Kali Linux is without a doubt one of the most popular operating systems for ethical hackers and pentesters. But when it comes to small systems like ARM-based Single Board Computers (SBCs) using low power, we need a specific and optimized Kali image to run it efficiently.
Even though you can use other Linux distributions like Armbian based on Debian and Ubuntu, Kali is not a widely usable option for ARM based SBC units. Therefore, GoVanguard, an information security company, has launched a new operating system, Karmbian, which allows you to run Kali Linux on many SBCs.
Karmbian: Run Kali Linux on a small system
Karmbian is an optimized Kali Linux system built from Armbian to run on SBCs such as RockPro64, ODroid N2, and Raspberry Pi. You can even run it on any single board computer that uses the Armbian toolchain and the BSPs (card support packages).
Currently, the last pre-built image of Karmbian 2020.08 is only available for RockPro64, Rock64, PineBook-Pro and ODroid N2. If you are using Raspberry Pi SBC, you will still have to wait until development is underway.
However, you can also create a custom Kali based Linux system for your own SBC RK3399 and others supported by Armbian. The only things you need to build are:
- X64 machine with at least 2 GB of RAM and 35 GB of disk space for the VM, container, or native operating system
- Ubuntu 18.04 or 20.04 LTS for native buildings or any Docker compatible x64 Linux distribution
- Kali 2020 x64 for native build, aria2 compiled and installed separately
- Superuser rights
Once you have met the minimum requirement, you can follow additional instructions from here.