How to install BackBox Linux distribution as a virtual machine

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BackBox Linux is simply a free, open-source assemblage task based connected Ubuntu. Find retired however to usage the BackBox Linux organisation arsenic a virtual machine.

Several Linux distributions are disposable nowadays for information and penetration testing. BackBox Linux is 1 of the starring ones, with a absorption connected delivering the champion show portion consuming arsenic fewer resources arsenic possible. It makes it an operating strategy that suits each hardware configuration, adjacent older ones.

SEE: 40+ unfastened root and Linux presumption you request to know (TechRepublic Premium)

While it tin beryllium installed arsenic a existent operating system, penetration testers mostly usage it arsenic a virtual machine.

We chose to amusement you however it tin beryllium installed successful the VirtualBox environment, but it tin easy beryllium installed connected different virtual systems, similar VMware oregon Parallels.

What you'll need

In summation to a machine moving a Windows, Macintosh oregon Linux distribution, VirtualBox is needed.

You besides request to download the ISO record disposable connected BackBox Linux download page (Figure A):

Figure A

Select ISO, prime a reflector and immoderate magnitude of wealth if you like, to assistance the BackBox Linux unit support the distribution. Setting the donation to 0 makes it downloadable for free.

How to instal the virtual machine

Open VirtualBox and take Machine/New past take a sanction for the virtual machine. For our installation we volition telephone it "backbox-vm." Choose Linux benignant and Ubuntu (64-bit) for the mentation (Figure B):

Figure B

Click Next past prime the size of the representation (RAM) you privation to beryllium allocated to the virtual instrumentality (Figure C).

Figure C

Click Next, prime Create a Virtual Hard Disk Bow, past click Create. Select VDI arsenic the hard disk record type, past click Next.

It's present up to you to take betwixt a dynamically allocated virtual hard thrust oregon a fixed-size one. The fixed-size enactment allows you to acceptable a maximum size that volition ne'er alteration connected the carnal hard drive. The dynamically allocated enactment volition lone consummate disk retention arsenic it fills up. For this benignant of VM, 40 oregon 80GB is mostly a bully size, but it each depends connected your hardware and the abstraction near connected it.

Next, acceptable the size of the virtual hard thrust (Figure D).

Figure D

Click Create, hold a twelve seconds portion VirtualBox finishes mounting it up. The virtual instrumentality situation is present ready.

Right-click connected the caller virtual machine, and prime Settings (Figure E).

Figure E

Change each the settings according to your needs and hardware, past spell to the Storage tab, click the CD ROM representation that says "Empty" successful the mediate pane, and click connected the 2nd CD ROM representation connected the close pane. Choose Disk File (Figure F).

Figure F

Select the ISO file, click Open, tick the Live CD/DVD option, past click OK.

Backbox is present acceptable for booting. Right click connected the virtual machine, prime Start/Normal Start.

Backbox is present launched and disposable for usage (Figure G).

Figure G

You are present escaped to usage the organisation arsenic is, successful unrecorded CD mode, oregon instal it decidedly connected the virtual hard thrust by double-clicking the Install BackBox Linux icon connected the desktop.

While utilizing a Linux organisation successful unrecorded CD mode is OK, installing the operating strategy importantly improves the show of the virtual machine. Let's bash it.

SEE: Linux turns 30: Celebrating the unfastened root operating strategy (free PDF) (TechRepublic)

Installation steps are the aforesaid arsenic for a accustomed Ubuntu Linux system. It starts with asking the connection for the distribution, past requests the keyboard layout.

The 3rd measurement is to configure downloads for updates and third-party bundle acceptance (Figure H).

Figure H

You are escaped to tick the third-party bundle statement oregon not. As for the download-while-installing option, it's mostly a bully thought to tick it, arsenic it saves time.

The adjacent measurement is the installation type. Advanced users mightiness configure the installation the mode they privation here, but the default settings are bully enough: since the virtual hard thrust is bare astatine this point, it is OK to enactment connected the Erase disk and instal BackBox choice, and click Install Now.

The installer asks you past to acceptable up your clip zone, your username, the sanction for the instrumentality and your password, and you're each acceptable to motorboat the installation.

A fewer minutes later, it is installed and asks for reboot. Answer Restart Now and bask the caller virtual instrumentality start.

Fill successful the password for the user, and the organisation is acceptable for enactment (Figure I).

Figure I

In summation to the Auditing tab is an Anonymous tab. This enactment allows the idiosyncratic to anonymize the strategy via the usage of the Tor network. All the idiosyncratic needs to bash is reply questions earlier the tor work is started (Figure J).

Figure J

How to instal VirtualBox impermanent additions

Now is the clip to instal the VirtualBox Guest Additions, which volition let the virtual instrumentality to tally afloat surface and amended its performance.

Select Devices/Insert Guest Additions CD representation successful VirtualBox.

A CD icon appears, named aft the VirtualBox impermanent additions mentation (Figure K):

Figure K

Click the Backbox logo connected the precocious near of the surface to entree the menu, and motorboat the Terminal Emulator.

Once the terminal is opened, spell to the folder wherever VirtualBox impermanent summation has been mounted (Figure K) by typing:

cd /media//VBox_Gas_6.1.-26/

(Protip: if you benignant "cd /media//VBox past deed the tab key, it should autocomplete the folder name)

Launch the VBoxLinuxAdditions.run record (Figure L) arsenic basal idiosyncratic by typing:

sudo ./VBoxLinuxAdditions.run

Figure L

Once the installation is done, restart the virtual machine, and you're done, BackBox runs afloat surface with each the impermanent additions.

Backbox is 1 of the starring penetration investigating and ethical hacking distributions, unneurotic with Kali Linux. A fewer differences are that Kali Linux is based connected Debian, portion Backbox is based connected Ubuntu; and Kali Linux has a bug bounty program, portion Backbox Linux has none.

Author Cedric Pernet is simply a menace adept with a beardown absorption connected cybercrime and cyberespionage. He works astatine Trend Micro arsenic elder menace researcher.