. I have used them since backtrack. Though if you want to add garbage to your system with excessive applications like spotify (I am not saying their service is garbage just adding unneeded apps), and others instead of using their web apps that work just fine you will have to add the repos or do some work. Though if you need a secure way to brows the web you cant go wrong as it supports most hardware even 32 bit.
Kali Linux is THE distro for penetration testing, plain and simple. While many reviews rightly relate to that important aspect, I like to focus on the installation - which I found an absolute breeze.
This considering the hardware is a custom-built configuration (Ryzen 8-core, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, Radeon video with 24" monitor) dedicated to running virtual machines using VBox (in this case 7.0.x). Kali got assigned 2 GB RAM, 50 GB disk, and 2 cores. While various Ubuntu LTS on VM's caused trouble, installing the current Kali is as easy as Linux Mint, which says a lot.
Kali is definitely not a distro for beginners, contrary to Mint, but one must consider its highly specific mission.
Previous experience with Linux and in particular the command line (terminal, Bash) is recommended, as is reading literature specific to its use for pentesting, but if you are serious about that, you likely won't get around Kali.
Best and most complete, feature rich pentesting distro.
Kali Linux provides a robust pentesting experience, standing out even when compared to BlackArch.
Its visually appealing default desktop environment comes packed with an extensive array of tools—exceeding penetration testing necessities. The convenient inclusion of the Metasploit framework from the get-go is noteworthy. Personally, I find joy in leveraging it for exploits, but it is also great from daily use.
I do not recommend Kali to beginners, but for somewhat experienced users who appreciate Debian and like or want to get started with penetration testing, it is one of the best options out there.
Best and most complete, feature rich pentesting distro.
Kali Linux provides a robust pentesting experience, standing out even when compared to BlackArch.
Its visually appealing default desktop environment comes packed with an extensive array of tools—exceeding penetration testing necessities. The convenient inclusion of the Metasploit framework from the get-go is noteworthy. Personally, I find joy in leveraging it for exploits, but it is also great from daily use.
I do not recommend Kali to beginners, but for somewhat experienced users who appreciate Debian and like or want to get started with penetration testing, it is one of the best options out there.
Kali Linux is the best pentesting Linux distribution I have ever tried.(Even better than BlackArch)
The default desktop environment is really nice-looking and it has so many tools included out of the box, more than you will ever need for penetration testing. I also greatly appreciate the fact that the Metasploit framework is included out of the box, as I love using it to exploit EternalBlue(MS17-010) to hack Windows 7 and earlier versions of Windows. It is also great from daily use. I do not recommend Kali to beginners, but for somewhat experienced users who appreciate Debian and like or want to get started with penetration testing, it is one of the best options out there.
- cool name used for this distro
- I love the count of tools
- Kali wallpapers always motivate me to try harder
- It's command suggestion on terminal is really cool
- I love customizations of interface with kali
- Startup and shut down speed are so good
- I feel like achieved something on every attack
- I like timely updates and upgrades
- No excessive internet data usage.
- No issues with virtual machines. works fantastic.
- All things perfect
Kali is great for USB persistent in offering great network and security features. It boots up fast and benefits all the software/libraries as an Ubuntu based.
USB persistent allows to run Linux on your existing hardware without touching any existing partitions/boot loaders of your default system operating system. No worry of installation process and overwritten UEFI partition or so whatever.
You can easily create your USB persistent from the downloaded ISO using rufus under windows or mkusb under Linux or similar.
no problem using kali linux on my toshiba satellite with 4gb of ram, but, i dont know why the cpu its so bad, but dont care, the OS run perfect, i recommend use minimun 4gb of ram for use this, the cpu i recommend minimun 2ghz processor, its decent, but its a nice OS to make security and more :) like it :)
bueno, no hay problema usando el sistema operativo KALI LINUX en mi toshiba sattellite de 4gb de memoria ram, no se si mi cpu es malisimo pero no importa, me corre decente, recomendaria usar el sistema operativo con minimo 4gb de memoria ram y con un cpu decente de minimo dos nucleos, pero es buen sistema operativo para crear seguridad :) me gusta :)
This is perfect for its use case, nothing else even comes close.
Great UI. Fast. Stable. Has useful tools. Customizable without much effort. Well documented. Perfect for when you just want to get work done and don't want to have to mess around with setting things up. It really is the first of its kind, and head and shoulders beyond anything else out there.
One thing I like in particular is the documentation is very well structured. Whenever I need to look up how to do something, I can find it. Plus the multiple device support is really strong, I am hard pressed to name another Linux that has as strong of ARM support. That's not to mention the docker, WSL, cloud images, and so on. It's pretty nice to just have Kali out there and accessible to me no matter where I am.
Its nor for general purpose use, and that's fine. This is a specialized tool for a specialized job role and it's great for that. At its core it is Debian however and so can still be used for anything Debian can be used for, which is pretty cool.
I tend to start with a new install each time I go to use it, so I am always setting it up from scratch. Install goes nice and quick, and I don't have issues with that at all. I have had issues in the past with mirrors not being in sync, but really I get that with anything I use.
I have tried other security focused distros before and they were so/so really. Did not really see anything I liked more in them, and they just did not seem very stable compared to Kali. Some seemed to just take Kali packages and change the UI (for the worse). Not really useful, so I just stick with the main thing.
Bloated with software...overkill. Unless you're into administration and security testing this would not make a good daily driver. Both appearance and aesthetics leave much to be desired. Plus excessive RAM at idle which seems to be one of the downfalls of distros of the past 5 years. The download section of their website is VERY confusing to say the least! For a distro which has been in development for the past 17+ years Kali Linux really needs to go back to the drawing board and do a complete overhaul of their OS. Need I say more?
I have numerous computers and two of them are Raspberry Pi's. One runs Kali as I am slowly learning System Admin on Linux and Pen-testing. I have tried Ubuntu in a Virtual Box on my PC, The other Pi is running Raspian, or RaspberryPiOS or whatever they call it now. I installed ProxMox on a micro PC I was gifted with. So I've a little experience with Linux. I also installed Parrot OS in a VM that I am using to work on hacking vulnerable machines from Vulnhub. I used the Kali machine as my main machine when my Windows PC crashed with a corrupted C drive earlier this year.
My opinion? I like it, It is my go to machine when I'm working on Linux. I've only toyed with all the hacking toys it comes with but as far as the desktop and terminal, once I got a few extras installed it is nice. Honestly can't list any Cons. It's never pissed me off so nothing comes to mind.
Perfect for pentesting and ethical hacking. Comes with pretty much everything you will ever need pre-installed for both beginners and experts alike. Kali CAN be used as a daily driver, for example if you only have a single laptop to tote around from home and work, but it shouldn't be your daily if you can help it. If you're interested in getting into the world of cybersec there really isn't a better starting point than installing Kali.
First of all let me state that this is a bit of a PSA as well as a review. Kali is meant to be run as a live system for those who engage in ethical hacking/pentesting. KALI LINUX IS NOT MEANT TO BE USED AS A DAILY DRIVER. Certain features enabled for various programs actuallyake Kali more vulnerable. If you're thinking about installing Kali as a daily driver or you're just new to Linux, this distro is not for you. Kali serves its purpose well hence the 10/10. Please if you're thinking about installing Kali just go for Ubuntu, Mageia, or even Arch.
If you like to fix things then you're going to love this distro -- it's broken!!!
Where do I begin? Well, maybe you should know that the developers do offer a version aimed towards ARM based systems. For the layman, that means it's supposed to work out of the box on something as "basic" as a Raspberry Pi 4 with 8GB of memory and a good boot device like a Samsung 32 EVO plus SD card -- like mine! So you can't say my "hardware" is the problem (or else it probably wouldn't even boot). I can report that other OS's for the Raspberry Pi (& it's ARM processor) work just fine. But when I tried Kali (2020.4) it was so buggy that even the kernel support for sound and wired Ethernet only worked about half the time -- and that's after I spent over 3 hours updating! I mean, WTF?! Either I have a built in virus (in a Linux distro - ya, I know) or it's just plain crap. So I'll go out on a limb and say it's just plain crap given that I've had similar experiences on the x86 side too (obviously, with other hardware).
Don't waste your time with Kali Linux. If you want to learn about networking there are far better distros (sources) out there to do that with. Just about every pre-packaged program on Kali can be obtained through other standard repositories on almost any other mainstream distro -- so you will have to learn a little more Linux to get them installed. Quite frankly, that's Kali's selling point - to learn something and yet, they've pre packaged all those "tools" for you where a novice might not need to learn so much. Talk about a dilemma! So if you don't quite understand networking or don't know about a backbone piece of software called Wireshark then don't make it worse for yourself with this distro. But like I said, if you're the kind of person who likes to fix things then by all means, go ahead and waste your time with Kali. (I doubt very many Linux Guru's will).
Latest Reviews
Project: Kali Linux Version: 2025.2 Rating: 10 Date: 2025-07-10 Votes: 1
Kali Linux is not like your regular Windows or macOS—it’s built specifically for ethical hacking and cybersecurity tasks. It comes with hundreds of pre-installed security tools that allow users to test networks, find vulnerabilities, and protect systems from attacks.
One of the biggest advantages of Kali Linux is its portability—you can install it on a computer, run it from a USB drive, or even use it inside a virtual machine. This makes it easy for cybersecurity professionals, students, and researchers to practice ethical hacking safely without affecting their main system.
i like kali :-))
Project: Kali Linux Version: 2025.2 Rating: 10 Date: 2025-07-08 Votes: 7
Kali Linux focuses on various information security tasks, such as penetration testing, security research, and computer forensics. While it’s one of the top choices in terms of security, it’s primarily focused on safety testing rather than general-purpose computing. Kali Linux may not be favorable to mainstream users but it’s still a perfect choice for cybersecurity professionals, researchers, and those willing to spend countless hours trying to understand the ins and outs of network elements and computer science.
Project: Kali Linux Version: 2025.2 Rating: 10 Date: 2025-07-03 Votes: 1
This is a great OS. I love that it comes preloaded with a lot of the necessary tools and can be bootable from just a flash drive. It is so lightweight and a great utility. I have used it pretty extensively in school in labs for a “CTF” competition and various other projects. I have also used it professionally to test some of our security measures.
pros:
+Lightweight
+Bootable from flash drive (no install)
+All the tools and utilities loaded with it
cons:
+ Zero = (0)
i like kali-linux and is very good for cyber-security-students :-))
Project: Kali Linux Version: 2025.2 Rating: 10 Date: 2025-06-26 Votes: 9
Kali Linux is a security-focused OS built for penetration testing, cybersecurity, and ethical hacking.
While not designed for anonymity, its powerful security tools make it a top choice for professionals who need robust protection in a secure environment.
Pros:
Comprehensive Security Tools: Ideal for penetration testing and forensics.
Regular Updates: Frequent security patches keep vulnerabilities in check.
Highly Customizable: Adaptable to specific security needs.
Lightweight & Efficient: Runs well on a cheap Linux VPS.
Cons:
Not Built for Anonymity: Focuses on security, not anonymous browsing.
Complex for Beginners: Requires technical expertise.
Legal Risks: Some tools must be used ethically.
Cybersecurity professionals, ethical hackers, and penetration testers looking for a secure Linux OS with advanced tools and cost-effective Linux VPS hosting.
With extensive security tools, Kali Linux detects and mitigates vulnerabilities, making it an excellent choice for those who need Linux security-focused operating systems in a privacy and security-centric Linux distro setup.
Project: Kali Linux Version: 2025.2 Rating: 10 Date: 2025-06-26 Votes: 2
This latest version also brings more than a dozen new tools to the Kali repositories. These include specialized tools like Azurehound for gathering data from Microsoft Azure, binwalk3 for analyzing device firmware, and bopscrk for creating smart wordlists.
There are also new utilities for identifying vulnerabilities, managing shellcode, and interacting with network protocols like LDAP and Kerberos. These additions, along with updates to desktop environments like GNOME 48 and KDE Plasma 6.3, and improvements for Raspberry Pi users, show Kali Linux’s ongoing commitment to providing powerful and user-friendly tools for security professionals.
Project: Kali Linux Version: 2025.2 Rating: 10 Date: 2025-06-23 Votes: 3
Kali Linux is more than just a Linux distribution. It’s a specialized operating system packed with tools designed for penetration testing, ethical hacking, and vulnerability assessment. Developed and maintained by Offensive Security, it plays a pivotal role in the cybersecurity landscape.
Penetration testing (pen testing) involves simulating real-world cyberattacks to identify vulnerabilities before malicious hackers can exploit them. Kali Linux is the go-to OS for this practice.
It’s more than an OS—it’s a powerful framework for security experts, ethical hackers, and digital defenders. Backed by Offensive Security, it continues to evolve as a cornerstone of modern cybersecurity.
If you’re responsible for safeguarding infrastructure or testing resilience, Kali Linux is an indispensable tool in your arsenal.
I Like Kali-Linux!
Project: Kali Linux Version: 2025.2 Rating: 10 Date: 2025-06-20 Votes: 1
The release of Kali Linux 2025.2 marks a significant advancement in the capabilities and usability of this ethical hacking distribution. With its revamped menu, new tools, and enhanced support for various environments, Kali Linux continues to be a vital resource for security professionals seeking to enhance their cybersecurity defenses.
Kali Linux 2025.2 stands as a testament to the commitment of Offensive Security and the Kali Linux Community in providing cutting-edge tools and features for the cybersecurity community. The updates introduced in this release offer improved usability, functionality, and performance, making Kali Linux an indispensable tool for ethical hackers and security professionals.
Project: Kali Linux Version: 2025.2 Rating: 10 Date: 2025-06-19 Votes: 1
Kali 2025.2 isn’t just another dot-release—it’s a thoughtful harmony of better ergonomics, tooling advances, and community creativity. The MITRE menu, enhanced desktop environments, wrist-sized Wi‑Fi injection, automotive hacking tools, and fresh utilities show Kali’s commitment: making complex testing more intuitive, powerful, and fun. Whether you’re a seasoned pentester or just starting out, this version delivers refined polish with practical power. Give it a try, explore the menu, and dive into those new NetHunter toys—you just might stumble on your next breakthrough.
Project: Kali Linux Version: 2025.2 Rating: 10 Date: 2025-06-15 Votes: 2
A Debian-based distribution for advanced penetration testing and security auditing. This is the distribution’s second major update of the year.
One of the most notable changes in this release is the complete reorganization of the Kali menu. Gone is the old structure inherited from BackTrack and WHAX, which, according to devs, had become increasingly difficult to manage.
Instead, the menu now follows the MITRE ATT&CK framework, making it far more intuitive for both red and blue teams to locate the right tools for their tasks.
I like the new Menu and i like the 13 new cybersecurity tools, including binwalk3 for firmware analysis, crlfuzz for CRLF vulnerability scanning, and gitxray for scanning GitHub repositories.
A very good Job (Kali-Developer's) !
Project: Kali Linux Version: 2025.1a Rating: 10 Date: 2025-06-11 Votes: 1
Kali Linux focuses on various information security tasks, such as penetration testing, security research, and computer forensics. While it’s one of the top choices in terms of security, it’s primarily focused on safety testing rather than general-purpose computing. Kali Linux may not be favorable to mainstream users but it’s still a perfect choice for cybersecurity professionals, researchers, and those willing to spend countless hours trying to understand the ins and outs of network elements and computer science.
Project: Kali Linux Version: 2025.1a Rating: 10 Date: 2025-06-09 Votes: 1
I like Kali-Linux;
Why?
Kali Linux is an open-source, Debian-based Linux distribution that is designed for various information security tasks, such as penetration testing, security research, computer forensics, and reverse engineering.
It can be installed on various platforms, including mobile devices, containers, ARM, cloud providers, Windows Subsystem for Linux, pre-built virtual machines, and installer images. It also provides a well-documented ISO customization process, making it easy to generate an optimized version of Kali for specific needs.
Kali Linux has a vibrant and active community with active forums, an IRC Channel, Kali Tools listings, an open bug tracker system, and even community-provided tool suggestions.
Project: Kali Linux Version: 2025.1a Rating: 10 Date: 2025-06-06 Votes: 15
The Kali Linux is said to be the most advanced Penetration Testing Distribution. Kali Linux is an open-source, Debian-based Linux distribution designed for various information security activities like computer forensics, reverse engineering, and penetration testing.
It can be used on ARM-based gadgets like the Raspberry Pi and is also considered to be one of the best-rated and safest Linux distributions out there, according to numerous surveys of developers.
Reasons to get Kali
1. This distribution's "forensic" mode makes it ideal for forensic work.
2. Materials on Kali are readily available, making it easy to learn.
3. Testing for penetration is possible with it.
Project: Kali Linux Version: 2025.1a Rating: 10 Date: 2025-06-03 Votes: 30
Kali Linux is a security-focused OS built for penetration testing, cybersecurity, and ethical hacking.
With Kali-Whoami (Tornetwork) designed for anonymity, its powerful security tools make it a top choice for professionals who need robust protection in a secure environment.
Comprehensive Security Tools: Ideal for penetration testing and forensics.
Regular Updates: Frequent security patches keep vulnerabilities in check.
Highly Customizable: Adaptable to specific security needs.
Lightweight & Efficient: Runs well on a cheap Linux VPS.
Kali Linux isn’t just for breaking in, it’s loaded with tools to harden your setup too. Perfect for privacy-aware tinkerers.
Cybersecurity professionals, ethical hackers, and penetration testers looking for a secure Linux OS with advanced tools and cost-effective Linux VPS hosting.
With extensive security tools, Kali Linux detects and mitigates vulnerabilities, making it an excellent choice for those who need Linux security-focused operating systems in a privacy and security-centric Linux distro setup.
Project: Kali Linux Version: 2025.1a Rating: 10 Date: 2025-06-02 Votes: 1
Kali Linux is a specialized, Debian-based Linux distribution designed for cybersecurity tasks like penetration testing and digital forensics. With over 600 pre-installed tools, robust security features, and support for various platforms, Kali Linux is widely used by ethical hackers and security professionals. Its open-source nature, active community, and extensive documentation make it accessible for beginners and experts alike.
Kali Linux is a Debian-based Linux distribution that has gained immense popularity among cybersecurity professionals, ethical hackers, and penetration testers. Packed with a comprehensive suite of tools for digital forensics, vulnerability analysis, and security testing, Kali Linux is designed to cater to the specific needs of the cybersecurity community. This blog explores what Kali Linux is, its features, and why it is widely used in the field of cybersecurity.
cheers.
Project: Kali Linux Version: 2025.1a Rating: 10 Date: 2025-05-31 Votes: 2
kali-linux version: 2025.1c
Think of Kali Linux as your ultimate toolbox, packed full of specialized tools designed specifically for ethical hackers, security researchers, and penetration testers. It’s not just another Linux distribution—it's a powerful operating system that allows experts to find and fix vulnerabilities before attackers exploit them.
Kali Linux isn't just secure—it’s specifically designed to strengthen security by helping professionals identify and fix vulnerabilities. Its comprehensive toolkit, advanced kernel customizations, and ease of use make it the first choice for penetration testers and ethical hackers worldwide.
Project: Kali Linux Version: 2025.1a Rating: 10 Date: 2025-05-30 Votes: 5
Kali Linux is an industry-standard pentesting distro. In 2025, its latest updates include AI-driven pentesting tools, automating vulnerability detection, and improving workflow efficiency for security professionals. It is one of the most popular distros among pentesters, ethical hackers, and security researchers worldwide and contains hundreds of tools.
A Kali Linux contributor provides some insight into the distro’s history and the benefits it offers users:
“Named after a Hindu goddess, Kali has been around for a long time – but it’s still updated weekly, can be run in live mode or installed to a drive, and can also be used on ARM devices like Raspberry Pi.”
Why We Love Kali Linux:
1. Kali Linux uses LUKS full-disk encryption to protect sensitive pentesting data from loss, tampering, and theft.
2. This flexible distro offers complete customization with live build.
3. Users can automate and customize their Kali Linux installations over the network.
4. “Forensics” mode makes this distro perfect for forensics work.
5. A Kaili Linux training suite, Kali Linux Dojo, is available, where users can learn how to customize their own Kali ISO and learn the
basics of pentesting.
Project: Kali Linux Version: 2025.1a Rating: 10 Date: 2025-05-29 Votes: 1
This is perfect for its use case, nothing else even comes close.
Great UI. Fast. Stable. Has useful tools. Customizable without much effort. Well documented. Perfect for when you just want to get work done and don't want to have to mess around with setting things up. It really is the first of its kind, and head and shoulders beyond anything else out there.
One thing I like in particular is the documentation is very well structured. Whenever I need to look up how to do something, I can find it. Plus the multiple device support is really strong, I am hard pressed to name another Linux that has as strong of ARM support. That's not to mention the docker, WSL, cloud images, and so on. It's pretty nice to just have Kali out there and accessible to me no matter where I am.
Its nor for general purpose use, and that's fine. This is a specialized tool for a specialized job role and it's great for that. At its core it is Debian however and so can still be used for anything Debian can be used for, which is pretty cool.
I tend to start with a new install each time I go to use it, so I am always setting it up from scratch. Install goes nice and quick, and I don't have issues with that at all. I have had issues in the past with mirrors not being in sync, but really I get that with anything I use.
I have tried other security focused distros before and they were so/so really. Did not really see anything I liked more in them, and they just did not seem very stable compared to Kali. Some seemed to just take Kali packages and change the UI (for the worse). Not really useful, so I just stick with the main thing.
Project: Kali Linux Version: 2025.1a Rating: 10 Date: 2025-05-29 Votes: 1
Perfect for pentesting and ethical hacking. Comes with pretty much everything you will ever need pre-installed for both beginners and experts alike. Kali CAN be used as a daily driver, for example if you only have a single laptop to tote around from home and work, but it shouldn't be your daily if you can help it. If you're interested in getting into the world of cybersec there really isn't a better starting point than installing Kali.
Kali Linux is not like your regular Windows or macOS—it’s built specifically for ethical hacking and cybersecurity tasks. It comes with hundreds of pre-installed security tools that allow users to test networks, find vulnerabilities, and protect systems from attacks.
One of the biggest advantages of Kali Linux is its portability—you can install it on a computer, run it from a USB drive, or even use it inside a virtual machine. This makes it easy for cybersecurity professionals, students, and researchers to practice ethical hacking safely without affecting their main system.
Project: Kali Linux Version: 2025.1a Rating: 10 Date: 2025-05-29 Votes: 2
no problem using kali linux on my acer aspire business with 16gb of ram, but, i dont know why the cpu its so bad, but dont care, the OS run perfect, i recommend use minimun 16gb of ram for use this, the cpu i recommend minimun 2ghz processor, its decent, but its a nice OS to make security and more :) like it :)
bueno, no hay problema usando el sistema operativo KALI LINUX en mi acer aspire business de 16gb de memoria ram, no se si mi cpu es malisimo pero no importa, me corre decente, recomendaria usar el sistema operativo con minimo 4gb de memoria ram y con un cpu decente de minimo dos nucleos, pero es buen sistema operativo para crear seguridad :) me gusta :)
Project: Kali Linux Version: 2025.1a Rating: 10 Date: 2025-05-22 Votes: 3
kali-linux 2025.1c
The best distro for PEN testing. Not easy for new comers like me, but if you don't start you won't learn. I had few issues with Kali, not because of the distro itself rather that the destructive commands I ran without paying attention to the consequences, but I got it back fully working. It has become my daily OS usage, I finally got rid of Windows which I'll never come back to use again EVER even if it becomes free!
Kali has got a good documentation page, especially for the tools included, not easy to use for beginners, but this OS isn't intended for beginners anyway, so no lamentation here. With Linux in general, you must insist in using it and learn your way through the Terminal commands, which is what I am doing. By the way, I am a professional IT guy coming from the Microsoft land. So I have no problems dealing with hard tasks from another OS, it only needs patience, some research, and insisting on learning, to find out that Linux Rocks and it really a lightweight OS with respect to the bloated Windows/macOS. My choice was Kali simply because I come from the Security team on Windows land, and I couldn't be happier with Kali! The learning curve is steep, but the satisfaction is great.
Project: Kali Linux Version: 2025.1a Rating: 10 Date: 2025-05-18 Votes: 24
I love kali machine Because of following reasons.
- cool name used for this distro
- I love the count of tools
- Kali wallpapers always motivate me to try harder
- It's command suggestion on terminal is really cool
- I love customizations of interface with kali
- Startup and shut down speed are so good
- I feel like achieved something on every attack
- I like timely updates and upgrades.
- Kali Linux protects your privacy and secures the system by hiding the IP address and other important stuff.
- Kali Linux has several security-focused applications that protect your privacy very well to simplify ethical hacking.
- No excessive internet data usage.
- No issues with virtual machines. works fantastic.
- All things perfect
Ratting: 10+
Project: Kali Linux Version: 2025.1a Rating: 10 Date: 2025-05-07 Votes: 36
Kali Linux 2025.1c is the best pentesting Linux distribution I have ever tried.(Even better than BlackArch)
The default desktop environment is really nice-looking and it has so many tools included out of the box, more than you will ever need for penetration testing. I also greatly appreciate the fact that the Metasploit framework is included out of the box, as I love using it to exploit EternalBlue(MS17-010) to hack Windows 7 and earlier versions of Windows. It is also great from daily use. I do not recommend Kali to beginners, but for somewhat experienced users who appreciate Debian and like or want to get started with penetration testing, it is one of the best options out there. Great Job (Developer's) of Kali-Linux
Project: Kali Linux Version: 2025.1a Rating: 9 Date: 2025-05-02 Votes: 0
Works well. I use a couple network tools built in that I could easily install on Debian, but happened to use a Kali VM for work before trying out surface Linux. Ignore the Debbie-downers telling you not to use Kali as a new Linux user. It's basically the same thing as Debian or Ubuntu. Worst part about it is Gnome, which sucks, but is also good for touchscreens.
Firefox crashes constantly, Brave much less so. That happened on this machine with Multiple Arch and Debian based distros, so I don't blame Kali. Fresh install of Kali has browsers crashing, so I also can't blame my use of Debian repositories.
Overall I'm sure Kali would be great for someone needing the tools. For anyone else it's just like Ubuntu or Debian... just something to play with.
Project: Kali Linux Version: 2025.1a Rating: 10 Date: 2025-05-02 Votes: 15
Best and most complete, feature rich pentesting distro with the version 2025.1c.
Kali Linux provides a robust pentesting experience, standing out even when compared to BlackArch.
Its visually appealing default desktop environment comes packed with an extensive array of tools—exceeding penetration testing necessities. The convenient inclusion of the Metasploit framework from the get-go is noteworthy. Personally, I find joy in leveraging it for exploits, but it is also great from daily use.
I do not recommend Kali to beginners, but for somewhat experienced users who appreciate Debian and like or want to get started with penetration testing, it is one of the best options out there.
cheers . . .
Project: Kali Linux Version: 2025.1a Rating: 3 Date: 2025-05-01 Votes: 3
I really like kali when it works.
With the update problems, not so much.
Oh no something has gone wrong screen, changes everything.
As soon as I load the updates the system is unusable, and can't be logged into.
I wrestled around with the fixes a little bit, to no resolution on my end.
I had kali gnome on three different computers, the updates killed them all.
So on one laptop I reinstalled the march 19 iso.
It worked grreat until I installed the updates again.
Same issue,
Another thing that is weird about kali.
One iso for live testing, and one iso to install the system.
All the other big linux names have live, and install on same usb iso.
I can see having an update issue now and then?
But, to not be able to login at all is too big of an issue for me.
So I am abandoning a system I had great promise for.
Terry
Project: Kali Linux Version: 2025.1a Rating: 3 Date: 2025-04-21 Votes: 6
I really like kali when it works.
With the update problems, not so much.
Oh no something has gone wrong screen, changes everything.
As soon as I load the updates the system is unusable, and can't be logged into.
I wrestled around with the fixes a little bit, to no resolution on my end.
I had kali gnome on three different computers, the updates killed them all.
So on one laptop I reinstalled the march 19 iso.
It worked grreat until I installed the updates again.
Same issue,
Another thing that is weird about kali.
One iso for live testing, and one iso to install the system.
All the other big linux names have live, and install on same usb iso.
I can see having an update issue now and then?
But, to not be able to login at all is too big of an issue for me.
So I am abandoning a system I had great promise for.
Terry
Project: Kali Linux Version: 2024.4 Rating: 10 Date: 2025-03-14 Votes: 0
The best distro for PEN testing. Not easy for new comers like me, but if you don't start you won't learn. I had few issues with Kali, not because of the distro itself rather that the destructive commands I ran without paying attention to the consequences, but I got it back fully working. It has become my daily OS usage, I finally got rid of Windows which I'll never come back to use again EVER even if it becomes free!
Kali has got a good documentation page, especially for the tools included, not easy to use for beginners, but this OS isn't intended for beginners anyway, so no lamentation here. With Linux in general, you must insist in using it and learn your way through the Terminal commands, which is what I am doing. By the way, I am a professional IT guy coming from the Microsoft land. So I have no problems dealing with hard tasks from another OS, it only needs patience, some research, and insisting on learning, to find out that Linux Rocks and it really a lightweight OS with respect to the bloated Windows/macOS. My choice was Kali simply because I come from the Security team on Windows land, and I couldn't be happier with Kali! The learning curve is steep, but the satisfaction is great.
Project: Kali Linux Version: 2023.4 Rating: 10 Date: 2024-05-19 Votes: 6
Even though it is not designed as a daily driver, it just works. I have had no issues with this distro that a quick search of their fourms, or docs could not fix. I have used them since backtrack. Though if you want to add garbage to your system with excessive applications like spotify (I am not saying their service is garbage just adding unneeded apps), and others instead of using their web apps that work just fine you will have to add the repos or do some work. Though if you need a secure way to brows the web you cant go wrong as it supports most hardware even 32 bit.
Project: Kali Linux Version: 2024.1 Rating: 10 Date: 2024-04-26 Votes: 6
Kali Linux is THE distro for penetration testing, plain and simple. While many reviews rightly relate to that important aspect, I like to focus on the installation - which I found an absolute breeze.
This considering the hardware is a custom-built configuration (Ryzen 8-core, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, Radeon video with 24" monitor) dedicated to running virtual machines using VBox (in this case 7.0.x). Kali got assigned 2 GB RAM, 50 GB disk, and 2 cores. While various Ubuntu LTS on VM's caused trouble, installing the current Kali is as easy as Linux Mint, which says a lot.
Kali is definitely not a distro for beginners, contrary to Mint, but one must consider its highly specific mission.
Previous experience with Linux and in particular the command line (terminal, Bash) is recommended, as is reading literature specific to its use for pentesting, but if you are serious about that, you likely won't get around Kali.
So far, I have not encountered any bugs.
Project: Kali Linux Version: 2024.1 Rating: 10 Date: 2024-03-15 Votes: 18
Best and most complete, feature rich pentesting distro.
Kali Linux provides a robust pentesting experience, standing out even when compared to BlackArch.
Its visually appealing default desktop environment comes packed with an extensive array of tools—exceeding penetration testing necessities. The convenient inclusion of the Metasploit framework from the get-go is noteworthy. Personally, I find joy in leveraging it for exploits, but it is also great from daily use.
I do not recommend Kali to beginners, but for somewhat experienced users who appreciate Debian and like or want to get started with penetration testing, it is one of the best options out there.
Project: Kali Linux Version: 2023.4 Rating: 10 Date: 2024-02-25 Votes: 11
This distro was very helpful.
I had an Asus laptop with an onboard NVMe hard drive and Debian installed. But it developed an ACPI error message which kept scrolling continually.
I reformatted the drive and installed other distros but the error returned.
When I tried installing Kali it offered to perform a low level format of the drive so I opted for that.
It may have been a corruption of the drive causing the error and the low level format was the solution.
Kali is working well and doing all I require. Plus I learned something from the exercise.
Project: Kali Linux Version: 2023.1 Rating: 10 Date: 2023-08-12 Votes: 8
Best and most complete, feature rich pentesting distro.
Kali Linux provides a robust pentesting experience, standing out even when compared to BlackArch.
Its visually appealing default desktop environment comes packed with an extensive array of tools—exceeding penetration testing necessities. The convenient inclusion of the Metasploit framework from the get-go is noteworthy. Personally, I find joy in leveraging it for exploits, but it is also great from daily use.
I do not recommend Kali to beginners, but for somewhat experienced users who appreciate Debian and like or want to get started with penetration testing, it is one of the best options out there.
Project: Kali Linux Version: 2023.1 Rating: 10 Date: 2023-04-05 Votes: 6
Kali Linux is the best pentesting Linux distribution I have ever tried.(Even better than BlackArch)
The default desktop environment is really nice-looking and it has so many tools included out of the box, more than you will ever need for penetration testing. I also greatly appreciate the fact that the Metasploit framework is included out of the box, as I love using it to exploit EternalBlue(MS17-010) to hack Windows 7 and earlier versions of Windows. It is also great from daily use. I do not recommend Kali to beginners, but for somewhat experienced users who appreciate Debian and like or want to get started with penetration testing, it is one of the best options out there.
Project: Kali Linux Version: 2023.1 Rating: 10 Date: 2023-03-16 Votes: 1
I love kali machine Because of following reasons.
- cool name used for this distro
- I love the count of tools
- Kali wallpapers always motivate me to try harder
- It's command suggestion on terminal is really cool
- I love customizations of interface with kali
- Startup and shut down speed are so good
- I feel like achieved something on every attack
- I like timely updates and upgrades
- No excessive internet data usage.
- No issues with virtual machines. works fantastic.
- All things perfect
Project: Kali Linux Version: 2022.4 Rating: 10 Date: 2023-01-16 Votes: 2
Kali is great for USB persistent in offering great network and security features. It boots up fast and benefits all the software/libraries as an Ubuntu based.
USB persistent allows to run Linux on your existing hardware without touching any existing partitions/boot loaders of your default system operating system. No worry of installation process and overwritten UEFI partition or so whatever.
You can easily create your USB persistent from the downloaded ISO using rufus under windows or mkusb under Linux or similar.
Project: Kali Linux Version: 2022.2 Rating: 10 Date: 2022-07-01 Votes: 1
no problem using kali linux on my toshiba satellite with 4gb of ram, but, i dont know why the cpu its so bad, but dont care, the OS run perfect, i recommend use minimun 4gb of ram for use this, the cpu i recommend minimun 2ghz processor, its decent, but its a nice OS to make security and more :) like it :)
bueno, no hay problema usando el sistema operativo KALI LINUX en mi toshiba sattellite de 4gb de memoria ram, no se si mi cpu es malisimo pero no importa, me corre decente, recomendaria usar el sistema operativo con minimo 4gb de memoria ram y con un cpu decente de minimo dos nucleos, pero es buen sistema operativo para crear seguridad :) me gusta :)
Project: Kali Linux Version: 2022.1 Rating: 10 Date: 2022-02-21 Votes: 0
This is perfect for its use case, nothing else even comes close.
Great UI. Fast. Stable. Has useful tools. Customizable without much effort. Well documented. Perfect for when you just want to get work done and don't want to have to mess around with setting things up. It really is the first of its kind, and head and shoulders beyond anything else out there.
One thing I like in particular is the documentation is very well structured. Whenever I need to look up how to do something, I can find it. Plus the multiple device support is really strong, I am hard pressed to name another Linux that has as strong of ARM support. That's not to mention the docker, WSL, cloud images, and so on. It's pretty nice to just have Kali out there and accessible to me no matter where I am.
Its nor for general purpose use, and that's fine. This is a specialized tool for a specialized job role and it's great for that. At its core it is Debian however and so can still be used for anything Debian can be used for, which is pretty cool.
I tend to start with a new install each time I go to use it, so I am always setting it up from scratch. Install goes nice and quick, and I don't have issues with that at all. I have had issues in the past with mirrors not being in sync, but really I get that with anything I use.
I have tried other security focused distros before and they were so/so really. Did not really see anything I liked more in them, and they just did not seem very stable compared to Kali. Some seemed to just take Kali packages and change the UI (for the worse). Not really useful, so I just stick with the main thing.
Project: Kali Linux Version: 2021.3 Rating: 5 Date: 2021-12-07 Votes: 0
Bloated with software...overkill. Unless you're into administration and security testing this would not make a good daily driver. Both appearance and aesthetics leave much to be desired. Plus excessive RAM at idle which seems to be one of the downfalls of distros of the past 5 years. The download section of their website is VERY confusing to say the least! For a distro which has been in development for the past 17+ years Kali Linux really needs to go back to the drawing board and do a complete overhaul of their OS. Need I say more?
Project: Kali Linux Version: 2021.2 Rating: 10 Date: 2021-08-14 Votes: 1
I have numerous computers and two of them are Raspberry Pi's. One runs Kali as I am slowly learning System Admin on Linux and Pen-testing. I have tried Ubuntu in a Virtual Box on my PC, The other Pi is running Raspian, or RaspberryPiOS or whatever they call it now. I installed ProxMox on a micro PC I was gifted with. So I've a little experience with Linux. I also installed Parrot OS in a VM that I am using to work on hacking vulnerable machines from Vulnhub. I used the Kali machine as my main machine when my Windows PC crashed with a corrupted C drive earlier this year.
My opinion? I like it, It is my go to machine when I'm working on Linux. I've only toyed with all the hacking toys it comes with but as far as the desktop and terminal, once I got a few extras installed it is nice. Honestly can't list any Cons. It's never pissed me off so nothing comes to mind.
Project: Kali Linux Version: 2020.4 Rating: 10 Date: 2021-07-02 Votes: 1
Perfect for pentesting and ethical hacking. Comes with pretty much everything you will ever need pre-installed for both beginners and experts alike. Kali CAN be used as a daily driver, for example if you only have a single laptop to tote around from home and work, but it shouldn't be your daily if you can help it. If you're interested in getting into the world of cybersec there really isn't a better starting point than installing Kali.
Project: Kali Linux Version: 2021.1 Rating: 10 Date: 2021-02-27 Votes: 2
First of all let me state that this is a bit of a PSA as well as a review. Kali is meant to be run as a live system for those who engage in ethical hacking/pentesting. KALI LINUX IS NOT MEANT TO BE USED AS A DAILY DRIVER. Certain features enabled for various programs actuallyake Kali more vulnerable. If you're thinking about installing Kali as a daily driver or you're just new to Linux, this distro is not for you. Kali serves its purpose well hence the 10/10. Please if you're thinking about installing Kali just go for Ubuntu, Mageia, or even Arch.
Project: Kali Linux Version: 2020.4 Rating: 1 Date: 2021-01-31 Votes: 7
If you like to fix things then you're going to love this distro -- it's broken!!!
Where do I begin? Well, maybe you should know that the developers do offer a version aimed towards ARM based systems. For the layman, that means it's supposed to work out of the box on something as "basic" as a Raspberry Pi 4 with 8GB of memory and a good boot device like a Samsung 32 EVO plus SD card -- like mine! So you can't say my "hardware" is the problem (or else it probably wouldn't even boot). I can report that other OS's for the Raspberry Pi (& it's ARM processor) work just fine. But when I tried Kali (2020.4) it was so buggy that even the kernel support for sound and wired Ethernet only worked about half the time -- and that's after I spent over 3 hours updating! I mean, WTF?! Either I have a built in virus (in a Linux distro - ya, I know) or it's just plain crap. So I'll go out on a limb and say it's just plain crap given that I've had similar experiences on the x86 side too (obviously, with other hardware).
Don't waste your time with Kali Linux. If you want to learn about networking there are far better distros (sources) out there to do that with. Just about every pre-packaged program on Kali can be obtained through other standard repositories on almost any other mainstream distro -- so you will have to learn a little more Linux to get them installed. Quite frankly, that's Kali's selling point - to learn something and yet, they've pre packaged all those "tools" for you where a novice might not need to learn so much. Talk about a dilemma! So if you don't quite understand networking or don't know about a backbone piece of software called Wireshark then don't make it worse for yourself with this distro. But like I said, if you're the kind of person who likes to fix things then by all means, go ahead and waste your time with Kali. (I doubt very many Linux Guru's will).
TUXEDO
TUXEDO Computers - Linux Hardware in a tailor made suite Choose from a wide range of laptops and PCs in various sizes and shapes at TUXEDOComputers.com. Every machine comes pre-installed and ready-to-run with Linux. Full 24 months of warranty and lifetime support included!
Learn more about our full service package and all benefits from buying at TUXEDO.
Advertisement
Star Labs
Star Labs - Laptops built for Linux.
View our range including the highly anticipated StarFighter. Available with coreboot open-source firmware and a choice of Ubuntu, elementary, Manjaro and more. Visit Star Labs for information, to buy and get support.