Glen Singh on why Kali Linux is an arsenal for any cybersecurity professional [Interview]

Kali Linux is a popular term for anyone related to computer security. It is the most renowned tool for advanced Penetration Testing, Ethical Hacking and network security assessments.

To know more about Kali Linux more closely, we recently had a quick chat with Glen D. Singh, a cyber security instructor and an Infosec author with Learn Kali Linux 2019 being his latest book. In his book, Glen explains how Kali Linux can be used to detect vulnerabilities and secure your system by applying penetration testing techniques of varying complexity.

Talking to us about Kali Linux, Glen said that the inclusion of 300 pre-installed tools makes Kali Linux an arsenal for any cybersecurity professional. In addition to talking about certification options for both novice and experienced cybersecurity professionals, Glen also shared his favorite features from the latest Kali Linux version 2019.3 among other things in this deeply informative discussion.

On why the cybersecurity community loves Kali Linux and what’s new in Kali Linux 2019.3

What makes Kali Linux one of the most popular tools for penetration testing as well as for digital forensics?

The Kali Linux operating system has over 300 pre-installed tools for both penetration testing and digital forensics engagements, making its single operating system an arsenal for any cybersecurity professional.

The developers of Kali Linux are continuously working to create rolling updates, new features and new upgrades to the existing operating system. Today, you can even deploy Kali Linux on various cloud platforms such as Microsoft Azure, Amazon AWS and Digital Ocean. This allows you to create a beast of a machine with any scale of computing resources, while allowing you access from anywhere.

Furthermore, being a Linux-based operating system is one of the best things that makes Kali Linux popular. This is because Linux is a very powerful operating system with already built-in security, rolling updates, and security fixes, and is very light on computing resources as compared to other operating systems. Kali Linux can even be installed on a Raspberry Pi, making it a custom network implant device.

Finally, what I love about Kali Linux is the fact that you can create a live USB with multiple persistence stores and apply the Linux Unified Key Setup (LUKS) Encryption Nuke, providing the options to wipe the stores using a Nuke password.

What are the features that excited you in the latest Kali Linux version, 2019.3, and why? According to you, how will these additions help Kali Linux grow as a community and for individuals using it?

One feature I’m definitely excited about in Kali Linux 2019.3 is the support for LXD Container Image. This feature will allow you to experience virtual machines on Kali Linux but instead of using a hypervisor, you’ll be using Linux containers instead. This provides some major benefits such as easy to scale containers, support for networking and storage management with security.

Kali Linux 2019.3 has support for the new Raspberry Pi 4, which has an improved CPU and faster memory as compared to its predecessor. With the new upgrades to Kali Linux 2019.3, the pentesting operating system can take advantage of the 64-bit CPU on the new Raspberry Pi 4, thus maximizing the computing power in the tiny ARM device.

Definitely I can see cybersecurity enthusiasts having a lot more fun creating Linux-based containers in their Kali Linux 2019.3 version. Many will be excited to purchase a credit-sized computer, the Raspberry Pi, 4 for setting network implants and remote access configurations that are ready to be deployed.

Glen’s journey in the cybersecurity sector and a few certification recommendations for a career upgrade

Tell us about your evolution in cybersecurity.

As a teenager, I was always fascinated by computers and how technologies work together. Upon completing my secondary level education, I began to pursue my first IT certification, this was CompTIA A+. During this certification, I was introduced to computer security and this had caught my attention a bit more than other topics. Later on, I pursued the CompTIA Network+ certification and this where network security caught my attention. Of course, I’m sure you can guess the next course of pursuit, the CompTIA Security+. This certification was the one which helped me realize my love for IT Security was growing and this is what I want to pursue as a career.

After completing my studies in CompTIA Security+, I realized that I had to make a big decision in choosing the specialization. The decision was a bit tough at the time, I decided to enroll for the Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) programme. This was it for me, my first major certification in IT, my love for cybersecurity grew even more as I wanted to specialize in offensive security tactics next.

There onwards, I have continued to harness my skills in discovering vulnerabilities and learning about new hacking techniques. I had often wondered to myself at the time - If I can hack, surely there must be methods a digital forensics professional can use to find the malicious user. I decided to pursue the Computer Hacking Forensics Investigator (CHFI) certification as a natural progression in my journey to understand everything there is about cybersecurity. This has taught many things about operating systems, network and email forensics and so on.

Additionally, I did a couple of firewall certifications and training such as CCNA Security, Check Point CCSA and Fortinet as I wanted to learn more about how firewalls operate to protect organizations and improve network security.

During this time, I was working in an administrative position, however my certifications allowed me to gain employment within the IT industry as a security professional at various companies. However, growth was a bit challenging in some of my past positions while my pursuit to continuously expand my knowledge was growing. Eventually, I began lecturing Cisco certification programmes and gradually took over cybersecurity certifications and training programmes at various institutions. This opportunity allowed me to grow a lot while working with others, develop secure network designs and strategies, develop training programmes, train persons in both private and public sectors ranging from ISPs to government agencies in the field of cybersecurity.

In 2018, Packt Publishing had reached out to me to be a Technical Reviewer for the book, Penetration Testing with Shellcode. After this project was completed, Packt had reached out once again in the same year, this time to be the Lead Author for the CCNA Security 210-260 Certification Guide and before 2018 was completed, I had my second book CompTIA Network+ Certification Guide published. In early 2019, my third title Hands-On Penetration Testing with Kali NetHunter was also published. Finally, in November 2019, my fourth book Learn Kali Linux 2019 is now published.

Currently, I work as a Cybersecurity Instructor delivering training in offensive security, network security and enterprise networking. Additionally, I share my knowledge and guidance with others through various social media platforms, provide mentoring for anyone in the community within ICT, occasionally delivering speeches on cybersecurity awareness.

Following my dreams is what has led me to my career in cybersecurity, where I can help so many people in a lot of different ways, to secure their organizations or even safeguard their families from cyber-attacks and threats. I honestly love what I do, so I don't see it as “work” but my passion.

Given the pace of change in tech and evolving threats, what role do certifications play, if any? What must-have certifications do you recommend for those starting their cybersecurity career and for those looking for a career boost?

Certifications will always play a vital role in the cybersecurity industry in both the present and future as technologies and threats evolve. Being a certified professional in the industry’s latest certifications helps with growth in your career. It also proves you have the necessary skills required for a job role and helps you specialize in technologies making you stand out from the rest of the crowd.

Whether you’re starting a career in cybersecurity or simply looking for a career boost, there are some must-have certifications I would definitely recommend.

If you’re new to the field of cybersecurity I would personally recommend starting with a networking certification such as Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) as it will help you develop a solid foundation in understanding the functions of networking components and protocols, composition of network traffic as it’s passed along multiple networks, and how devices are interconnected and communicate. Networking knowledge will help you understand how cyber-attacks are delivered through the internet and corporate networks.

Secondly, I would recommend both the Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) certification from EC-Council and Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP) certification from Offensive Security. The CEH contains a lot of valuable information and will help you get through the doors of Human Resource (HR) and various national security agencies, however the OSCP is currently in higher demand in the cybersecurity industry due to its intensive hands-on training and practical testing, thus simulating a real-world penetration test.

Additionally, if finances are a bit challenging in one’s life, take a look at the Junior Penetration Tester (eJPT) and the Certified Professional Penetration Tester v2 (eCPPTv2) from eLearnSecurity.

Before choosing a cybersecurity certification to enroll, take a thorough look at the module each certification has to offer and ensure each new certification you decide to pursue either teaches you something new or expands your existing knowledge and skill-set as a professional. Last by not least, learn some Linux.

On navigating the cybersecurity landscape by Learning Kali Linux

How does your book, Learn Kali Linux 2019, help readers navigate the cybersecurity landscape in 2019? Are there any prerequisites? What are the top 5 key takeaways from your book?

As each day goes by, new threats emerge while most are undetectable for long periods of time. My book, Learn Kali Linux 2019 is designed not only to teach you the role of being a penetration tester but also to help develop your mindset to be strategic when searching for security vulnerabilities that a hacker can exploit.

There are no formal prerequisites for this book, however, for anyone who is interested in pursuing their studies or a career in the cybersecurity industry, I would definitely recommend having a solid foundation in networking.

The top 5 key takeaways from my book are:

Learn how to perform penetration testing starting from scratch while gradually moving on to intermediate and advanced topics while maintaining a student-centric approach for all learners.

Upon completing this book, you will also gain essential skills in learning and understanding the Linux operating system.

You will learn how to perform various stages of penetration testing using a very practical and real-world approach.

Beginning a career in cybersecurity, you will learn how to design and build your very own penetration testing virtual lab environment, where you can sharpen your hacking skills safely.

On completing this book, you will have the essential hands-on experience and knowledge to start a career in the field of cybersecurity.

On Kali Linux’s future scope and applications

Recently, Kali Linux has been made available for the compact computer board, Raspberry Pi 4. How do you see Kali Linux’s evolution over time? Is IoT the new frontier for cybersecurity professionals and hackers alike? Where else do you see Kali Linux adapting to in the coming years?

Since its initial release in 2012, the Kali Linux operating system has had a lot of major upgrades, thus creating an awesome operating system simply built for penetration testing and security auditing for the IT professional. Currently, Kali Linux can be installed on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets by using the Kali Nethunter edition and even installed on micro-computing devices with ARM processors such as the Raspberry Pi 4. Definitely, over the coming years, I can foresee that newer editions of Kali Linux will be supported on next-generation computing devices.

The rise of IoT devices and networks, also brings about security concerns to both the home and corporate users. Imagine there are hundreds and thousands of IoT devices out there that are connected to the internet but they do not have any form of cyber protection. Imagine the possibilities of a hacker exploiting a security weakness on a medical device, or even a smart security system for homes, the hacker can monitor a person’s actions and much more. IoT can both make our lives easier but at the same time, open new doorways to cyber criminals.

Definitely as time goes by, Kali Linux will continuously evolve and improve to fit the need for any cybersecurity professional.

In the coming updates, what additional features do you wish to see in Kali Linux?

In the upcoming updates, I really wish to see better support and improvements for the Kali Nethunter edition for both current and future devices. Nethunter allows a cybersecurity professional to perform penetration testing tasks using their Android-based smartphone or tablet. Having Nethunter available on a pocket device provides the convenience when you are on-the-go.

About the Author

Glen D. Singh is a cyber-security instructor, consultant, entrepreneur and public speaker. He has been conducting multiple training exercises in offensive security, digital forensics, network security, enterprise networking and IT service management annually.

He also holds various information security certifications, such as the EC-Council's Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator (CHFI), Cisco's CCNA Security, CCNA Routing and Switching, and many others in the field of network security. Glen has been recognized for his passion and expertise by both the private and public sector organizations of Trinidad and Tobago and internationally.

About the Book

Simply upgrade your Kali Linux whereabouts with Learn Kali Linux 2019, which will help you understand how important it has become to pentest your environment, to ensure endpoint protection.

This book will take you through the latest version of Kali Linux to efficiently deal with various crucial security aspects such as confidentiality, integrity, access control and authentication.

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