Kali Linux is a specialized distribution of Linux. Kali is built on the Debian distribution and is designed for one thing: hacking or penetrating of target networks and systems. The developers of this tool intend for it to be used by professionals in both information technology (IT) and security as a mechanism to assess the security of target environments. The tool itself is still Linux, but it is not designed to be used as a desktop replacement OS. Instead, it is designed for testing and assessment of existing systems.

Linux is a powerful OS, and one that can be very flexible. Because it is an open source OS, anyone can contribute to the wide range of application software, drivers, and even kernel features. That means that over the years, software developers around the world have produced software that does just about anything imaginable. And that includes many, many tools that are quite handy for examining systems and storage devices originating from any OS or file system. A Linux system with the right tools makes a great platform for examining and making changes to pretty much any other system. Kali Linux is only one distribution that includes many helpful tools, but it is one of the most popular and widely available distributions for security professionals (and attackers). It is not possible to overstate the value of Kali Linux in the security professional’s toolbox. Just a quick look at the main Kali Linux Application menu item shows the categories of tools available for free in Kali. FIGURE 12-2 shows the Application menu item from the Kali Linux desktop. Note that each submenu under Favorites contains multiple tools in each category.