Linode + Kali Linux: Added security for cloud instances
Kali Linux, the popular open source Linux distribution specialized for penetration testing, ethical hacking and security auditing, can now be used by Linode customers.
Getting Kali Linux on Linode
The infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) platform provider, recently acquired by Akamai, offers two ways to get Kali:
- A bare-install verson in the form of an official Kali distribution (without a GUI and tools) that can be deployed on any Linode compute instance and used via a command line interface
- A Kali Linux Marketplace app (with a XFCE user interface, a full suite of tools, and various additional options)
Getting the app allows for more customization:
“Kali is free in Linode’s marketplace, the only cost is the running cost of a Cloud instance. How much is that? That depends on the system requirements you pick! There aren’t any extra changes for using Kali,” Kali developers explained.
Some people like to have a bare install, without any tools, and as little packages as possible, they noted, but those that want a fast installation or a familiar graphical environment should opt for the Marketplace app.
“Akamai Linode Cloud is the first alternative cloud provider to partner with Kali Linux to help all developers deploy, test, and secure their production environments through the distribution and application within our Marketplace. As security-minded developers seek to install safeguards and reduce vulnerabilities, Akamai Linode Cloud is excited to add the layer of protection,” said Hillary Wilmoth, Senior Product Marketing Manager at Linode.
The Linode and Kali teams are working on delivering more documentation on using the distrubution on Linode instances.