MTeams is seeing alot of comments that old methods of making a persistent USB with kali2.0 do not work. This is simply not the case. Here is a method tested in MTeams labs
Install kali-linux 2.0 onto the usb flash drive using XP and Win32DiskImager.exe(Win32). Download the latest Win32 if you wish, however older versions might work.
Make sure Win32DiskImager is pointed at your usb flash drive.
When you browse to the location of your Kali-linux 2.0.iso, change the "Files of Type" from "img" to *.* - select the down arrow across from "Files of Type" and you will get this selection in a drop-down menu. Once selected the kali-linux.iso file will appear. Select it and select "write" then sit back and wait while the diskimager does it's work. When finished, you now have a live version of Kali-linux2.0. Boot the computer from the kali-linux 2.0 usb flash drive and test to see if it is working properly then shut it down.
Note here that kali-linux2.0 does not work on all computers. We have two(2) laptops that take only 1.10a. When we load kali2.0 the install hangs and it will not accept functioning usb flash drive installs of kali-linux 2.0 either.
If your live usb install of kali-linux2.0 functions, enable persistence so your work is saved between reboots.
Run up a kali or Backtrack operating system with gparted installed. You cannot use the live usb with kali-linux 2.0 on it, as it will be locked during these operations, therefore a separate linux operating system must act on the usb flash drive. You can use a second usb flash drive to run the OS. However you might have to change the sdb3 to sdc3 in the commands below. Gparted can give
you these designations. You will have to experiment with this approach.
Type gparted in a terminal window:
When gparted runs it will probably be pointed at the harddrives which are labeled sda. In the upper right-hand corner of the gparted window you will see a small greyish rectangular block with the word /dev/??? then a size in GiB and two(2) up-down arrows. Click on these arrows until you see the usb flashdrive.
You should now see two(2) long rectangular blocks.
In this example we see:
/dev/sdb1 unallocated
3.09 GiB 4.28 GiB
Right-click within the right-hand large unallocated rectangular block. You need to format and label this block. When you right click within the block a menu will appear.
Select New
In the "Create new Partition" drop down menu
Select
Create as: Primary Partition
File system: ext4
Label: persistence
Enter the word persistence carefully. Do not misspell or alter caps or the persistence feature may not work.
When completed select:
Add
Go to upper left-hand corner of the main gparted menu
Click Edit
Select Apply All Operations
Select Apply
Sit back and wait till the operations are all completed
When finished gparted showed the following in the two(2)
large rectangular windows. Size of the right window will vary.
/dev/sdb1 /dev/sdb3
3.09 GiB 4.28 GiB
Open a new terminal window.
Type
mkdir -p /mnt/usb
mount /dev/sdb3 /mnt/usb
echo "/ union" > /mnt/usb/persistence.conf
umount /mnt/usb
Now test the persistence feature between reboots.
Shutdown and reboot using the kali2.0 usb you just worked on.
When the menu appears:
!!!Select Live USB Persistence ONLY ( with up down arrows)!!!
Warning if you select Live (686-pae) you will not load any persistent data and the test for persistence will fail.
Open leafpad and save a text file in root.
Type ls in a terminal window and make sure the file is present.
Reboot into the kali2.0 usb again.
When the menu appears:
!!!Select Live USB Persistence ONLY ( with up down arrows)!!!
Warning if you select Live (686-pae) you will not load any persistent data and the test for persistence will fail.
If the text file is still there then the persistent feature is functioning. Do not try and upgrade your persistent usb but you can update the existing files. If persistence is not operating, you probably misspelled the word "persistence" or you used the wrong ??sda/sdb/sdc?? entries in the terminal window commands given above.
We did not test the luks encryption therefore no guidance is provided.
Musket Teams
