Kali Linux vs Ubuntu (Week 13)

-

            Initially made as a hobby project, later became a popular set of open-source Unix-like operating systems that were based on the Linux kernel. This operating system kernel was developed by a Finnish-American software engineer known as Linus Torvalds. Furthermore, Linus is also the author of the famous version control system called “Git” which is mostly used for organizing the collaborative work among the programmers.

After the release of Linux, several developers started to create new distributions that included the same Linux kernel and different system software and libraries. These distributions included Ubuntu, CentOS, Fedora, Debian, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, OpenSUSE, and others. In addition, the main purpose of creating new distributions was the difference in target groups. For instance, several distributions are specially made for the desktop systems, while other ones are custom-made for server systems and so on [1]. In the following sections, I will focus on two various Linux distributions and find the distinctions between them.

Kali Linux vs Ubuntu

            Kali Linux is a Debian-based Linux distribution that is mostly used for penetration testing. It was customized for digital forensics and financially supported by an American international company known as “Offensive Security” [2]. Additionally, this distribution includes hundreds of tools that are specifically made for cyber security tasks as I previously mentioned. The well-known ones include Nmap, Lynis, Burp Suite, John the Ripper, etc.

            On the other hand, Ubuntu is a Linux-based operating system that is also a member of the Debian family. Ubuntu was developed by a team called “Canonical” which was guided by Mark Shuttleworth [3]. Moreover, Ubuntu is divided into multiple variants that can be used for various situations [4]. These variants are:

  • Ubuntu Server Addition
  • Ubuntu Studio
  • Edubuntu
  •  Kubuntu
  •  Xubuntu
  •  JeOS (just enough OS)
            Now, what are the differences between these two Debian-based distributions? Firstly, when we look at their release dates, Ubuntu was released on 20 October 2004, while Kali Linux was initially released 9 years later on 13 March 2013. Besides, there are also dissimilarities between the target audience of Ubuntu and Kali Linux. Ubuntu was customized for daily, or server use whereas Kali is mostly operated by ethical hackers or researchers who are involved in security-related works. Furthermore, Ubuntu used Gnome-terminal; however, Kali prefers to use qterminal by default [3]. It is also worth mentioning that Ubuntu presents a user-friendly interface that is simpler compared to the one that Kali offers.

            Based on these comparisons, it can be said that the usage of Kali Linux would be a bit harsh for a beginner in Linux. Ubuntu, on the other hand, has a more friendly Graphical User Interface (GUI) that is easier for the newcomers. But if we are talking about hacking, then Kali is your best option. Although you can download multiple hacking tools to Ubuntu, it will not be as good as Kali Linux.

Conclusion

            In conclusion, Kali and Ubuntu are two different distributions of Linux that are solely created for different purposes. At this point, we can not say one is better than the other one because one is focused on security-related matters while the other one is more for daily PC users.

References

[1]

"Difference between Linux distributions," ComputerNetworkingNotes, [Online]. Available: https://www.computernetworkingnotes.com/linux-tutorials/difference-between-linux-distributions.html#:~:text=The%20first%20major%20difference%20between,old%20machines%2C%20and%20so%20on.. [Accessed 11 March 2022].

[2]

"Kali Linux," Wikipedia, [Online]. Available: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kali_Linux. [Accessed 11 March 2022].

[3]

"Difference Between Ubuntu and Kali Linux," GeeksforGeeks, [Online]. Available: https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/difference-between-ubuntu-and-kali-linux/. [Accessed 11 March 2022].

[4]

"Kali Linux Vs. Ubuntu," linuxhint, [Online]. Available: https://linuxhint.com/kali-linux-vs-ubuntu/. [Accessed 11 March 2022].

 

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Two Technologies from the Earlier History of the Internet (Week 2)

-
Image
              As a daily user of the Internet, I have always thought that it is something that was created 2-3 decades ago and presumed that its origin was the creation of Tim Berners-Lee called World Wide Web (WWW).   However, I was wrong regarding the Internet’s early history after helpful research which made me realize that Internet has a quite long history than two or three decades. Additionally, I have noticed that some of the technologies that were created in the early history of the Internet are still in use, while some of them have become obsolete and been replaced by modern technology. In the following paragraphs, I will introduce those technologies and briefly discuss their history and use. 1. Finger             Finger is one of the first computer networking tools which allowed a user to see some other user’s information while having the same computer system or by being in an identical network  [1] . This technology was made by Les Earnest (American computer scientist) in
Read more

Three Interesting examples of IT Solutions from Three Different Decades (Week 1)

-
Image
     Throughout the years, researchers tend to surprise us with several inventions of IT solutions. Furthermore, all of us use at least one of them during our daily life. Referring to the previous idea, it is hard to believe for us to get our day done without the use of any kind of technology. Besides the technology that is surrounded by us, there are other IT solutions that we most likely have never heard of and these inventions may come from various decades. To keep you informed, I have gathered some details regarding three fascinating examples of IT solutions that are all from different decades. 1. CAPTCHA      CAPTCHA (Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart) is a way of distinguishing humans and robots  [1] . It was invented in the year 2000 at Carnegia Mellon University  [2] Over years these CAPTCHA types started to evolve, and different kinds started to emerge. Furthermore, people started to confuse CAPTCHA and its look-alike reCAPTCHA, especi
Read more

If a person has control over any function, it can also be used to control the computer (Week 14)

-
Image
              Currently, I am sitting in front of my laptop and writing this blog with the help of the keyboard and my fingers. However, for some people, it is rather hard to do such things as they might not have a keyboard and/or their fingers. Thanks to today’s technology, we can get over such obstacles with the assistance of the new functionality that we are being presented in the software and hardware world. As I said before, such “impossible” things are now possible not just only because of the new technology, but also thanks to our imagination. In the following paragraphs, I will mention several real-life cases of the principle “if a person has control over any function, it can also be used to control the computer". Real-life Cases From the age of 13 until 17, I used to play a famous battle royale game called “Fortnite”. Additionally, I would watch others play this game, especially on the platforms like Twitch and YouTube.  One day, when I was on YouTube, I came across a
Read more