For these next parts, we will first need to boot from the USB and get Kali loaded up. If you are using a USB 2.0 device, you will note that it is likely a little bit slower to load than what you are used to (especially if you have a Solid State HDD lilke I do). This is also all personalizations, that can (and hopefully will) differ from user to user, so if there's something down here you don't want, skip over it, if there's something else you want, add it in. Once it's all up and running, open a terminal window, and we'll start the post-"install" work.

1. For starters, we need to mnake sure everything is up to date:
   • apt-get update
   • apt-get upgrade
     • Be warned: this WILL take a LONG time. Be sure that this can complete without being interrupted. Plug in your laptop if you are using one. Give it overnight if need be.
     • Due to the limited I/O of USB, the lock screen may seem to be 'frozen' or VERY slow to respond; this is because it is already SUPER busy with the updates. Be patient with the lock screen while the update is going on.
2. Next, change the root password:
   • passwd
     • Hopefully the encryption password you chose is rather complex. There is nothing REQUIRING that you use the same password here. In fact, I would suggest using a simpler, shorter password here. In the end, if someone else can get to this prompt, you have bigger problems with the fact that your drive was decrypted.
     • I would strongly DIScourage you from using the NUKE password here, if for no other reason there is a greater possibility that you MIGHT enter the NUKE password instead of the decryption password (password confusion). Then again, if you intentionally use the same ones you have a plausible reason for giving the 'wrong' password... Either way, your choice, just be sure to remember it.
   • Now, this password change will only last until the next reboot. The makers of Kali have put in an init script that resets the root password to 'toor' (default). You can run the following command to comment out that command, and keep your new password:
     • sed -i '/usermod/s/^/#/' /lib/live/config/0031-root-password
3. Remove the original Keyring to reset that password as well:
   • mv /root/.local/share/keyrings/login.keyring /root/.local/share/keyrings/login.keyring.original
4. Have NUM-Lock turned on after boot:
   • gedit /etc/kbd/config
   • uncomment the line:
   • #LEDS=+num
5. Add VPN Connectivity options to NetworkManager: (not neceswsary for version 2016.2)
   • apt-get install network-manager-openvpn network-manager-openvpn-gnome network-manager-pptp network-manager-pptp-gnome network-manager-vpnc network-manager-vpnc-gnome
6. Install alacarte to edit the Menu:
   • apt-get install alacarte
7. Install Youtube downloader:
   • pip install youtube-dl
8. Download the TOR Browser bundle from here:
   • https://www.torproject.org/projects/torbrowser.html.en
9. Edit the file "start-tor-browser.sh"
10. Look for the following lines:
    • if [ "'id -u'" -eq 0 ]; then
 complain "The Tor Browser Bundle should not be run as root. Exiting."
 exit 1
fi
    • And comment them out:
      • #if [ "'id -u'" -eq 0 ]; then
# complain "The Tor Browser Bundle should not be run as root. Exiting."
# exit 1
#fi
11. Install the Latest VirtualBox
12. Install Pidgin IM with the OTR plugin:
    • apt-get install pidgin pidgin-otr
13. Install xChat IRC Client:
    • apt-get install xchat
14. Make VLC run-able by the root user:
    • cp /usr/bin/vlc /usr/bin/vlc-backup
needle=$(objdump -d /usr/bin/vlc | grep euid | tail -1 | awk '{print "\\x"$2"\\x"$3"\\x"$4"\\x"$5"\\x"$6;}')
sed -ir "s/$needle/\xb8\x01\x00\x00\x00/" /usr/bin/vlc
15. Install Filezilla FTP Client:
    • apt-get install filezilla filezilla-common
16. Install Audacity:
    
    • apt-get install audacity
17. Install Seahorse (GnuPG frontend):
    • apt-get install seahorse
18. Install GPA (GnuPG frontend):
    • apt-get install gpa
19. Install gpg4usb (portable, Linux and Windows compatible):
    • https://www.gpg4usb.org/download.html
      • Download, extract, and run
20. Install xfce4 (instead of gnome3):
    • apt-get install kali-defaults kali-root-login desktop-base xfce4 xfce4-places-plugin xfce4-goodies
21. Make xfce4 default:
    
    • update-alternatives --config x-session-manager

     

This list here is likely to increase/decrease and change as time goes and I add/remove/change things as I slowly fully customize it. What about your customizations? What additional software do you add to your Kali? Let me know what additional customizations and software you add.

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