Exploiting through a security system is never easy, but it is always fun. This exploitation is an art, known as Hacking. Linux is probably the most preferred operating system for hackers. By both amateurs, and pros. This is due to the availability of several resources that help in cracking through the safety parameters. One of them is Kali Linux. Kali Linux gets simpler when one is well-known by its commands. In this article, I will present a list of all Kali Linux Commands and also explain their function. Firstly, let’s move to the quick introduction of Kali Linux.
Introduction: Kali Linux
Kali Linux is a Debian-derived Linux distribution designed for digital forensics and penetration testing. Mati Aharoni, Devon Kearns, and Raphaël Hertzog are the core developers. It is maintained and funded by Offensive Security Ltd. Kali Linux is preinstalled with over 600 penetration-testing programs. Including nmap (a port scanner), Wireshark (a packet analyzer), John the Ripper (a password cracker), Aircrack-ng (a software suite for penetration-testing wireless LANs), Burp suite and OWASP ZAP (both web application security scanners).
Kali Linux can run natively when it is installed on a computer’s hard disk, can be booted from a live CD or live USB, or it can run on a virtual machine. It is a supported platform of the Metasploit Project’s Metasploit Framework, a tool for developing and executing security exploits. Knowing about Kali Linux is essential for every aspiring hacker. More importantly, knowing the Kali Linux Commands is essential. So, without any ado, let’s proceed towards the Kali Linux commands.
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Kali Linux Commands List
There are plenty of commands available for Kali Linux. Each command is assigned for its particular functioning. Here, I’m presenting you a list of all Kali Linux commands in an alphabetical order. Also, I’ll quote their function. Scroll further.
| Commands From- A | Description |
|---|---|
| apt-get | Search for and install software packages (Debian) |
| aptitude | Search for and install software packages (Debian) |
| aspell | Spell Checker |
| awk | Find and Replace text, database sort/validate/index |
| Commands From – B | Description |
|---|---|
| basename | Strip directory and suffix from filenames |
| bash | GNU Bourne-Again Shell |
| bc | Arbitrary precision calculator language |
| bg | Send to background |
| break | Exit from a loop |
| builtin | Run a shell builtin |
| bzip2 | Compress or decompress named files |
| Commands From – C | Description |
|---|---|
| cal | Display a calendar |
| case | Conditionally perform a command |
| cat | Concatenate and print (display) the content of files |
| cd | Change Directory |
| cfdisk | Partition table manipulator for Linux |
| chgrp | Change group ownership |
| chmod | Change access permissions |
| chown | Change file owner and group |
| chroot | Run a command with a different root directory |
| chkconfig | System services (runlevel) |
| cksum | Print CRC checksum and byte counts |
| clear | Clear terminal screen |
| cmp | Compare two files |
| comm | Compare two sorted files line by line |
| command | Run a command – ignoring shell functions |
| continue | Resume the next iteration of a loop |
| cp | Copy one or more files to another location |
| cron | Daemon to execute scheduled commands |
| crontab | Schedule a command to run at a later time |
| csplit | Split a file into context-determined pieces |
| cut | Divide a file into several parts |
| Commands From – D | Description |
|---|---|
| date | Display or change the date and time |
| dc | Desk Calculator |
| dd | Convert and copy a file, write disk headers, boot records |
| ddrescue | Data recovery tool |
| declare | Declare variables and give them attributes |
| df | Display free disk space |
| diff | Display the differences between two files |
| diff3 | Show differences among three files |
| dig | DNS lookup |
| dir | Briefly list directory contents |
| dircolors | Colour setup for ls’ |
| dirname | Convert a full pathname to just a path |
| dirs | Display list of remembered directories |
| dmesg | Print kernel & driver messages |
| du | Estimate file space usage |
| Commands From – E | Description |
|---|---|
| echo | Display message on screen |
| egrep | Search files for lines that match an extended expression |
| eject | Eject removable media |
| enable | Enable and disable builtin shell commands |
| env | Environment variables |
| ethtool | Ethernet card settings |
| eval | Evaluate several commands/arguments |
| exec | Execute a command |
| exit | Exit the shell |
| expect | Automate arbitrary applications accessed over a terminal |
| expand | Convert tabs to spaces |
| export | Set an environment variable |
| expr | Evaluate expressions |
| Commands From – F | Description |
|---|---|
| false | Do nothing, unsuccessfully |
| fdformat | Low-level format a floppy disk |
| fdisk | Partition table manipulator for Linux |
| fg | Send job to foreground |
| fgrep | Search files for lines that match a fixed string |
| file | Determine file type |
| find | Search for files that meet a desired criteria |
| fmt | Reformat paragraph text |
| fold | Wrap text to fit a specified width |
| for | Expand words, and execute commands |
| format | Format disks or tapes |
| free | Display memory usage |
| fsck | File system consistency check and repair |
| ftp | File Transfer Protocol |
| function | Define Function Macros |
| fuser | Identify/kill the process that is accessing a file |
| Commands From – G | Description |
|---|---|
| gawk | Find and Replace text within files |
| getopts | Parse positional parameters |
| grep | Search files for lines that match a given pattern |
| groupadd | Add a user security group |
| groupdel | Delete a group |
| groupmod | Modify a group |
| groups | Print group names a user is in |
| gzip | Compress or decompress named files |
| Commands From – H | Description |
|---|---|
| hash | Remember the full pathname of a name argument |
| head | Output the first part of files |
| help | Display help for a built-in command |
| history | Command History |
| hostname | Print or set system name |
| Commands From- I | Description |
|---|---|
| iconv | Convert the character set of a file |
| id | Print user and group id’s |
| if | Conditionally perform a command |
| ifconfig | Configure a network interface |
| ifdown | Stop a network interface |
| ifup | Start a network interface up |
| import | Capture an X server screen and save the image to file |
| install | Copy files and set attributes |
| Commands From – J | Description |
|---|---|
| jobs | List active jobs |
| join | Join lines on a common field |
| Command From – K | Description |
|---|---|
| kill | Stop a process from running |
| killall | Kill processes by name |
| Commands From – L | Description |
|---|---|
| less | Display output one screen at a time |
| let | Perform arithmetic on shell variables |
| ln | Create a symbolic link to a file |
| local | Create variables |
| locate | Find files |
| logname | Print current login name |
| logout | Exit a login shell |
| look | Display lines beginning with a given string |
| lpc | Line printer control program |
| lpr | Off line print |
| lprint | Print a file |
| lprintd | Abort a print job |
| lprintq | List the print queue |
| lprm | Remove jobs from the print queue |
| ls | List information about files |
| lsof | List open files |
| Commands From – M | Description |
|---|---|
| make | Recompile a group of programs |
| man | Show manual |
| mkdir | Create new folders |
| mkfifo | Make FIFOs (named pipes) |
| mkisofs | Create an hybrid ISO9660/JOLIET/HFS filesystem |
| mknod | Make block or character special files |
| more | Display output one screen at a time |
| mount | Mount a file system |
| mtools | Manipulate MS-DOS files |
| mtr | Network diagnostics (traceroute/ping) |
| mv | Move or rename files or directories |
| mmv | Mass Move and rename files |
| Commands From – N | Description |
|---|---|
| netstat | Networking information |
| nice | Set the priority of a command or job |
| nl | Number lines and write files |
| nohup | Run a command immune to hangups |
| notify-send | Send desktop notifications |
| nslookup | Query Internet name servers interactively |
| Commands From – O | Description |
|---|---|
| open | Open a file in its default application |
| op | Operator access |
| Commands From – P | Description |
|---|---|
| passwd | Modify a user password |
| paste | Merge lines of files |
| pathchk | Check file name portability |
| ping | Test a network connection |
| pkill | Stop processes from running |
| popd | Restore the previous value of the current directory |
| pr | Prepare files for printing |
| printcap | Printer capability database |
| printenv | Print environment variables |
| printf | print and format data |
| ps | Process status |
| pushd | Save and then change the current directory |
| pwd | Print Working Directory |
| Commands From – Q | Description |
|---|---|
| quota | Display disk usage and limits |
| quotacheck | Scan a file system for disk usage |
| quotactl | Set disk quotas |
| Commands From – R | Description |
|---|---|
| ram | ram disk device |
| rcp | Copy files between two machines |
| read | Read a line from standard input |
| readarray | Read from stdin into an array variable |
| readonly | Mark variables/functions as readonly |
| reboot | Reboot the system |
| rename | Rename files |
| renice | Alter priority of running processes |
| remsync | Synchronize remote files via email |
| return | Exit a shell function |
| rev | Reverse lines of a file |
| rm | Remove files |
| rmdir | Remove folders |
| rsync | Remote file copy (Synchronize file trees) |
| Commands From -S | Description |
|---|---|
| screen | Multiplex terminal, run remote shells via ssh |
| scp | Secure copy (remote file copy) |
| sdiff | Merge two files interactively |
| sed | Stream Editor |
| select | Accept keyboard input |
| seq | Print numeric sequences |
| set | Manipulate shell variables and functions |
| sftp | Secure File Transfer Program |
| shift | Shift positional parameters |
| shopt | Shell Options |
| shutdown | Shutdown or restart linux |
| sleep | Delay for a specified time |
| slocate | Find files |
| sort | Sort text files |
| source | Run commands from a file |
| split | Split a file into fixed-size pieces |
| ssh | Secure Shell client (remote login program) |
| strace | Trace system calls and signals |
| su | Substitute user identity |
| sudo | Execute a command as another user |
| sum | Print a checksum for a file |
| suspend | Suspend execution of this shell |
| symlink | Make a new name for a file |
| sync | Synchronize data on disk with memory |
| Commands From – T | Description |
|---|---|
| tail | Output the last part of file |
| tar | Tape Archiver |
| tee | Redirect output to multiple files |
| test | Evaluate a conditional expression |
| time | Measure Program running time |
| times | User and system times |
| touch | Change file timestamps |
| top | List processes running on the system |
| traceroute | Trace Route to Host |
| trap | Run a command when a signal is set(bourne) |
| tr | Translate, squeeze, and/or delete characters |
| true | Do nothing, successfully |
| tsort | Topological sort |
| tty | Print filename of terminal on stdin |
| type | Describe a command |
| Commands From – U | Description |
|---|---|
| ulimit | Limit user resources |
| umask | Users file creation mask |
| umount | Unmount a device |
| unalias | Remove an alias |
| uname | Print system information |
| unexpand | Convert spaces to tabs |
| uniq | Uniquify files |
| units | Convert units from one scale to another |
| unset | Remove variable or function names |
| unshar | Unpack shell archive scripts |
| until | Execute commands (until error) |
| uptime | Show uptime |
| useradd | Create new user account |
| usermod | Modify user account |
| users | List users currently logged in |
| uuencode | Encode a binary file |
| uudecode | Decode a file created by uuencode |
| Commands From – V | Description |
|---|---|
| v | Verbosely list directory contents (ls -l -b’) |
| vdir | Verbosely list directory contents (ls -l -b’) |
| vi | Text Editor/ vi editor |
| vmstat | Report virtual memory statistics |
| Commands From – W | Description |
|---|---|
| wait | Wait for a process to complete |
| watch | Execute/display a program periodically |
| wc | Print byte, word, and line counts |
| whereis | Search the user’s $path, man pages and source files for a program |
| which | Search the user’s $path for a program file |
| while | Execute commands |
| who | Print all usernames currently logged in |
| whoami | Print the current user id and name (id -un’) |
| wget | Retrieve web pages or files via HTTP, HTTPS or FTP |
| write | Send a message to another user |
| Commands From – X | Description |
|---|---|
| xargs | Execute utility, passing constructed argument lists |
| xdg-open | Open a file or URL in the user’s preferred application |
| Commands From – Y | Description |
|---|---|
| yes | Print a string until interrupted |
So this is it. We have listed every Kali Linux Command with its description so that you no longer have to spend time searching for each of them separately.
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Kali Linux Commands List PDF
If you are a regular user of Kali Linux, then you might want to have the full list of Kali Linux commands on your PC. We have compiled a complete list of A-Z Kali Commands in a PDF file.
You can Download PDF Here for free and save it anywhere you like.
The PDF file contains all Kali Commands listed in this article.
Summary
These were all the Kali Linux commands available with their assigned functions. For any queries, suggestions or doubts regarding this topic, comment down in the Comments section below. Hope I helped you to find what you were looking for. Have a nice day, Folks!
