How quantumbyt3/kali-vmware-cybersecurity-workstation works
This repository is a guide and automation toolkit for building a repeatable Kali cybersecurity workstation in VMware on Windows 11. Its principal workflow takes a user from host checks and VM acquisition through setup, security, tools, and organized workspaces. The README documents that sequence and the major optional tool profiles; source excerpts were unavailable, so script-to-script calls and unconfirmed integrations are not shown.
Main entry points: 11-core-tools.md Core tools guide · 09-kali-security-baseline.md Baseline guide · 01-windows-host-readiness.md Host readiness guide · 02-install-vmware-workstation.md Install VMware
Components 34
Windows host setup
- Host readiness guide
docs/01-windows-host-readiness.md - Host readiness check
scripts/windows/Test-HostReadiness.ps1 - Install VMware
docs/02-install-vmware-workstation.md - VMware installation check
scripts/windows/Test-VMwareInstallation.ps1
Kali VM setup
- Get and verify Kali
docs/03-download-and-verify-kali.md - Kali hash check
scripts/windows/Test-KaliDownloadHash.ps1 - Open prebuilt VM
docs/04-extract-and-open-kali-vm.md - Configure VM
docs/05-configure-kali-vm.md
Security and readiness
- First boot security
docs/06-first-boot-and-account-security.md - Update Kali
docs/07-update-kali.md - Kali update
scripts/kali/Update-Kali.sh - Baseline snapshot
docs/08-create-baseline-snapshot.md - Kali security baseline
scripts/kali/Harden-Kali.sh - Baseline guide
docs/09-kali-security-baseline.md - Kali network readiness
scripts/kali/Test-KaliNetworkReadiness.sh - Kali readiness check
scripts/kali/Test-KaliReadiness.sh
Tools and workspaces
- Directory layout
scripts/kali/workspace/Initialize-DirectoryLayout.sh - Organize directories
docs/10-directory-organization.md - Core tools
scripts/kali/Install-CoreTools.sh - Core tools guide
docs/11-core-tools.md - CTF tools profile
scripts/kali/profiles/Install-CTFTools.sh - CTF tools guide
docs/12-ctf-tools.md - Web tools profile
scripts/kali/profiles/Install-WebTools.sh - Web security guide
docs/13-web-security-tools.md - Browser proxy workflow
docs/14-browser-proxy-workflow.md - Network tools profile
scripts/kali/profiles/Install-NetworkADTools.sh - Network and AD tools
docs/15-network-ad-tools.md - Blue-team DFIR profile
scripts/kali/profiles/Install-BlueTeamDFIRTools.sh - DFIR tools guide
docs/16-blue-team-dfir-tools.md - Development setup
docs/17-development-environment.md - Configure development
scripts/kali/Configure-DevelopmentEnvironment.sh - Workspace helpers
docs/18-workspace-helpers.md - New CTF workspace
scripts/kali/workspace/New-CTFWorkspace.sh
Other components
- Workstation builder
Connections 33
- Workstation builder → Host readiness guide: follows
- Host readiness guide → Host readiness check: runs check
- Host readiness guide → Install VMware: continues to
- Install VMware → VMware installation check: runs check
- Install VMware → Get and verify Kali: continues to
- Get and verify Kali → Kali hash check: verifies download
- Get and verify Kali → Open prebuilt VM: continues to
- Open prebuilt VM → Configure VM: continues to
- Configure VM → First boot security: continues to
- First boot security → Update Kali: continues to
- Update Kali → Kali update: runs update
- Update Kali → Baseline snapshot: continues to
- Baseline snapshot → Baseline guide: continues to
- Baseline guide → Kali security baseline: applies baseline
- Baseline guide → Kali network readiness: checks network
- Baseline guide → Kali readiness check: checks readiness
- Baseline guide → Organize directories: continues to
- Organize directories → Directory layout: creates layout
- Organize directories → Core tools guide: continues to
- Core tools guide → Core tools: installs tools
- Core tools guide → CTF tools guide: optional profile
- Core tools guide → Web security guide: optional profile
- Core tools guide → Network and AD tools: optional profile
- Core tools guide → DFIR tools guide: optional profile
- CTF tools guide → CTF tools profile: installs profile
- Web security guide → Web tools profile: installs profile
- Web security guide → Browser proxy workflow: explains workflow
- Network and AD tools → Network tools profile: installs profile
- DFIR tools guide → Blue-team DFIR profile: installs profile
- Core tools guide → Development setup: continues to
- Development setup → Configure development: configures environment
- Development setup → Workspace helpers: continues to
- Workspace helpers → New CTF workspace: creates workspace