Kali Linux Reviews & Product Details

I really appreciate that Kali Linux offers such a comprehensive and ready-to-use toolkit for security testing and digital forensics. The distribution is not only well-maintained but also lightweight and specifically optimized for professional penetration testers. Its extensive collection of pre-installed tools greatly reduces setup time, while the documentation remains clear, practical, and frequently updated. I also value the strong community support and the flexibility to run Kali Linux on bare metal, virtual machines, or even embedded devices. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Kali Linux is a powerful platform, but it can present challenges for newcomers, as many of its tools demand advanced knowledge to operate both safely and effectively. Additionally, configuring hardware drivers—particularly for Wi-Fi adapters—can require extra steps. Updates to some tools may sometimes lead to compatibility problems. Since Kali is tailored for security professionals, it is not intended for general-purpose daily use. Introducing a more beginner-friendly onboarding process could make it easier for new users to get started with the platform. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What I like most about Kali Linux is that it’s developed according to industry standards, which helps keep the community active and the documentation well maintained. Because of that, it feels easy to use, even without a full installation—for example, by running it from a USB. On top of that, it includes a wide variety of tools that can help protect you from attackers. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Kali Linux isn’t especially user-friendly for just anyone to pick up and use. You need at least some basic knowledge, along with a clear purpose for why you’re using it. It also tends to demand higher-end hardware; on lower-end systems, you may run into slow performance and sluggish processing. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I like how powerful and flexible Kali Linux is. I use it for a variety of tasks like testing websites, checking WiFi security, analyzing networks, and digital investigations. It feels like a complete toolkit for anyone serious about cybersecurity. I also appreciate that it has many powerful tools already installed, making it easier to check how secure a network, website, or computer system really is. The initial setup was fairly easy, and I find it to be an excellent choice for those interested in cybersecurity, ethical hacking, or learning how systems are protected. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

One of the biggest downsides is that it's not very beginner-friendly. If you're new to Linux or cybersecurity, Kali can feel overwhelming. There are so many tools and technical terms that it's easy to feel lost at first. Also, it's not ideal for everyday use. Things like media playback, office work, or gaming aren't really what Kali is designed for, so it can feel uncomfortable to use as a daily operating system. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I use Kali Linux for cyber security and ethical hacking because it has many pre-installed tools. It solves a lot of my problems since on other operating systems, I have to install tools manually one by one, which wastes time. I like that it has all the security tools used in penetration testing. Whenever I need to scan a network, I can easily use pre-installed tools like NMAP, Metasploit, and Wireshark. I also appreciate that I can use it without installing it on a system; just install it on a pendrive, and I can use it anywhere without installing it on any computer. NMAP helps me scan the network and find vulnerabilities, Metasploit helps exploit vulnerabilities, and Wireshark helps capture and inspect data packets, allowing me to analyze the network and monitor suspicious activity. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I think it could be more beginner friendly. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I like that Kali Linux comes ready with hundreds of security tools in one system, which is great for learning and practicing ethical hacking. It stays up-to-date, works well on laptops, virtual machines, and even phones, and gives full control over the system. Additionally, I enjoy that it has a strong community and good documentation, making help easy to find. It runs smoothly on virtual machines and live USBs, supports many hardware tools, and is highly customizable, which makes experimenting and learning cybersecurity much easier. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Some things about Kali Linux that could be improved are that it’s not beginner-friendly, so new users can feel confused at first. It’s not ideal for daily use like browsing or office work, some tools can be complex to set up, and hardware drivers or Wi-Fi cards may not work out of the box on all systems. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I use Kali Linux for penetration testing, ethical hacking, vulnerability assessment, and cybersecurity research. I appreciate its extensive pre-installed tools, which save me time by providing everything I need in one place. I also like the regular updates and strong community support, as they help me quickly troubleshoot issues and learn new techniques. The customizability is another great feature, allowing me to tailor the OS to my specific testing needs and workflow. These aspects make penetration testing, ethical hacking, and learning cybersecurity much more efficient and accessible, making Kali Linux highly efficient and valuable for cybersecurity work. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Kali Linux can be challenging for beginners due to its steep learning curve and heavy reliance on the command line. Some hardware compatibility issues—especially with certain Wi-Fi adapters or drivers—can cause frustration. Additionally, running multiple tools simultaneously can be resource-intensive, which may slow down lower-spec systems. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Kali Linux comes with various collection of tools that are used for cybersecurity. Instead of having to find and install each tool one by one. It comes with everything preinstalled and organized.It is designed for penetration testing and security. It has a separate custom kernel used for wireless injection. Best thing I like is Kali can be run directly from a USB drive or CD without making changes to the host operating system. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Kali Linux is not for beginners, before using one should know how to use them responsibly. Also since it runs inside Virtual machine, if you have low end (ram, cpu) you might experience lags or system working slowly. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I really like Kali Linux for its ease of use when it comes to shell scripting. It's easy to access folders and run scripts across different devices from a centralized computer. What stands out to me is that Kali Linux is purpose-built for cybersecurity and includes a huge collection of pre-configured tools that are ready to use. Its rolling Debian-based system ensures it stays up-to-date while remaining stable. I also appreciate that it runs on many platforms, like PCs, ARM, and VMs. Some specific tools I find beneficial are Nmap, which helps in mapping open ports, checking connectivity, live hosts, and running services, and also identifying operating systems. Whatweb is great for detecting frameworks, server types, plugins, and CMS. The initial setup was also very easy for me. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

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I use Kali Linux for learning ethical hacking and cybersecurity, and I appreciate how it provides all the tools I need for cybersecurity. It's fast, lightweight, and built well for hacking tasks. I find Nmap particularly helpful for my hacking tasks. The reverse engineering tools are great for learning how software works, allowing me to break down how a program works by viewing its code and structure. The initial setup of Kali Linux was pretty easy and straightforward. I also like using Kali Linux with VMware because it's stable and runs Kali smoothly. We switched from Ubuntu to Kali because it has all the security tools built in. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Some tools break and don't work right after updates. Metasploit sometimes breaks after updates and slows down my testing. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I use Kali Linux for penetration testing and find it beginner-friendly due to its GNOME desktop environment. The overall terminal experience is good, and even though I use kitty for the terminal, Kali Linux's default configuration works well. I like that all the installed tools are good enough for penetration testing, and everything is pre-installed in one place, which saves me the trouble of installing tools individually. It provides a Python environment without needing to set it up. The readymade hacking tools, such as Burp Suite, and the default optimization are beneficial, especially when running the OS in a virtual machine where memory and hardware are limited. Setting up Kali Linux was very easy, much simpler than other penetration testing OS like Parrot, due to its user-friendly GUI installation process. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Sometimes when I run command via terminal it crashes and hangs, especially running many tabs in the browser for Burp Suite. I think it's because Burp Suite consumes a huge amount of memory. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.