Linux Basics

SECTION 5

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You have now successfully installed a hypervisor and set up Kali Linux, what now?

We use Kali Linux as our primary operating system for hacking activities, but there are many other distros (Linux distributions). We use Kali because it comes pre-installed with many tools that are useful for penetration testing and ethical hacking.

What Now?

After setting up your Kali Linux environment, you might be wondering what to do next. This section will guide you through the basic concepts of Linux, which is essential for any hacker. Understanding Linux will help you navigate the system and use command-line tools.


Packet manager & Text Editors

In Kali Linux, package management is handled through APT (Advanced Package Tool). You can use commands like apt-get to install, update, and remove software packages.

⚠️ Note: There are a lot of other packet managers, but there are some security implications with using them, so we stick to APT for now.


Text editors like nano and vim are essential for editing configuration files and writing scripts in linux. Nano is easier to learn for beginners, while Vim is more powerful and widely used in the industry.

But there is a good middle ground between the two, which is micro. This editor is also used in Haaga-Helia by one of the lecturers, so you might wanna check it out!

You can find all the necessary instructions on how to install micro on the link above.


Core Commands

Here is a list of which will get you started with mastering your Linux! I know it might look bit intimidating, but best way to learn is to try them out! So open up your Linux terminal and get to it, go through the commands and see what they do! H-T8 also gives you couple of tasks to do in this manual after you studied a bit.

Command Description Example Usage
ls List directory contents ls -l /home/santeri
cd Change directory to cd /var/log
pwd Show current directory path pwd
cat Display contents of a file cat notes.txt
less View file one page at a time less longfile.txt
grep Search for patterns in files grep 'error' /var/log/syslog
find Search for files and directories find /home -name "*.txt"
wget Download files from the web wget http://example.com/file.zip
curl Transfer data from or to a server curl -O http://example.com/file.zip
nc (netcat) Network tool (port scanning, chat, etc.) nc -v -z 192.168.0.1 1-1000

Bonus Essentials

Here are some additional essential Linux commands that will further enhance your command-line skills. These commands are crucial for file management, system monitoring, and understanding your environment.


⚠️ Tip: If you want to learn more about a specific command, you can use "man" to view its manual page. Example: $ man ls

Command Description Example Usage
echo Print text to terminal echo "Hello, hacking club!"
man Show manual/help for a command man grep
chmod Change file permissions chmod +x script.sh
chown Change file ownership chown santeri:santeri notes.txt
mkdir Make a new directory mkdir projects
rm Remove a file or directory rm old_file.txt or rm -r old_folder
cp Copy files and directories cp file.txt backup.txt
mv Move or rename files mv file.txt archive.txt
whoami Show your current username whoami
top Real-time system resource usage top
ps Show running processes ps aux

Exercise

Here you get to put what you learned to the test, and we'll actually start learning. Skills is not just reading and remembering. It's also failing and finding out!

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