VirtualBox: How to set up a Basic Pentesting Lab

Introduction

Training penetration testing typically occurs in a dedicated environment known as a pentesting lab, which is isolated from regular user applications and operating systems for security and convenience. A pentesting lab can vary in complexity, with a minimalist setup involving a single computer running multiple virtual machines (VMs), often referred to as a virtual pentesting lab. This setup uses virtualization software like VMware or VirtualBox to create an attacker VM with a specialized OS, such as Kali Linux, and allows for the addition of target systems with network connectivity. Users can log into the attacker machine to begin testing. More advanced labs may incorporate real hardware, such as computers, routers, and firewalls, but this increases costs and electricity usage. However, these sophisticated environments enable more realistic scenarios and complex tasks.