CHAPTER 1
Foundations of Kali Linux
Kali Linux is a specialized distribution of the Linux operating system. It is targeted at
people who want to engage in security work. This may be security testing, it may be
exploit development or reverse engineering, or it may be digital forensics. The thing
about Linux distributions is that they aren’t the same. Linux is really just the kernel—
the actual operating system and the core of the distribution. Each distribution layers
additional software on top of that core, making it unique. In the case of Kali, what
gets layered on are not only the essential utilities, but also hundreds of software pack‐
ages that are specific to security work.
One of the really nice things about Linux, especially as compared to other operating
systems, is that it is almost completely customizable. This includes the shell in which
you type commands and the graphical desktop you use. Even beyond that, you can
change the look of each of those things. Using Linux is all about making the system
work for you, rather than having the system force the way you work because of how it
works, looks, and feels.
Linux actually has a long history, if you trace it back to its beginnings. Understanding
this history will help provide some context for why Linux is the way it is—especially
the seemingly arcane commands that are used to manage the system, manipulate
files, and just get work done.
