I'm starting my journey in cybersecurity this fall as I'm going back to school at 25. I'll need a Linux computer for my assignments, and while any Linux machine will do, I'm keen on choosing one that will serve me well in the long run. I aim to enter government cybersecurity roles since I'm a US citizen and a former soldier. I'd love some recommendations!
2 Answers
For a good balance as a beginner, I'd recommend starting with distributions like Mint, PopOS, or Kubuntu. My personal favorite is Mint due to its user-friendly interface. But if you plan to dive deep into cybersecurity, set up Kali Linux too—it's tailor-made for penetration testing with a wealth of robust security tools. Just remember, Kali isn't meant for everyday use; use Mint for general tasks and Kali for your cybersecurity projects.
Honestly, Kali is too specialized for daily use unless you're already really into ethical hacking. It's better to learn using a more stable distro.
As a fellow veteran, you might find Fedora or Debian great options. They're not just beginner-friendly; they also have substantial community support, tons of tutorials, and documentation which is really useful when you're starting out. And don’t worry about compatibility—if it’s a Linux-based tool, it'll work fine across various Linux distributions. If you need a Windows-specific tool, try searching for the Linux version, using Wine, or consider running a Windows VM instead for compatibility.
Great tips! I usually stick with Fedora because it's a smooth transition to other RHEL-based systems. But for schoolwork, Kali makes sense.
Can you actually run both Mint and Kali on the same machine?