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Packer Installation (Optional)

Packer by HashiCorp is used for creating automated VM images. This tool is used in advanced HackerOps labs for building custom Windows and Linux images.

Info

Optional Tool: Packer is only needed for specific advanced labs. You can skip this installation initially and return when needed.

Official Documentation: Packer by HashiCorp

Prerequisites

For Windows image building labs, you’ll need the Windows 10 ISO:

Caution

Large Download: This file is over 5GB, so start the download early as it will take time.

Download Windows 10 ISO

Installation Methods

# Update system and install prerequisites
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install -y gnupg software-properties-common curl

# Add HashiCorp GPG key
curl -fsSL https://apt.releases.hashicorp.com/gpg | sudo apt-key add -

# Add HashiCorp repository
sudo apt-add-repository "deb [arch=amd64] https://apt.releases.hashicorp.com $(lsb_release -cs) main"

# Install Packer
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install packer

# Verify installation
packer --version

# Install HashiCorp tap
brew tap hashicorp/tap

# Install Packer
brew install hashicorp/tap/packer

# Verify installation
packer --version

# Using Chocolatey (recommended)
choco install packer

# Or download from HashiCorp:
# https://www.packer.io/downloads

# Verify installation
packer --version

Info

Note: Package managers may not always have the latest version. For the most recent release, download directly from HashiCorp’s website.

Verify Installation

Test your Packer installation:

# Check version
packer --version

# Show available commands
packer -help

When You’ll Use Packer

Packer is used in advanced HackerOps labs for:

Building custom VM images with pre-installed software
Automating image creation for consistent environments
Creating golden images for enterprise deployments
Advanced lab scenarios involving image management

Tip

Start Simple: Begin with Labs 1-5 using standard cloud images. Return to Packer when you reach the advanced image-building labs.

Next Steps

With Packer installed:

Complete your environment setup - Ensure all tools are ready
Start with basic labs - Build foundational skills first
Return for advanced labs - Use Packer when building custom images

Troubleshooting

Command not found:

Restart your terminal after installation
Verify Packer is in your system PATH
Try reinstalling using a different method

Permission errors:

Use sudo for Linux package installations
Run PowerShell as Administrator on Windows