Kali Linux Installation

Update macOS, as 13.1 is a while back.

Kali (and BlackArch, etc) don’t yet support AArch64 Arm Apple silicon:

https://www.kali.org/docs/arm/

https://www.blackarch.org/

(Asahi is much nearer the front of support for Apple silicon, and they’re pushing their changes upstream.)

If you’re going to try running Kali (or BlackArch) x86-64 builds, you will need UTM: https://mac.getutm.app/

Or you’ll need an Intel x86-64 Mac.

Mr_Aim wrote:

I have macbook air 2020 with intel chip and i am struggling to get kali or any linux distro to work from installation to drivers it’s huge pain for me if anyone knows a work around please assist

Linux support for the USB-C Intel Macs is very hit or miss when installing on bare metal. If you want to use Linux on the 2016-2020 Intel USB-Macs, then you would be better off installing Linux into a Virtual Machine (VM).

Here are few articles regarding the state of Linux support of the 2016-2020 Intel USB-C Macs:

https://t2linux.org

https://github.com/t2linux

https://github.com/t2linux/T2-Ubuntu

https://github.com/Dunedan/mbp-2016-linux

Mr_Aim wrote:

I have macbook air 2020 with intel chip and i am struggling to get kali or any linux distro to work from installation to drivers it’s huge pain for me if anyone knows a work around please assist

Probably best to ask for help with Kali installs in a Kali-related forum. Here’s a forum at Kali, and some info:

• https://forums.kali.org/showthread.php?99421-Live-Boot-install-of-kali-to-MacBook-Air-With-an-M2-processor-to-access-Data

Tried installing Kali as a guest, just to see how far you get?

Alternatively:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f69s9kfkqNA (Kali works on older MacBook Air)
• https://medium.com/@FaithObafemi/how-to-set-up-your-own-virtual-machine-and-install-kali-linux-on-macos-m1-using-utm-d82bbc39e47

You’ll apparently need drivers specific to the Broadcom chipset, which adds to the installation and configuration effort here.

But again, the (now retired) ASC developer forum area isn’t the best spot for help with Kali.

Hello parth2210,

Once issue could be no virtualization software really supports Apple's new chip architecture, besides Parallels (https://www.parallels.com/). There could be others, but I'm not aware of them.

VirtualBox "technically" supports it, but it's a developer preview. It's bound to have errors, so my guess it might not be your ISO, but VirtualBox. I would recommend downloading the ISO from the official Kali Linux website and you should be all set.

If I'm being completely honest, it's soo much each easier to just setup a Docker container that runs Kali Linux for you. Only downside is no GUI.

Oracle has not yet released an updated version of VirtualBox that is compatible with Apple Silicon. It will abort with unsupported processor if you try. That in addition to all other comments in this thread.

pradeep6279 wrote:

instead try with a bootable usb drive .

Hello and welcome!

An x86-64 build of Kali booting as a guest in VirtualBox won’t work on Apple silicon.

The question you’re replying to is also ~six months old.

Hopefully the original poster has gotten their solution too, whether using UTM or otherwise.

Use UTM instead, it's free and open source and based off qemu. After that, follow this guide to install Kali with the apple silicon image.

UTM: https://mac.getutm.app/

Kali (Get Apple Silicon ARM64 image): https://www.kali.org/get-kali/#kali-installer-images

Install Guide: https://www.zdnet.com/article/how-to-install-kali-linux-on-apple-silicon-macs/

Hello

suhrob224 wrote:

Hello

Hello and welcome.

Do you have a question related to running a Linux x86-64 build on a Mac with either Intel or Apple silicon hardware?

instead try with a bootable usb drive .

I have macbook air 2020 with intel chip and i am struggling to get kali or any linux distro to work from installation to drivers it’s huge pain for me if anyone knows a work around please assist