This cheat sheet includes a list of basic and useful Linux commands that every Kali Linux user needs to know.<\/p>\n
If you want to learn how to hack with Kali Linux, the most important thing you should do first is to master the command line interface.<\/p>\n
Here’s why:<\/p>\n
Tasks that take minutes or even hours to do on a desktop environment (GUI) can be done in a matter of seconds from the command line.<\/p>\n
For example:<\/p>\n
To download an entire HTML website, you only need to type:<\/p>\n
wget -r domain.com<\/em><\/p>\n Now if you were to do the same on a GUI, you’d have to save each page one by one.<\/p>\n This is only one of many examples as to how powerful the command line is. There are many other tasks on Linux that can only<\/em> be done from the command line.<\/p>\n In short:<\/p>\n Knowing your way around a command line will make you a more efficient and effective programmer. You’ll be able to get shit done faster by automating repetitive tasks. \u200b<\/p>\n \u200bPlus, you’ll look like a complete bad ass in the process.<\/p>\n Use this cheat sheet as a reference in case you forget how to do certain tasks from the command-line. And trust me, it happens.<\/p>\n If you’re new to Unix\/Linux operating systems, this cheat sheet also includes the fundamental linux commands such as jumping from one directory to another, as well as more technical stuff like managing processes.<\/p>\n NOTES Bash = A popular command-line used in Unix\/Linux operating systems.<\/p>\n dir = directory\/folder pwd: Display path of current directory you\u2019re in<\/p>\n \u200bls: List all files and folders in the current directory cd: Change to home directory mkdir <dir>: Create a new directory touch <file>: Create an empty file cp <file1> <file2>: Create a copy of a file mv <file> \/home\/Desktop: Move a file to a specific directory (overwrites any existing file with the same name) rm <file>: Delete a file rm -r <dir>: Delete a directory and its contents cat <file>: Display\/output the contents of a file head <file>: Display the first ten lines in a file diff <file1> <file2>: Check the difference between two files (file1 and file2)<\/p>\n cal: Display monthly calendar<\/p>\n date: Check date and time uname -a: Display system information. poweroff: Shutdown system df -h: Display disk space usage cat \/proc\/meminfo: Display memory information whoami: Output your username history: View a list of your previously executed commands<\/p>\n last: Display last login info of users finger <user>: Display user information<\/p>\n apt-cache pkgnames: List all available packages apt-get install <name>: Install a package apt-get update: Update list of available packages apt-get remove: <\/b>Uninstall a package top: Display running processes & system usage in real-time.<\/p>\n ps: Display currently running processes kill <PID>: Kill a processes by PID #. jobs: Display the status of current jobs bg: View stopped background jobs or resume job in the background ping <host>: Ping a host ifconfig: Configure\/display network interfaces netstat -r: Display kernel IP routing tables arp -a: Display ARP cache tables for all interfaces\u200b<\/p>\n Transfer files FROM the local system TO a remote host (Local > Remote) Transfer files FROM a remote host TO the local system (Remote > Local) Transfer directories and everything within it Transfer all files that match a specific filetype Transfer local public SSH public key to remote host Am I forgetting something? Let me know in the comments below. I’ll continue to update this when I get a chance.<\/p>\n
\nEverything inside “<>” should be replaced with a name of a file, directory or command.<\/p>\n
\nfile = file name & type (eg. notes.txt)
\ncmd = command (eg. mkdir, ls, curl, etc)
\nlocation = path\/destination (eg. \/home\/Desktop)<\/p>\n
\nls -la: List detailed list of files and folders, including hidden ones<\/p>\nChange to a specific directory<\/h5>\n
\ncd \/user\/Desktop: Change to a specific directory called Desktop
\ncd .. : Move back a directory<\/p>\nCreate a directory\/folder<\/h5>\n
\nmkdir \/home\/Desktop\/dir: Create a directory in a specific location<\/p>\nCreate and edit files<\/h5>\n
\nnano <file>: Edit an existing file or create it if it doesn\u2019t exist.
\nAlternatives to nano text editor: vim, emacs<\/em><\/p>\nCopy, move and rename files and directories<\/h5>\n
\ncp -r <dir1> <dir2>: Create a copy of a directory and everything in it
\ncp <file> \/home\/Desktop\/file2: Create a copy of a file in a different directory and name it file2.<\/p>\n
\nmv <dir> \/home\/Desktop: Move a directory to another location
\nmv <dir1> <dir2>: Rename a file OR directory (dir1 -> dir2)<\/p>\nDelete files<\/h5>\n
\nrm -f <file>: Force delete a file
\nCareful now..<\/em><\/p>\n
\nrm -rf <dir>: Force delete a directory and its contents
\nCareful when using this command as it will delete everything inside the directory<\/em><\/p>\nOutput and analyze files<\/h5>\n
\nless <file>: Display the contents of a file with scroll (paginate) ability (press q to quit)<\/p>\n
\nhead -20 <file>: Display the first 20 lines in a file
\ntail <file>: Display the last ten lines in a file
\ntail -20 <file>: Display the last 20 lines in a file<\/p>\n
\nuptime<\/b>: Check system uptime and currently logged in users<\/p>\n
\ndmesg: <\/b>Display kernel ring buffer<\/p>\n
\nreboot: Reboot system<\/p>\nView disk and memory usage<\/h5>\n
\nfdisk -l: List disk partition tables
\nfree: Display memory usage<\/p>\n
\ncat \/proc\/cpuinfo: Display cpu information<\/p>\nView user information<\/h5>\n
\nw: Check who\u2019s online<\/p>\nView last logged in users and information<\/h5>\n
\nlast <user>: Display last login info of a specific user<\/p>\nInstalling & Upgrading Packages<\/h2>\n
Search for packages<\/h5>\n
\napt search <name>: Search for a package and its description
\napt show <name>: Check detailed description of a package<\/p>\nInstall packages<\/h5>\n
\napt-get install <name1> <name2>: Install multiple packages<\/p>\nUpdate, upgrade & cleanup<\/h5>\n
\napt-get upgrade: Install the newest version of available packages
\napt-get dist-upgrade: Force upgrade packages.
\napt-get autoremove: Remove installed packages that are no longer needed
\napt-get clean: Free up disk space by removing archived packages<\/p>\nDelete packages<\/h5>\n
\napt-get remove –purge: <\/b>Uninstall a package and remove its configuration files<\/p>\nProcesses & Job Management<\/h2>\n
\nps -u <user>: Display currently running processes of a user<\/p>\n
\nkillall <processes>: Kill all processes with specified name.<\/p>\nStart, stop, resume jobs<\/h5>\n
\njobs -l: Display detailed info about each job
\njobs -r: Display only running jobs<\/p>\n
\nfg: Resume recent job in the foreground
\nfg <job>: Bring specific job to the foreground.<\/p>\n
\nwhois <domain\/IP>: Get whois information about a domain or IP.
\ndig <domain\/IP>: Get DNS information
\nnslookup: <NS>: Get nameserver information<\/p>\n
\niwconfig: Configure\/display wireless network interfaces<\/p>\n
\nnetstat -antp: Check for established and listening ports\/connections\u200b<\/p>\nSecure File Transfer (SCP)<\/h5>\n
\nscp \/path\/to\/file [email protected]<\/a>:\/path\/to\/dest<\/p>\n
\nscp [email protected]<\/a>:\/path\/to\/file \/path\/to\/dest<\/p>\n
\nscp -r \/path\/to\/dir [email protected]<\/a>:\/path\/to\/dest<\/p>\n
\nscp \/path\/to\/*.txt [email protected]<\/a>:\/path\/to\/dest<\/p>\n
\ncat ~\/.ssh\/id_rsa.pub | ssh [email protected]<\/a> ‘cat >> .ssh\/authorized_keys’<\/p>\n