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Ubuntu Linux Environment

Ubuntu Linux Environment

HackerOps labs require a Unix/Linux environment. Ubuntu is recommended for its compatibility with all tools and extensive documentation. You have several options for running Ubuntu.

Tip

Quickest Option: Download our pre-configured VMs with Terraform, Ansible, and other tools already installed.

Option 1: Pre-configured VMs (Recommended)

Info

What’s Included: Ubuntu 20.04 with Terraform, Ansible, AWS CLI, Azure CLI, and VS Code extensions pre-installed.

VirtualBox VM (Free)

VMware VM

Tip

Recommendation: Use VirtualBox - it’s free and works perfectly for all HackerOps labs.

Installing Virtualization Software

VirtualBox Installation (Free)

Download: VirtualBox Downloads

Windows:

Terminal window
# Using Chocolatey
choco install virtualbox


# Or download installer from website

macOS:

Terminal window
# Using Homebrew
brew install --cask virtualbox


# Or download installer from website

Linux (Ubuntu/Debian):

Terminal window
sudo apt update
sudo apt install virtualbox virtualbox-ext-pack

VMware Installation (Optional)

Windows/Linux: VMware Workstation Pro macOS: VMware Fusion

Terminal window
# Windows (Chocolatey)
choco install vmwareworkstation


# macOS (Homebrew)
brew install --cask vmware-fusion

Using Pre-configured VMs

VMware Setup

  1. Extract the VM:

    Terminal window
    # Windows
    tar xf ubuntu2004-vmware-0.1.2.tar.gz
    

    # macOS/Linux
    tar -zxf ubuntu2004-vmware-0.1.2.tar.gz

  2. Start the VM:

    • Double-click the .vmx file
    • Use default settings (no need to increase RAM/CPU)

  3. Login:

    Username: vagrant
    Password: vagrant

  4. Get IP Address:

    Terminal window
    ip address show

    Note the IP address for SSH connections.

VirtualBox Setup

  1. Extract the VM:

    Terminal window
    # Windows
    tar xf ubuntu2004-virtualbox-0.1.2.tar.gz
    

    # macOS/Linux
    tar -zxf ubuntu2004-virtualbox-0.1.2.tar.gz

  2. Import the VM:

    • Double-click the .ovf file
    • Keep default settings

  3. Configure Network:

    • VM Settings → Network
    • Change Adapter to “Bridged Adapter”

  4. Login and Get IP:

    Username: vagrant
    Password: vagrant
    Terminal window
    ip address show

Info

Next Step: Use this IP address to connect from VS Code via SSH. See the VS Code Setup Guide for SSH configuration.

Option 2: Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL)

Info

Alternative for Windows Users: If you prefer not to use VMs, WSL provides a native Linux environment on Windows.

Modern WSL Installation (Windows 10/11)

Quick Install:

Terminal window
# Run in PowerShell as Administrator
wsl --install Ubuntu-20.04

This single command:

  • Enables WSL and Virtual Machine Platform
  • Downloads and installs Ubuntu 20.04
  • Sets WSL 2 as default

Manual Installation (if needed)

  1. Enable WSL Features:

    Terminal window
    # Run as Administrator
    dism.exe /online /enable-feature /featurename:Microsoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux /all /norestart
    dism.exe /online /enable-feature /featurename:VirtualMachinePlatform /all /norestart

  2. Set WSL 2 as Default:

    Terminal window
    wsl --set-default-version 2

  3. Install Ubuntu:

    • Open Microsoft Store
    • Search for “Ubuntu 20.04 LTS”
    • Click “Get” to install

  4. Initial Setup:

    • Launch Ubuntu from Start Menu
    • Create your username and password
    • Update packages:
      Terminal window
      sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Installing Tools in WSL

After setting up WSL, you’ll need to install the lab tools:

Terminal window
# Install essential tools
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y curl wget git


# Follow individual guides for:
# - Terraform: /docs/getting-started/terraform
# - Ansible: /docs/getting-started/ansible
# - Cloud CLIs: See respective cloud setup guides

Caution

Note: With WSL, you’ll need to install Terraform, Ansible, and cloud CLIs manually. The pre-configured VMs already include these tools.

Which Option to Choose?

OptionProsCons
Pre-configured VMTools pre-installed, isolated environmentUses more resources
WSLNative Windows integration, lightweightManual tool installation required

Tip

Recommendation: If you’re new to Linux or want to get started quickly, use the pre-configured VirtualBox VM. If you’re comfortable with Linux and want better Windows integration, use WSL.