How To Install Recon-ng on Kali Linux Instance with Vagrant on Local Machine?

Step 1: Install Kali linux VM on local Vagrant VM

Login Vagrant and install Kali VM

Click Git bash on your local computer, go to your Vagrant directory where contains Vagrantfile:

cd ~/Documents/Cybersecurity-Bootcamp/Linux-Module

Make sure Vagrantfile file in this directory. Every vagrant command should be run from the directory containing Vagrantfile provided by your instructor.

Vagrantfile:

# -*- mode: ruby -*-
# vi: set ft=ruby :

Vagrant.configure("2") do |config|
  config.vm.box = "kalilinux/rolling"
  config.vm.box_check_update = false
  config.vm.hostname = "kali-linux"
  config.vm.provider "virtualbox" do |vb|
  # Display the VirtualBox GUI when booting the machine
     vb.gui = false
     vb.memory = "2048"
   end
end

Run vagrant up

Then run vagrant ssh to login Kali VM:

vagrant@kali-linux:~

Verify docker-compose.yml inside 'recon-ng' folder:

vagrant@kali-linux:~/recon-ng$ cat docker-compose.yml

docker-compose.yml

version: '3.7'

services:

    web:
        build: .
        image: recon-ng
        container_name: recon-ng
        ports:
            - '5000:5000'
        command: ./recon-web --host 0.0.0.0
        volumes:
            - .:/recon-ng
            - ~/.recon-ng:/root/.recon-ng
        environment:
            - REDIS_URL=redis://redis:6379/0
        depends_on:
            - redis

    worker:
        image: recon-ng
        command: rq worker -u redis://redis:6379/0 recon-tasks
        volumes:
            - .:/recon-ng
            - ~/.recon-ng:/root/.recon-ng
        environment:
            - REDIS_URL=redis://redis:6379/0
        depends_on:
            - redis

    redis:
        image: redis

Step 2: Install Recon-ng

Introduction

Recon-ng (Web Reconnaissance Framework) is an powerful tool for Open Source Intelligence Gathering (OSINT), a full-featured Web Reconnaissance Framework written in Python, with interface similar to Metasploit.

Preparation

In Kali Linux it’s very simple to install. Since this is the first time to install on my local machine, I run following commands:

vagrant@kali-linux:~$ sudo apt update
vagrant@kali-linux:~$ sudo apt upgrade

Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y

Python3 is required:

vagrant@kali-linux:~$ sudo apt install -y git python3-pip

vagrant@kali-linux:~/recon-ng$ pip3 install PyPDF3 pyaes bs4

Recon-ng Installation

• Install in Kali Linux

  In Kali Linux it's very somple to install. Just type command as follows:

  vagrant@kali-linux:~$ sudo apt install recon-ng

• Install from source

# Clone the recon-ng repository
vagrant@kali-linux:~$ git clone https://github.com/lanmaster53/recon-ng.git
	
# Change into the recon-ng directory
vagrant@kali-linux:~$ cd recon-ng
vagrant@kali-linux:~/recon-ng$

In order to run everything smoothly, make sure to check for the presence of the following dependencies in REQUIREMENTS file.

vagrant@kali-linux:~/recon-ng$ cat REQUIREMENTS

pyyaml
dnspython
lxml
mechanize
requests
flask
flask-restful
flasgger
dicttoxml
XlsxWriter
unicodecsv
rq
jsonrpclib
slowaes

Use command pip3 (not pip) to install dependencies for recon-ng modules.

#Install dependencies

vagrant@kali-linux:~/recon-ng$ pip3 install -r EQUIREMENTS

#Launch recon-ng
vagrant@kali-linux:~/recon-ng$ ./recon-ng

If there’s no errors, the Recon-NG console will be loaded and framework banner will appear:

Recon-ng modules

Recon-ng is a completely modular framework.

• Recon modules – for reconnaissance activities;
• Reporting modules – for reporting results on a file;
• Import modules – for importing values from a file into a database table;
• Exploitation modules – for explotation activities;
• Discovery modules – for discovery activities.

To display recon-ng commands, type help:

To display a list of installed modules, just type modules search command:

[recon-ng][default] > modules search

Attempt to install some modules

As the warning messages displayed, shodan dependency is required.

• Exit recon-ng, add shodan to REQUIREMENTS file,

vagrant@kali-linux:~/recon-ng$ vi REQUIREMENTS

pyyaml
dnspython
lxml
mechanize
requests
flask
flask-restful
flasgger
dicttoxml
XlsxWriter
unicodecsv
rq
jsonrpclib
slowaes
shodan

• Run pip3 install -r REQUIREMENTS again.

• Launch Recon-ng:

  vagrant@kali-linux:~/recon-ng$ ./recon-ng

Just explore those modules and you’ll soon become an expert.

Remove and reinstall recon-ng in Kali Linux

sudo apt update
sudo apt remove recon-ng
sudo apt install recon-ng

Exit recon-ng:

[recon-ng][default] > exit

Log out Kali Linux:

vagrant@kali-linux:~/recon-ng$ exit
logout
Connection to 127.0.0.1 closed.

HPE@HPE-HP MINGW64 /c/users/hpe/documents/cybersecurity-bootcamp/Linux-Module

$ vagrant suspend
==> default: Saving VM state and suspending execution...

NOTES

Whenever you make a change to the Vagrantfile, restart the machine for the changes to take effect.

$ vagrant reload

To stop the instance, run
$ vagrant halt

If you would like to save the current state of the VM while stopping it, run
$ vagrant suspend

With this, you’ll return to exactly the same state at a later time when VM is started.

Destroy the Vagrant machine when done by running
$ vagrant destroy

Wrapping Up

In this guide, we have shown you "How To Install Recon-ng on Kali Linux Instance with Vagrant on Local Machine".