How to Set Up an Isolated Cybersecurity Home Lab Using Kali Linux and Ubuntu

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Security researcher Elijah Abolaji has published a step-by-step guide for building a self-contained cybersecurity home lab on a personal computer. The lab uses two virtual machines — Kali Linux as the attacker and Ubuntu Server as a deliberately vulnerable target — connected on an isolated network with no access to the internet or home Wi-Fi. The setup allows users to practice real penetration testing techniques, including scanning, exploitation, and defense, without risking harm to live systems. The guide recommends a minimum of a 4-core processor, 16GB RAM, and SSD storage, and uses VirtualBox as the virtualization platform. Abolaji stresses that all tools demonstrated are dual-use and that running them against systems without explicit authorization is illegal in most jurisdictions.

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