These allow us to use Kali Linux in Docker networks with a GUI/SSH/VNC Server. The containers are all published in Docker Hub as part of GitHub Actions in this repo, and the Dockerfiles are included here in the hopes other security researchers will find them useful.

The idea was to bring all the goodness of Kali Linux to a headless environment. The images are based on the official Kali Linux docker images. The images are intended to be used as a base image for other images, or as a standalone image.

The base image is a headless kali linux with a virtual frame buffer and a VNC server. It is intended to be used as a base image for other images, or as a standalone image for headless use. The VNC server is exposed on port 5901.

The TorBrowser image is a headless kali linux with a virtual frame buffer, a VNC server, and TorBrowser. It is intended to be used as an image for a selenium runner heavily customized firefox profile to support TOR. See the TorDriver project for more information.

The same as the TorBrowser image, but with root access.

Use docker to build locally

docker build . -t excitingtheory/kalilinux-xvfb 

Use docker to run, doesn't need to be built locally

docker run -it -p 5901:5901 excitingtheory/kalilinux-xvfb /bin/bash

Use docker to build locally

docker build . -f ./TorBrowser.Dockerfile -t excitingtheory/kalilinux-xvfb:torbrowser
docker build . -f ./TorBrowser-root.Dockerfile -t excitingtheory/kalilinux-xvfb:torbrowser-root

This image comes with a vnc user

Start the container with the following command.

docker run -it -p 5901:5901 excitingtheory/kalilinux-xvfb:torbrowser

Run /opt/start-vnc-server.sh .

You will be prompted to set a password. The password is guestpas in the examples below.

/opt/start-vnc-server.sh 

# You will require a password to access your desktops.

# Password: 
# Verify:   
# Would you like to enter a view-only password (y/n)? n
# xauth:  file /home/username/.Xauthority does not exist

# New 'X' desktop is 466129c49ea6:1

# Creating default startup script /home/username/.vnc/xstartup
# Starting applications specified in /home/username/.vnc/xstartup
# Log file is /home/username/.vnc/466129c49ea6:1.log

With Finder open as the main app. Press cmd-k the "Connect to Server Dialog" will open. Enter vnc://localhost:5901 and the password guestpas when prompted.

Dialog can also be found in the finder menu: Go -> Connect to Server

Download and install a vnc client like TightVNC and connect to localhost:5901 and the password guestpas when prompted.

Contributions are welcome. Please open an issue or submit a pull request.

MIT License, see LICENSE.txt for details.