Using X11 to forward Kali Linux display to MAC

I loaded a #virtualmachine with #kalilinux. I'm updating my #homelab with a $200 desktop PC (16 GB ram, 256 GB SSD HP).  Nice machine running windows 10 w/Hyper-V.

My main desktop is a Mac. I wanted to display Kali desktop using an #XServer instead of inside VM .  This allows me to continue learning while displaying on my local workstation vs. within a VM.  Some might ask why I didn't load VirtualBox, VMWare player or workstation? These virtualization options can be used to.  

My #homelab has a VMware stand-alone (esxi 5.5) as well. I tried loading the VMware image posted on the download site. I tried #virtualbox as well on my Mac and had issues.  I wasn't successful while I didn't dig into it too much.  I plan on having VM's loaded on the ESXi host for pen testing and scan activities.  

Hope this helps.

On your MAC, Download, Install Xquartz ( https://www.xquartz.org )

Download - Kali Installer - I used Hyper-V 

Load as a VM used Hyper-V with an external switch on Windows 10. The external switch in Hyper-V allows VM's to bind to physical network vs. NAT.

You can use: VMware, Hyper-V or VirtualBox (or vmware fusion)

#Enable a couple settings

sudo vi /etc/ssh/ssh_config

Change

Host *

# ForwardAgent no

  ForwardX11 yes

  ForwardX11Trusted yes 

Enable SSH

sudo systemctl enable ssh 

Start SSH

sudo systemctl start ssh

Reboot for good measure (to test SSH auto-start)

sudo reboot

Start Terminal on MAC

ssh -XY ss@192.168.0.13

 #Type

xfce4-session 

This was displayed on my mac terminal

$ ssh -XY ss@192.168.0.13

ss@192.168.0.13's password: 

Linux kali 5.10.0-kali3-amd64 #1 SMP Debian 5.10.13-1kali1 (2021-02-08) x86_64

The programs included with the Kali GNU/Linux system are free software; the exact distribution terms for each program are described in the individual files in /usr/share/doc/*/copyright.

Kali GNU/Linux comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by applicable law.

Last login: Sat Apr 24 20:23:19 2021 from 192.168.2.105

┏━(Message from Kali developers

┃ We have kept /usr/bin/python pointing to Python 2 for backwards

┃ compatibility. Learn how to change this and avoid this message:

┃ ⇒ https://www.kali.org/docs/general-use/python3-transition/

┗━(Run “touch ~/.hushlogin” to hide this message)

┌──(ss㉿kali)-[~]

└─$ xfce4-session

/usr/bin/iceauth: creating new authority file /run/user/1000/ICEauthority

gpg-agent: a gpg-agent is already running - not starting a new o ne

(xfwm4:742): xfwm4-WARNING **: 20:24:10.622: The display does not support the XComposite extension.

(xfwm4:742): xfwm4-WARNING **: 20:24:10.640: Compositing manager disabled.

(xfwm4:742): xfwm4-WARNING **: 20:24:10.706: Could not find a screen to manage, exiting

xfsettingsd: Another clipboard manager is already running.

xfsettingsd: No window manager registered on screen 0.

(xfsettingsd:758): xfsettingsd-WARNING **: 20:24:16.664: Failed to get the _NET_NUMBER_OF_DESKTOPS property.

xfce4-panel: No window manager registered on screen 0. To start the panel without this check, run with --disable-wm-check.

Displayed on mac

Updating system

https://www.kali.org/docs/general-use/updating-kali/ 

kali@kali:~$ sudo apt update

kali@kali:~$ kali@kali:~$ sudo apt full-upgrade -y

Updating

Other sites I used for learning updating Kali Linux