1. Install VirtualBox here

VirtualBox is a virtual machine application which will allow Linux distros to run on it, separating what we do on Linux from what we do outside of it.

2. Download a Linux distro.

We highly recommend Kali Linux or Parrot OS. They are very similar because they are both derivatives of Debian. Both are also commonly used and beginner-friendly.

Download Kali Linux here. Click on “Installer Images” and download the first result.

Download Parrot OS here. For our activities, the home version is enough, but it is okay to choose another version.

3. On Virtual Box, click on “New”.

You can put anything for the title. Select your downloaded Linux distro under ISO image (should have a .iso extension). VirtualBox will prompt you to select how much of your current resources you want to allocate to Linux. You can click next with all the default settings they give you.

4. Once you have set up your Linux distro on VirtualBox, we need to install the distro itself.

For Parrot and Kali, you can follow these resources:

Kali Linux Installation here.

Parrot OS Installation here.

Congrats! You have successfully set up Linux.