book

Kali Linux Cookbook - Third Edition

Name: Kali Linux Cookbook - Third Edition
Author: Corey P. Schultz
ISBN: 9781835889800

by Corey P. Schultz

November 2025

Intermediate to advanced

568 pages

10h 32m

English

Packt Publishing

Read now

Unlock full access

Preface
Who this book is forWhat this book coversTo get the most out of this bookGet in touchFree Benefits with Your BookHow to Unlock
Bootstrapping Your Cyber Arsenal
Free Benefits with Your BookTechnical requirementsLab architecture and considerationsInstalling VirtualBox on WindowsGetting ready…How to do it…How it works…There is more…Installing Kali Linux in VirtualBoxGetting ready…How to do it…How it works…There is more…Installing Kali in DockerGetting ready…How to do it…How it works…There is more…Installing Kali on Raspberry PIGetting ready…How to do it…How it works…There is more…Updating and upgrading Kali LinuxGetting ready…How to do it…How it works…There is more…Installation of Kali metapackagesGetting ready…How to do it…How it works…There is more…Securing Kali LinuxGetting ready…How to do it…How it works…There is more…Checking for rootkits and other exploitsGetting ready…How to do it…How it works…There is more…Installing Metasploitable3 Linux and Windows VMsGetting ready…How to do it…How it works…There is more…Installing Damn Vulnerable Linux (DVL)Getting ready…How to do it…How it works…There is more…Installing and setting up bWAPP via bee-boxGetting ready…How to do it…How it works…There is more…Other test machinesGetting ready…How to do it…How it works…There is more…Get This Book’s PDF Version and Exclusive Extras
Cloak and Dagger: Stealth and Anonymity
Technical requirementsEssentials to anonymityEmploying Bitcoin and cryptocurrencyGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…There’s more…Using TorGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…There’s more…Using private and secure emailGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…There’s more…Using a VPNGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…There’s more…Using a proxyGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…There’s more…Building alternate online personasGetting readyHow to do it…There’s more…Building complete online personas with AIGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…There’s more…Get This Book’s PDF Version and Exclusive Extras
Deep Recon: Unveiling the Digital Landscape
Technical requirementsUsing CherryTree to organize your dataGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…There’s more…Gathering DNS and domain informationGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Gathering information from web resourcesGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…There’s more…Gathering public IP informationGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…There’s more…Gathering external routing informationGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…There’s more…Gathering internal routing informationGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Gathering cloud services informationGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…There’s more…Identifying whether there is a web application firewallGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Using SNMP for information gatheringGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Setting up Maltego CEGetting readyHow to do it…There’s more…Understanding and configuring Maltego TransformsGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…There’s more…Initiating a scan with MaltegoGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…There’s more…Get This Book’s PDF Version and Exclusive Extras
Nmap Mastery – Scanning with Precision
Technical requirementsSetting up NmapGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…There’s more…Performing host discoveryGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…There’s more…Performing port scanningGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Performing service and version discoveryGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Performing operating system fingerprintingGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Performing hardware and device type fingerprintingGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…There’s more…Conducting the most common Nmap scanGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Implementing detection and evasion techniquesGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Understanding script engine fundamentalsGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Get This Book’s PDF Version and Exclusive Extras
Wireshark Wizard: Network Traffic Demystified
Technical requirementsSetting up WiresharkGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Capturing network trafficGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Performing packet analysisGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Implementing display filtersGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Filtering captured trafficGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Performing TCP analysis (FTP)Getting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Performing UDP analysis (DNS)Getting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Analyzing web applicationsGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Importing PCAP filesGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Get This Book’s PDF Version and Exclusive Extras
Weaknesses Exposed: Advanced Vulnerability Analysis
Technical requirementsSetting up Greenbone Vulnerability Manager (GVM)Getting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Performing a subnet vulnerability scan with GVMGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Executing a targeted vulnerability scan with GVMGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Setting up NessusGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Conducting a basic vulnerability scan with NessusGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Executing an advanced and targeted vulnerability scan with NessusGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Get This Book’s PDF Version and Exclusive Extras
Exploitation Unleashed: Finding the Hidden Flaws
Technical requirementsUnderstanding vulnerabilities and targetsGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Searching local exploit databasesGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Searching remote exploit databasesGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Setting up MetasploitGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Learning Metasploit basicsGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Target scanning and enumeration using MetasploitGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Using exploits and payloads in MetasploitGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Setting up ArmitageGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…There’s more…Visualizing the targetGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…Collaborative hackingGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…Using Yersinia to attack network protocolsGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Get This Book’s PDF Version and Exclusive Extras
Human Hacking: The Art of Social Engineering
Technical requirementsCreating a phishing attackGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Enhancing intelligence gathering with AIGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Using AI LLMs to enhance phishing attacksGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Creating a spear phishing attackGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Building phishing templatesGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Launching chatbot-based social engineering attacksGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Implementing voice and speech synthesisGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Building a full-screen attackGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Building a site cloning attackGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Generating QR codesHow to do it…How it works…See also…Creating infectious mediaGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Obfuscating and manipulating URLsGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Using PowerShell as an attack vectorGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Spoofing DHCPGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…There’s more…Spoofing DNSGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…There’s more…Get This Book’s PDF Version and Exclusive Extras
Breaking Barriers: the Secrets of Password Cracking
Technical requirementsImplementing credential sniffing on network trafficGetting ready…How to do it…How it works…See also…Cracking local Windows passwordsGetting ready…How to do it…How it works…See also…Cracking remote Windows passwordsGetting ready…How to do it…How it works…See also…Cracking local Linux passwordsGetting ready…How to do it…How it works…See also…Brute-forcing password hashesGetting ready…How to do it…How it works…Optimizing John the RipperGetting ready…How to do it…How it works…See also…Generating custom word lists with CeWLGetting ready…How to do it…How it works…See also…Expanding custom word lists with RSManglerGetting ready…How to do it…How it works…See also…Logging key strokesGetting ready…How to do it…How it works…There’s more…Attacking 2FAGetting ready…How to do it…How it works…See also…Cracking FTP/Telnet/SSH passwordsGetting ready…How to do it…Cracking FTP passwordsCracking LDAP passwordsCracking Telnet passwordsCracking SSH passwordsHow it works…See also…Cracking RDP passwordsGetting ready…How to do it…How it works…See also…Cracking VNC passwordsGetting ready…How to do it…How it works…See also…Cracking ZIP/RAR filesGetting ready…How to do it…Zip filesRAR filesHow it works…Stuffing credentialsGetting ready…How to do it…How it works…See also…Get This Book’s PDF Version and Exclusive Extras

Climbing the Ladder: Mastering Privilege Escalation
Technical requirementsExploiting applications in Windows to gain elevated privilegesGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Exploiting services in Windows to gain elevated privilegesGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Chaining exploits in Windows to gain elevated privilegesGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Exploiting privilege escalation in Linux – non-rootGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Exploiting chained privilege root escalation in LinuxGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Exploiting chained privilege identification and escalationGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See also…Get This Book’s PDF Version and Exclusive Extras
Wireless Warfare: Dominating the Airwaves
Technical requirementsBuilding a WLAN testing environmentGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See alsoScanning for SSIDsGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…There’s more…Scanning for hidden SSIDsGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…There’s more…Examining collected dataGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…There’s more…Performing a wireless DoS attack: deauthentication attackGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…There’s more…Cracking WPA2 keysGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…Spoofing a valid client’s MAC addressGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See alsoUsing public Wi-Fi to capture credentialsGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See alsoAttacking the corporate Wi-Fi networkGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…Get This Book’s PDF Version and Exclusive Extras
Web Warriors: Exploiting Online and Database Vulnerabilities
Technical requirementsCreating a website reconnaissance report with Photon and EyeWitnessGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See alsoUsing Nikto to scan websites for vulnerabilitiesGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See alsoUsing Skipfish to scan websites for vulnerabilitiesGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See alsoUsing ZAP to scan websites for vulnerabilitiesGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See alsoUsing Droopescan to scan a CMS for vulnerabilitiesGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See alsoPerforming a command injection attackGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See alsoPerforming a SQL injection attackGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See alsoPerforming a cross-site scripting (XSS) attackGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See alsoDiscovering hidden files with R/LFI and ffufGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See alsoGet This Book’s PDF Version and Exclusive Extras
Persistence Pays: Securing Long-Term Access
Technical requirementsCreating a backdoor in WindowsGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See alsoPersisting Windows connectivityGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See alsoCreating a backdoor in LinuxGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See alsoPersisting Linux connectivityGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See alsoPersisting connectivity through the webGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…See alsoMasquerading communications with netcatGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…Encrypting communications with CryptcatGetting readyHow to do it…How it works…Get This Book’s PDF Version and Exclusive Extras
Unlock Your Exclusive Benefits
Unlock this Book’s Free Benefits in 3 Easy StepsStep 1Step 2Step 3Need help?
Other Books You May Enjoy
Index

Overview

Discover step-by-step solutions for tackling real-world cybersecurity tasks using essential Kali Linux tools and techniques DRM-free PDF version + access to Packt's next-gen Reader*

Key Features

Install and configure Kali Linux on multiple platforms, choosing the best desktop and use case
Perform expert network scanning and vulnerability analysis with Nmap, OpenVAS, and Nessus
Augment social engineering campaigns with AI chatbots for real-time, personalized engagement
Purchase of the print or Kindle book includes a free PDF eBook

Book Description

This hands-on guide will help you become a penetration testing expert by gaining command of the powerful tools of Kali Linux, from versions 2024.3 through 2025.1, aligned with the latest features introduced and applying them in real-world security assessments.

This cookbook’s third edition is updated to include the latest advancements in cybersecurity. The author leverages their 20 years of industry experience to guide you through installing Kali on multiple platforms, setting up lab environments, and using modern tools, such as Nmap, Metasploit, Wireshark, OpenVAS, and AI-driven reconnaissance. You’ll also explore automated social engineering, wireless hacking, web and database exploitation, and advanced persistence techniques, delivering a comprehensive and up-to-date penetration testing resource. Recognizing the critical role of human factors in security, this edition expands on social engineering tactics, including psychological principles and AI-driven automation, to craft highly effective attack campaigns.

By the end of this book, you’ll have strengthened your grasp of the entire penetration testing process, from environment setup and reconnaissance to vulnerability analysis, exploitation, and maintaining access, and be equipped with industry-standard tools to enhance your effectiveness as a security professional.

What you will learn

Find out how to scan the network to find vulnerable computers and servers
Use AI-enhanced tools for thorough reconnaissance and intelligence
Identify and exploit vulnerabilities with advanced penetration tools
Apply social engineering tactics and advanced password cracking
Perform wireless, web, and database penetration testing techniques
Maintain persistent access while avoiding detection and defenses

Who this book is for

This book is ideal for cybersecurity professionals, ethical hackers, penetration testers, red teamers, security analysts, and IT administrators looking to strengthen their offensive security skills using Kali Linux. It is also for students, career-switchers, and aspiring ethical hackers preparing for roles in cybersecurity operations and threat analysis. A basic understanding of networking, operating systems, and security fundamentals is recommended.

Become an O’Reilly member and get unlimited access to this title plus top books and audiobooks from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers, thousands of courses curated by job role, 150+ live events each month,
and much more.

Read now

Unlock full access

More than 5,000 organizations count on O’Reilly

O’Reilly covers everything we've got, with content to help us build a world-class technology community, upgrade the capabilities and competencies of our teams, and improve overall team performance as well as their engagement.

Julian F.

Head of Cybersecurity

I wanted to learn C and C++, but it didn't click for me until I picked up an O'Reilly book. When I went on the O’Reilly platform, I was astonished to find all the books there, plus live events and sandboxes so you could play around with the technology.

Addison B.

Field Engineer

I’ve been on the O’Reilly platform for more than eight years. I use a couple of learning platforms, but I'm on O'Reilly more than anybody else. When you're there, you start learning. I'm never disappointed.

Amir M.

Data Platform Tech Lead

I'm always learning. So when I got on to O'Reilly, I was like a kid in a candy store. There are playlists. There are answers. There's on-demand training. It's worth its weight in gold, in terms of what it allows me to do.

Mark W.

Embedded Software Engineer

Publisher Resources

ISBN: 9781835889800

Cloud Computing

Data Engineering

Data Science

AI & ML

Programming Languages

Software Architecture

IT/Ops

Security

Design

Business

Soft Skills