tool package question

[greml1n]

Hello

I am not new to this game but i am trying to get myself updated. I was running my own private solo pen test venture a while back (no linux distro's). I joined the Marines and took a break duriing that period of time. I am back in the game and decided to learn a new way (linux distro's). I have used BackBox before but infrequently. I had a question for all of you....

Do ALL the tools (minus updates and what have you) come with the Kali download and you simply have to unpack or run them or do you have to download all the tools seperatly from the site? I downloded this a week ago and i ran through the apps listing and it is not very many tools as compaired to what i hear is suppose to be avail in this distro. Again I know this is a very infant question...and i dont mean to be THE ONE, but I am in a rough place atm (deaths, screwed over by the VA, break ins at my business) I have alot going on so its taking me a while to learn this. I am sure some of you can relate!!

I am trying to understand what is the deal: do you get ALL progs within the download.....but only have a few in the apps menu, meaning you have to install them yourself or run them from the prompt only. Or do you only get a few main programs in the download and you have to actuly dowload the majority from the website anyway. The reason for this is that i am setting up a testing network in my cabin and i wont have internet access, so i need to know if i have the Kali prog on my computer will i be able to install all of the progs w/o needed to connect to the internet (updates aside).

Thank you guys so much for your time and consideration

G

[grid]

First of all, thanks for your service Hope things start looking up for you soon!

It depends on which Kali distro you download. I use the standard 64-bit install which has all tools in it. The Kali repos are pretty comprehensive, so if you need a tool that isn't installed by default, just do an apt-get install and see if it's there.

Not all of the tools are in the menu, but as you'll find at docs.kali.org, Kali adheres to FHS (Filesystem Hierarchy Standard): meaning you can find stuff in standard places (i.e. /usr/share/doc, /usr/bin, etc). Most tools live in /usr/share.

[greml1n]

^^your welcome! it was something i hold dear. So i guess i was kinda right then? most tools are in the download just not nessicarily on the menue BUT you can download more!?!


thanks for the reply

[Wintersprings]

The default Kali 64bit ISO comes with most packages but not all (I think it's the kali-linux-full package). If you want to install all of the base Kali tools, open a terminal and type "apt-get update && apt-get install kali-linux-all".

[greml1n]

Ok between the answers you guys gave and some looking of my own i think i understand better. However I have a few more questions based on this issue. I posted twice so i got a warning so i am going to put it here since they consider it part of THIS post. Again I am trying here...i am just not thinking right lately i have so much going on....but i will try to be as solid as i can. Your understanding is appriciated. Thanks again for all the help so far:

I don’t know what I am to understand. When you download Kali or Cy Hawk or Back Box. They claim there are tons of tools. Yet in each distro, Kali included, I only see maybe 30 at the most, perhaps 40. I heard 2 answers!!

1) a few tools from each category are included in the actual menu, but you have to unpack and run the majority from the command prompt. However regardless they ARE all within the download

2) you only get a select few and you have to download the rest separately

3) the metapackages are only really if you don’t want to 'unpack' all of the tools into your compu but select ones.

so I guess my question is: when you download Kali or Cyborg Hawk or Back Box do you have all the tools contained within the initial download and you simply have to run the majority via command prompt OR do you have to download the rest separately from the parent website.

Lastly if you indeed need to download the rest of the tools separately via metapackage is there a way to download them to a usb (if possible the same one you live boot from)

My reason is this: I have to be able to run my Linux OS on the fly from my laptop ....but at the same time I don’t want to do a HD install or a dual boot. I want to make sure I have all the tools avail for the pen test OS's but I don’t want to have to re-download them each time I boot my systems from usb. So I would need to be able to save the tools and updates to a usb/source OTHER than an actual HD.

I am new and I understand if some of you may laugh at this or roll your eyes...but I am trying to relearn this game. I had to put my learning down during my time spent as a stage hypnotist and even longer during my enlistment in the Corps and I had a long stretch of deaths on my discharge that made it hard to find fun in anything at all. I appreciate any help at all and even criticism. Please let me know what to do and what is the deal with the tool downloads. I really really do appreciate the understanding and patience with a rusty robot like me. I am not trying to be lazy or make excuses…but I have A LOT being juggled right now and I don’t have time to sift through the internet as much as I use to. I am trying but I need some help.

[Wintersprings]

Hey mate,

I can't speak for the other linux distro's as I've only ever used Kali, nor have I ever used a live USB, only native installs. But I'll try my best to help.

Kali itself is designed to be configured to specific needs and depending on the Kali build that you decide to download you'll most likely need to download various tools to get it to work the way that you want.

The main build of Kali comes in 32bit and 64bit along with the kali-linux-full package group that contains a selection of tools from the various selections of Kali tool packages. You can further customize your own Kali by either manually downloading the tools that you would like to use or download specific package groups.

The package groups depend on the sort of work that you are planning on doing:
kali-linux-all:Contains all tools available to Kali.
kali-linux-forensic: Contains tools for forensic investigation.
kali-linux-full: Default package that comes with the 2.7gb 32-64bit Kali ISO, contains popular tools from each set of packages.
kali-linux-top10: Small packages that contains the top10 tools available to Kali.
kali-linux-wireless: Tools for working with wireless networks.
etc. etc.

When you're using a live USB, as long as you boot with persistence you should be able to update Kali and change the default packages and have the distro keep your customized options and tools, so that any system you connect your USB to will have the same set of tools available to it.

If you would like to get a bit more technical, you can look into building your own personal Kali ISO by following the various online tutorials and compiling your own group of favorite tools into your own build.

I hope this helps answer some of your questions,
Winter

[greml1n]

That makes more sense!! But i guess i am still confused as when i run kali i see the tools menu and its no ware near the 200 mentioned. I thought perhaps the majority are sorta packed and compressed within the download or that you only get a few choice. I see what u mean by the custom build tho

[grid]

If I'm looking for a specific tool, I'll grep the list from dpkg. For example, dpkg --list | grep [tool name]

Using dpkg --list, you can get a list of everything installed in Kali.