


VirtualBox is a free and open source hypervisor created by Oracle. So to put it all together, your host is running a hypervisor, which in turn is running a guest operating system. It will lend its physical resources, such as RAM, to the virtual machine. If you’re running it on a MacBook, the MacBook is the host. If you are running VirtualBox on a Windows Desktop, the Windows machine is the host.

Host refers to the physical machine that is running the hypervisor. The virtual machine image is the operating system, the hypervisor is the digital equivalent of a physical computer.Ī hypervisor tells the virtual machine how much RAM and disk space it can borrow from your physical computer, handles the networking end, and allows communication with peripherals connected to the physical machine, such as keyboard, mouse, USB drives, and external network adapters. Three terms you will need to know are “hypervisor,” “host,” and “guest.”Ī hypervisor is a program that allows you to run a virtual machine. This new system (called a virtual machine) will respond to commands, run its own software, and access the internet as if it were its own physical machine. Simply put, you are creating a nearly fully functioning computer within your current computer. To understand what VirtualBox is, you need to understand virtualization. Virtualization allows an operating system to operate within a contained environment on top of your existing operating system. So walk with us as we cover how to install Kali Linux on VirtualBox. Then we’ll cover all the system requirements you need and get VirtualBox downloaded and installed.įinally, we’ll walk you through two methods to install Kali Linux and get your new hacking OS configured. We will go over what VirtualBox is, in case you’re somewhat unclear as to why you need to use a program like that and discuss how it functions. This article is designed to be followed along with. The good news is, we’re here to walk you through it. But even with that out of the way, there are still multiple methods to get Kali installed and running. You’ve made a good choice using VirtualBox as your hypervisor, so that much is done. If you haven’t set up a virtual machine before, the task can seem a little confusing. So you’re ready to get your hands dirty and start hacking? Excellent.
