EWB COURSES PRESENTS

CYBERSECURITY LAB SETUP

Build Your Own Virtual Hacking Lab with VirtualBox

Kali Linux · Parrot OS · Metasploitable 2

BEGINNER ~2 HOURS 100% FREE – NO CLOUD BILLS WINDOWS 10 / 11

TRAINER Bhanu Prakash

EDITION June 2026
VERIFIED CURRENT FOR June 2026
LEVEL Absolute Beginner

LEARN. ELEVATE. EMPOWER.

[Link] · EWB Courses · For classroom & self-study use
EWB COURSES Contents

Lab Contents
Tap any line below to jump straight to that section.

Part 0 · Lab Overview & Before You Start [EASY] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Part 1 · Install Oracle VirtualBox [MEDIUM] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Part 2 · Install the Extension Pack & Verify [EASY] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Part 3 · Check Virtualization Is Enabled [MEDIUM] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Part 4 · File Formats: OVA, VDI, VMDK, ISO [EASY] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Part 5 · Set Up Kali Linux (VDI method) [MEDIUM] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Part 6 · Set Up Parrot OS (OVA method) [EASY] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Part 7 · Set Up Metasploitable 2 (VMDK) + Safety [TRICKY] . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Part 8 · Install Parrot OS from an ISO (full install) [TRICKY] . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Part 9 · Fullscreen, Guest Additions & RAM [MEDIUM] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Clean Up · Cleanup & Termination — Delete Everything You Created [EASY] . 31

Wrap-Up · Quick Reference Card [EASY] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Reference · All Troubleshooting — In One Place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Reference · Common Mistakes to Avoid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Reference · Knowledge Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Reference · What’s Next — Learning Path . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

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EWB COURSES Contents

PART 0 · START HERE EASY

Lab Overview & Before You Start

Step 1 of 12 · 8% complete | This section: ~5 min · Time remaining: ~125 min

Welcome! By the end of this guide you'll have your very own
cybersecurity practice lab running on your Windows computer —
completely free, completely offline, and completely safe to break and
rebuild. We'll install Oracle VirtualBox and then set up three machines
inside it.

WHAT YOU’LL ACHIEVE

You will build a self-contained virtual lab with four practice machines, set
up four different ways so you learn every method:
• Kali Linux — your main attacker machine (set up from a VDI file)
• Parrot OS Security — a second attacker machine (set up from an
OVA file)
• Metasploitable 2 — a deliberately weak target machine (from a
VMDK file)
• Parrot OS (again) — a full install from an ISO file, so you learn the
long method too

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EWB COURSES Lab Overview

Your Lab Roadmap

# What we'll do Method / Tool ~Time

1 Lab overview & prerequisites Read & check 5 min

2 Install VirtualBox (+ Visual C++ fix) VirtualBox 7.2.x 15 min

3 Install the Extension Pack & verify VirtualBox 5 min

4 Check virtualization is enabled Task Manager / BIOS 10 min

Understand file formats

5 Concept 5 min
(OVA/VDI/VMDK/ISO)

6 Set up Kali Linux VDI file 10 min

7 Set up Parrot OS OVA file 10 min

8 Set up Metasploitable 2 (+ safety) VMDK file 10 min

9 Install Parrot OS from scratch ISO file 30 min

1 Fullscreen & Guest Additions + RAM

Inside the VMs 10 min
0 tips

11 Clean up & delete everything VirtualBox 10 min

⚠ RESOURCE & “COST” ALERT — PLEASE READ

Good news: VirtualBox and all three machine images are 100% free. There
are no cloud bills and nothing to cancel.
The real “cost” of this lab is disk space and memory (RAM) on your own
computer:
• Downloads are large: Parrot OVA ~9.6 GB, Parrot ISO ~7.8 GB, Kali ~3–4
GB, Metasploitable ~865 MB.
• Once set up, the VMs together can use 40–80 GB of disk.
• So keep 80–120 GB free before you start, and follow the Cleanup section
at the end to get that space back when you're done.
TIP: store your VMs on a D: or E: drive if you have one, to keep your C:
(Windows) drive healthy.

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EWB COURSES Lab Overview

Before You Start — Prerequisites

Tick these off before page 2. If something is missing, fix it first — it will save
you a lot of pain later.

CHECKLIST

[ ] A Windows 10 or Windows 11 (64-bit) computer (you are the admin).

[ ] At least 8 GB RAM (16 GB strongly recommended to run two machines
at once).
[ ] 80–120 GB free disk space (check This PC › right-click C: ›
Properties).
[ ] A processor from roughly 2016 or newer (Intel i3/i5/i7/i9 or AMD).
[ ] Virtualization (VT-x / AMD-V) enabled in BIOS — we verify this in Part
4.
[ ] A stable internet connection of ~15 Mbps or faster (downloads are
big).
[ ] 7-Zip installed (free, from [Link]) to open the Kali .7z file.

⚠ APPLE SILICON MACS (M1 / M2 / M3) — IMPORTANT

This guide is for Windows on Intel/AMD computers. If you are on an Apple

Silicon Mac (M1/M2/M3), the x86 images here will not run in VirtualBox (you'll
see “VBox Platform architecture not supported”). Use UTM or Parallels with
ARM images instead, or follow this lab on a Windows PC.

TERMS YOU’LL SEE IN THIS SECTION

Virtualization = running a whole second computer (a “guest”) as a

window inside your real computer (the “host”)
Think: like running an emulator — a full PC inside a window on your PC

Host machine = your real computer (your Windows laptop/PC)

Think: the building that holds the rooms

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EWB COURSES Lab Overview

Guest machine / VM = the virtual computer running inside VirtualBox

(Kali, Parrot, etc.)
Think: a room inside the building

Hypervisor = the software that creates and runs VMs — here, VirtualBox
Think: the building manager

SECTION SUMMARY

What you just did:

✓ Understood what you'll build and why
✓ Confirmed your PC meets the prerequisites
✓ Noted the disk-space “cost” and the cleanup plan

What you have now:

• A plan: VirtualBox + 4 practice machines (VDI, OVA, VMDK, ISO)
• 80–120 GB free disk space ready to go

Next: Let's install VirtualBox — the engine that runs everything.

PART 1 · INSTALL THE ENGINE MEDIUM

Install Oracle VirtualBox

Step 2 of 12 · 17% complete | This section: ~15 min · Time remaining: ~120 min

WHAT IS VIRTUALBOX?

VirtualBox is a free Oracle program that lets one computer run other
computers inside it. We install it once on Windows, then run Kali, Parrot,
and Metasploitable as windows on your desktop. We use VirtualBox
because it is free, open-source, and beginner-friendly.

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EWB COURSES Install VirtualBox

Step 2.1 — Download VirtualBox

1. Open your browser and go to: [Link]
2. Click Download VirtualBox, then under VirtualBox 7.2.x platform
packages click Windows hosts.
3. Save the file (it looks like VirtualBox-7.2.x-...-[Link]) to your
Downloads folder.

WHAT YOU SHOULD SEE

On the VirtualBox download page you should see a list of “platform

packages” with links for Windows hosts, macOS / Apple Silicon hosts,
and Linux distributions. You want Windows hosts.

Step 2.2 — Run the installer

Right-click the downloaded file › Run as administrator › on the User
Account Control (UAC) pop-up, click Yes.

⚠ COMMON ISSUE HERE — “Visual C++ 2019” error

Many students see a box like: “Oracle VirtualBox 7.2.x needs the Microsoft
Visual C++ 2019 Redistributable Package being installed first.”
Why: VirtualBox 7.x on Windows needs a small Microsoft runtime that
may be missing on your PC. This is normal — don't panic.
Fix (only if you see this error):
1. Download the official Microsoft runtime (64-bit) from this exact
link:

[Link]

2. Right-click vc_redist.[Link] › Run as administrator › Yes.

3. Tick “I agree to the license terms” › click Install.

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EWB COURSES Install VirtualBox

4. If it asks you to restart, you can usually continue without restarting

— but restart if VirtualBox still won't install.
5. Now go back and run the VirtualBox installer again.

Step 2.3 — Click through the wizard

Follow the wizard in this exact order — the defaults are correct:

Screen What to do

Welcome to the Oracle VirtualBox Setup

Click Next
Wizard

License Agreement Choose I accept the terms › Next

Custom Setup (features / location) Leave defaults › Next

Network Interfaces warning Click Yes (your network will blink briefly)

Missing Dependencies Python (if shown) Click Yes to continue

Ready to Install Click Install › Yes on UAC

Leave Start VirtualBox after installation

Finished
ticked › Finish

WHAT IF…

Q: What if it asks for “Basic” or “Expert” mode later?

A: When you reach the VM screens, always choose Expert mode — it
shows all the options we need in this guide.
Q: What if Windows SmartScreen blocks the installer?
A: Click More info › Run anyway. The file is the official Oracle installer you
downloaded from [Link].
Q: What if my network disconnects during install?
A: That's expected — VirtualBox briefly resets network adapters. It comes
back on its own.

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EWB COURSES Install VirtualBox

✓ CHECKPOINT

VirtualBox opens and you see the VirtualBox Manager window with a left
panel (empty machine list) and a friendly welcome message on the right. If
it opened — you nailed it! ✓

SOMETHING WENT WRONG? (Rollback)

If the install failed or VirtualBox won't open:

1. Open Settings › Apps › Installed apps, find Oracle VirtualBox,
and click Uninstall.
2. Restart your PC.
3. Install the Visual C++ 2019 x64 runtime (Step 2.2) first, then re-run
the VirtualBox installer.

SECTION SUMMARY

What you just did:

✓ Downloaded VirtualBox for Windows
✓ Installed the Visual C++ runtime (if needed)
✓ Ran the installer and launched VirtualBox Manager

What you have now:

• VirtualBox 7.2.x installed and open on your desktop

Next: Next we add the Extension Pack so VMs can use USB devices and
your webcam.

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EWB COURSES Extension Pack

PART 2 · ADD SUPERPOWERS EASY

Install the Extension Pack & Verify

Step 3 of 12 · 25% complete | This section: ~5 min · Time remaining: ~105 min

TERMS YOU’LL SEE IN THIS SECTION

Extension Pack = a free Oracle add-on installed into VirtualBox on your

host
Think: an accessory kit that unlocks extra ports on the machine

Guest Additions = different thing — installed INSIDE a VM for fullscreen

& clipboard (Part 10)
Think: tools you install inside the room, not on the building

WHY DO I NEED IT?

The Extension Pack lets your virtual machines use USB 2.0/3.0 devices
(like a USB pen-drive or external hard disk), your webcam, and
remote-desktop features. Without it, those are unavailable. It's a
one-time install.

Step 3.1 — Download

On the same [Link] download page, find VirtualBox 7.2.x Oracle
VM VirtualBox Extension Pack and click All supported platforms. Click
Accept and download. The file is named like
Oracle_VirtualBox_Extension_Pack-[Link]-extpack (a green box
icon).

⚠ VERSIONS MUST MATCH

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EWB COURSES Extension Pack

The Extension Pack version must match your VirtualBox version (e.g. 7.2.x
with 7.2.x). If they differ, download the matching one. Never install an
Extension Pack from an unofficial site — only [Link].

Step 3.2 — Install

1. Go to your Downloads folder and double-click the .vbox-extpack

file (green box).
2. VirtualBox opens and asks to install — click Install.
3. Scroll to the bottom of the licence and click I Agree › Yes on UAC.
4. You'll see “The Extension Pack was installed successfully.”

Step 3.3 — Verify it's installed

In VirtualBox Manager, go to: File › Tools › Extension Pack Manager

WHAT YOU SHOULD SEE

You should see one entry: Oracle VM VirtualBox Extension Pack with a
green tick / “Active” status. One row with a tick = success.

⚠ COMMON ISSUE — “Install” does nothing / wrong version

If double-clicking does nothing, open VirtualBox first, then go to File ›

Tools › Extension Pack Manager and click Install (folder icon), and
choose the .vbox-extpack file manually.
If you see a version mismatch error, your Extension Pack doesn't match
VirtualBox — download the matching version from [Link].

✓ CHECKPOINT

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EWB COURSES Extension Pack

Extension Pack Manager shows one Extension Pack with a green/active

tick. ✓

SECTION SUMMARY

What you just did:

✓ Downloaded the matching Extension Pack
✓ Installed it and accepted the licence
✓ Verified it under File › Tools › Extension Pack Manager

What you have now:

• VirtualBox + Extension Pack fully installed and ready

Next: Before creating any VM, we must confirm virtualization is switched

on.

PART 3 · PRE-FLIGHT CHECK MEDIUM

Check Virtualization Is Enabled

Step 4 of 12 · 33% complete | This section: ~10 min · Time remaining: ~100 min

WHY THIS MATTERS

Virtual machines need a CPU feature called VT-x (Intel) or AMD-V (AMD).
If it's switched off, your VMs either won't start or will be painfully slow.
Let's confirm it's on before we build anything.

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EWB COURSES Virtualization Check

Step 4.1 — Check in Task Manager

1. Right-click the taskbar › click Task Manager (or press Ctrl + Shift +
Esc).
2. Click the Performance tab on the left.
3. Click CPU.
4. Look at the bottom-right for Virtualization.

WHAT YOU SHOULD SEE

At the bottom you'll see Base speed, Sockets, Cores, Logical

processors, and Virtualization. You want it to say Virtualization:
Enabled.
If it says Enabled — great, skip to Part 4.3. If it says Disabled, do Step 4.2
first.

Step 4.2 — If it says “Disabled”: enable it in BIOS

This setting lives in your computer's BIOS/UEFI (the screen before
Windows loads). The exact name varies by brand, so search for your
model:

# Search this on Google/YouTube for your exact laptop/PC:

how to enable virtualization in <your laptop brand & model>

WHAT IT'S USUALLY CALLED IN BIOS

• Intel: Intel Virtualization Technology / VT-x / Intel VMX

• AMD: SVM Mode / AMD-V
Set it to Enabled, then Save & Exit (usually F10). You'll restart back into
Windows. Re-check Task Manager — it should now say Enabled.

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EWB COURSES Virtualization Check

Step 4.3 — Windows 11: the #1 “slow / frozen VM” fix

⚠ READ THIS IF YOUR VMs ARE SUPER SLOW OR WON'T START

On Windows 11, Microsoft features called Core Isolation / Memory

Integrity and Hyper-V quietly take over virtualization and make VirtualBox
VMs crawl or freeze. This is the most common Windows 11 lab problem. If your
VMs misbehave, do this:
A) Turn off Memory Integrity:
• Open Windows Security › Device security › Core isolation details ›
turn Memory integrity OFF › restart.
B) Turn off Hyper-V Windows features:
• Open “Turn Windows features on or off” › untick Hyper-V, Virtual
Machine Platform, and Windows Hypervisor Platform › OK › restart.

WHAT IF…

Q: What if I can't find the Virtualization line in Task Manager?

A: Make the Task Manager window bigger, or check under the CPU graph's
bottom area. On some builds it's labelled inside CPU details. If truly
absent, your CPU info may be hidden by a policy — the BIOS check in Step
4.2 is the reliable confirmation.
Q: What if enabling it in BIOS didn't stick?
A: Some PCs also need Secure Boot changes or a BIOS update. Re-enter
BIOS and confirm the setting saved. Laptops sometimes reset it after a
battery-drain shutdown.

✓ CHECKPOINT

Task Manager › Performance › CPU shows Virtualization: Enabled. You're

cleared for takeoff. ✓

SECTION SUMMARY

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EWB COURSES Virtualization Check

What you just did:

✓ Checked Virtualization in Task Manager
✓ Enabled VT-x/AMD-V in BIOS if it was off
✓ Knew the Windows 11 Memory Integrity / Hyper-V fix

What you have now:

• A host PC that's ready to run virtual machines properly

Next: Now a quick concept break: the four file formats you'll meet.

PART 4 · CONCEPT BREAK EASY

File Formats: OVA, VDI, VMDK, ISO

Step 5 of 12 · 42% complete | This section: ~5 min · Time remaining: ~90 min

Throughout the course you'll receive machines in different file formats.

Each one is set up a little differently. Here's the plain-English version so
the next sections make sense.

Form
Full name What it is How you set it up
at

Open Virtualization A complete, ready-made Double-click › Import

OVA
Archive machine in one file — easiest

Only the virtual hard disk New VM › use

VDI Virtual Disk Image
(VirtualBox's own) existing hard disk

Virtual Machine A hard disk in VMware's New VM › use

VMDK
Disk format (works in VBox too) existing hard disk

A raw installer, like a setup New VM › boot it › full

ISO Optical Disk Image
DVD install

THE 10-SECOND SUMMARY

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EWB COURSES File Formats

• OVA = a fully-built machine. Fastest. (We use it for Parrot.)

• VDI / VMDK = just a ready-made disk; you wrap a quick VM around it.
(Kali = VDI, Metasploitable = VMDK.)
• ISO = build from scratch like installing Windows. Slowest, most
control. (We do Parrot this way to learn it.)

TIP

You don't need to memorise this — just know that when we say “use an
existing virtual hard disk” that's for VDI/VMDK, and “double-click to
import” is for OVA. The steps spell it all out.

SECTION SUMMARY

What you just did:

✓ Learned the 4 formats: OVA, VDI, VMDK, ISO
✓ Learned which method each one uses

What you have now:

• The mental model to set up any machine you're given later

Next: Time to build! First machine: Kali Linux from a VDI file.

PART 5 · MACHINE 1 OF 4 MEDIUM

Set Up Kali Linux (VDI method)

Step 6 of 12 · 50% complete | This section: ~10 min · Time remaining: ~85 min

WHAT IS KALI LINUX?

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EWB COURSES Kali Linux (VDI)

Kali Linux is a Debian-based Linux loaded with hundreds of hacking and

penetration-testing tools. It will be your main attacker machine for the
course.

Step 6.1 — Download the prebuilt Kali VirtualBox image

1. Go to [Link]/get-kali › click Virtual Machines.

2. Under VirtualBox, click the 64-bit download. You'll get a .7z file
(e.g. kali-linux-2026.x-virtualbox-amd64.7z).
3. Right-click the .7z › 7-Zip › Extract to “kali-linux…\”. (No 7-Zip?
Install it free from [Link].)
4. Open the extracted folder — inside you'll find a .vbox file and a .vdi
file.

TIP

Fast path: you can simply double-click the .vbox file (or use Machine ›
Add and pick the .vbox) and Kali appears instantly — done. But below we
use the VDI method on purpose, so you learn how to attach a disk
yourself (you'll need this skill for other machines).

Step 6.2 — Create the VM and attach the VDI

In VirtualBox, click Machine › New, then fill in exactly:

Field Enter exactly this

Name Kali Linux

Your lab folder, e.g. D:\CyberLab\VMs (or leave

Folder
default)

Type Linux

Subtype Debian

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EWB COURSES Kali Linux (VDI)

Field Enter exactly this

Version Debian (64-bit)

Hardware – Base Memory 4096 MB (use 2048 MB if your PC has only 8 GB RAM)

Hard Disk Choose Use an existing virtual hard disk file

1. Click the folder icon next to “Use an existing virtual hard disk file.”
2. In the picker, click Add, browse to the extracted Kali folder, select
the .vdi file, click Open › Choose.
3. Click Finish. Kali now appears in your machine list. Don't start it yet
— we'll start machines after they're all built.

DEFAULT LOGIN (write this down)

Username: kali · Password: kali

⚠ COMMON ISSUE — it asks for an ISO / says “repair”

If the wizard asks for an ISO, ignore it — you're attaching a disk, not
installing. Just make sure you picked Use an existing virtual hard disk
file and selected the .vdi.
If VirtualBox shows a “repair” prompt, click Repair and, if asked, restart —
then try again.

SOMETHING WENT WRONG? (Rollback)

Made a mistake? Right-click the VM › Remove › Remove only (keeps

your .vdi file safe) and redo Step 6.2. Choose Delete all files only if you
want to wipe the VM completely.

✓ CHECKPOINT

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EWB COURSES Kali Linux (VDI)

A machine named Kali Linux appears in the left list, showing Powered Off,
with the Debian icon. ✓

SECTION SUMMARY

What you just did:

✓ Downloaded & extracted the Kali .7z
✓ Created a VM and attached the existing .vdi disk
✓ Noted the kali / kali login

What you have now:

• VM Kali Linux (Debian 64-bit) ready in VirtualBox

Next: Next: Parrot OS the easy way — a one-click OVA import.

PART 6 · MACHINE 2 OF 4 EASY

Set Up Parrot OS (OVA method)

Step 7 of 12 · 58% complete | This section: ~10 min · Time remaining: ~75 min

WHAT IS PARROT OS?

Parrot Security OS is another Debian-based security distro — a great

alternative to Kali with a similar toolset. It'll be your secondary machine.
We install it the easiest way: importing a ready-made OVA.

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EWB COURSES Parrot OS (OVA)

Step 7.1 — Download the Parrot OVA (Security Edition)

1. Go to [Link]/download.
2. Choose Security Edition (not Home — Security has the tools).
3. Pick the Virtual / VirtualBox (OVA) download for AMD64. Current
version is 7.2; the file is large (~9.6 GB).
4. Wait for the full download — a half-finished OVA won't import.

Step 7.2 — Import (the easy part!)

1. Double-click the downloaded .ova file (or in VirtualBox: File ›

Import Appliance).
2. An Import Virtual Appliance window opens showing the settings.
You can leave everything as-is.
3. Click Finish and watch Importing appliance… progress.
4. When it finishes, Parrot appears in your machine list.

WHAT YOU SHOULD SEE

During import you'll see a progress bar labelled Importing appliance ….

This can take a few minutes because the OVA contains a complete
operating system. When it's done, the progress bar disappears and the
VM is in your list.

DEFAULT LOGIN (write this down)

Username: parrot · Password: parrot

(If those ever don't work for a future version, the credentials shown on the Parrot
download page are the source of truth.)

WHAT IF…

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EWB COURSES Parrot OS (OVA)

Q: Why is OVA slower to set up than the VDI was?

A: An OVA is a whole machine (settings + disk), so VirtualBox has to
unpack and import all of it. A VDI is just a disk you attach — less to do, so
it's quicker.
Q: What if import fails part-way?
A: Usually the download was incomplete or disk space ran out.
Re-download the OVA and make sure you have enough free space (the
OVA needs room to expand).

✓ CHECKPOINT

A machine named Parrot (or Parrot-Security) shows Powered Off in your

list, alongside Kali Linux. ✓

SECTION SUMMARY

What you just did:

✓ Downloaded the Parrot Security OVA
✓ Imported it with double-click › Finish
✓ Noted the parrot / parrot login

What you have now:

• VM Parrot ready
• Two attacker machines now in your list (Kali + Parrot)

Next: Now the target machine: Metasploitable 2 — plus an important

safety rule.

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EWB COURSES Metasploitable (VMDK)

PART 7 · MACHINE 3 OF 4 TRICKY

Set Up Metasploitable 2 (VMDK) +

Safety

Step 8 of 12 · 67% complete | This section: ~10 min · Time remaining: ~65 min

WHAT IS METASPLOITABLE 2?

Metasploitable 2 is a Linux machine that is deliberately full of

weaknesses. It's your legal, safe practice target — you attack it, not real
websites. Practising attacks on systems you don't own is a crime; this VM
exists so you never have to.

⚠ SAFETY & LEGAL — NON-NEGOTIABLE

Metasploitable is intentionally insecure, so it must never touch the open

internet or your home/college network.
• Keep its network set to NAT or Host-Only — never Bridged.
• Never enable port forwarding to it or expose it publicly.
• Only attack it from your own Kali/Parrot VMs, for learning.

Step 8.1 — Download & extract

1. Go to [Link]/projects/metasploitable › click Download

(file: [Link], ~865 MB).
2. Right-click the ZIP › Extract All (or 7-Zip › Extract).
3. Open the folder — inside is a .vmdk file (plus other files; don't touch
them).

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EWB COURSES Metasploitable (VMDK)

Step 8.2 — Create the VM and attach the VMDK

Click Machine › New and enter exactly:

Field Enter exactly this

Name Metasploitable2

Type Linux

Subtype Ubuntu

Version Ubuntu (64-bit)

Base Memory 2048 MB (leave as-is — it doesn't need much)

Hard Disk Choose Use an existing virtual hard disk file

1. Click the folder icon › Add › select the .vmdk file › Open ›
Choose.
2. Click Finish.
3. Select the VM › Settings › Network › confirm Attached to: NAT
(or Host-Only). Not Bridged.

DEFAULT LOGIN (write this down)

Username: msfadmin · Password: msfadmin

⚠ COMMON ISSUE — wrong subtype

Metasploitable 2 is Ubuntu-based, so set Subtype to Ubuntu (not

Debian like Kali/Parrot). Picking the wrong subtype can cause boot
oddities.

SOMETHING WENT WRONG? (Rollback)

If you attached the wrong file, right-click the VM › Remove › Remove

only, then redo Step 8.2 and pick the correct .vmdk.

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EWB COURSES Metasploitable (VMDK)

✓ CHECKPOINT

A VM named Metasploitable2 shows Powered Off, network set to

NAT/Host-Only. You now have 3 machines listed. ✓

SECTION SUMMARY

What you just did:

✓ Downloaded & extracted Metasploitable 2
✓ Created an Ubuntu VM and attached the .vmdk
✓ Set the network to NAT/Host-Only (never Bridged)
✓ Noted the msfadmin / msfadmin login

What you have now:

• VM Metasploitable2 ready as your safe target

Next: Last build: install Parrot from scratch using an ISO.

PART 8 · MACHINE 4 OF 4 TRICKY

Install Parrot OS from an ISO (full

install)

Step 9 of 12 · 75% complete | This section: ~30 min · Time remaining: ~55 min

WHY DO THIS IF WE ALREADY HAVE PARROT?

We don't need a second Parrot — but installing from an ISO teaches you
the full “from scratch” method (like installing Windows). Later in the
course you'll get ISO-only machines, so this is essential practice. This is
the longest section — take your time.

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EWB COURSES Parrot from ISO

Step 9.1 — Download the Parrot ISO

On [Link]/download, choose Security Edition › the ISO
download (Live/Install) for AMD64 (~7.8 GB).

Step 9.2 — Create an empty VM

Click Machine › New and enter exactly:

Field Enter exactly this

Name ParrotSec-ISO

Type Linux

Subtype Debian

Version Debian (64-bit)

Base Memory 4096 MB (2048 MB if you only have 8 GB RAM)

Hard Disk Create a virtual hard disk now › size 50 GB

TIP

Storing on a small C: drive? Click the folder icon on the disk step and
point it to D:\CyberLab\VMs (or another drive) before clicking Finish.

Step 9.3 — Attach the ISO and boot

1. Select ParrotSec-ISO › Settings (make sure it's in Expert mode).

2. Go to Storage › under Controller: IDE click the Empty disc icon.
3. On the right, click the small disc icon › Choose a disk file… › select
the Parrot .iso › Open › OK.
4. Select the VM › Start. On the boot menu choose Try / Install and
press Enter.

TIP

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EWB COURSES Parrot from ISO

To toggle fullscreen at any time: press Right Ctrl + F (the Ctrl key on the
right side of your keyboard), then Enter if prompted.

Step 9.4 — Run the installer

Once the desktop loads, double-click Install Debian (or “Install Parrot”)
and follow the screens in this order, entering exactly these values:

Installer screen What to choose / enter

Welcome / language Leave default › Next

Location / time zone Asia / Kolkata › Next

Keyboard English (US) › Next

Choose Erase disk › Next (safe — it's only the empty 50

Partitions
GB)

Your name EWB Student

Username (login) ewbuser

Computer / host name parrot-lab

Password Parrot@Lab123! (leave “log in automatically” UNticked)

Summary Click Install › Install now

WHAT YOU SHOULD SEE

Installation shows a progress percentage and can take 10–30 minutes

depending on your PC — this is normal. Don't stop it; if you stop, you start
over.

Step 9.5 — First boot: remove the ISO (important!)

When it says installation is complete, it restarts. Just like unplugging a
setup USB after installing Windows, you must remove the ISO or it boots
the installer again.

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EWB COURSES Parrot from ISO

1. If it reboots into the installer again, exit fullscreen (Right Ctrl + F)

and power off the machine.
2. Select the VM › Settings › Storage › click the Parrot .iso under the
IDE controller.
3. Click the disc icon › Remove Disk from Virtual Drive (or set it to
Leave Empty) › OK.
4. Start the VM again — it now boots your installed Parrot and asks for
your password (Parrot@Lab123!).

⚠ DO NOT INSTALL UPDATES YET

On first boot Parrot may ask to check for / install updates. Click No / Skip.
Updating now can break tool packages you'll need later. Only update when
your trainer says so.

WHAT IF…

Q: What if it keeps booting the installer over and over?

A: The ISO is still attached. Power off and remove it (Step 9.5). The VM
must boot from its hard disk, not the disc.
Q: What if the installer is stuck at a low % for ages?
A: Large ISOs install slowly on modest PCs. Give it up to ~30 minutes. As
long as the % moves occasionally, it's working.
Q: What if I forget the password I set?
A: Easiest fix for a lab VM: delete it and reinstall — you've just practised
the whole process anyway! Use Parrot@Lab123! exactly as written to
avoid this.

SOMETHING WENT WRONG? (Rollback)

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Install gone wrong? Power off › right-click the VM › Remove › Delete all
files, then redo from Step 9.2. Because the disk was empty, you lose
nothing important.

✓ CHECKPOINT

ParrotSec-ISO boots to a login screen (no more “Install” option), and you
log in with ewbuser / Parrot@Lab123!. That's a full from-scratch install —
big achievement! ✓

SECTION SUMMARY

What you just did:

✓ Created an empty 50 GB VM and attached the ISO
✓ Ran the full installer with exact values
✓ Removed the ISO and booted the installed system
✓ Skipped updates (on purpose)

What you have now:

• VM ParrotSec-ISO — a real, installed Parrot you built yourself
• All four machines now created!

Next: Let's make them comfortable: fullscreen, clipboard, and RAM tips.

PART 9 · MAKE IT COMFORTABLE MEDIUM

Fullscreen, Guest Additions & RAM

Step 10 of 12 · 83% complete | This section: ~10 min · Time remaining: ~25 min

TERMS YOU’LL SEE IN THIS SECTION

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EWB COURSES Fullscreen & RAM

Guest Additions = drivers installed INSIDE a VM for fullscreen, shared

clipboard, and smooth mouse
Think: installing the right drivers so the screen fits nicely

Shared Clipboard = copy on host, paste in guest (and back) when

enabled
Think: a tray you can pass notes through both ways

Step 10.1 — Fullscreen

Start a VM, then press Right Ctrl + F to toggle fullscreen. Press it again to
come back. If a small banner appears, press Enter.

⚠ COMMON ISSUE — stuck in a tiny window

If the screen won't resize, power off the VM and do this:

1. Select the VM › Settings › Display › set Video Memory to 128 MB
› OK, then start again.
2. Still small? Install Guest Additions (Step 10.2).

Step 10.2 — Install Guest Additions (Kali / Parrot)

These Debian-based machines get fullscreen + clipboard from a small
package. Open a Terminal inside the running VM and run:

# inside Kali or Parrot (not on Windows):

sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y virtualbox-guest-x11
sudo reboot

LINE BY LINE

sudo apt update → refresh the list of available software

&& → “and then” — run the next part only if the first worked

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EWB COURSES Fullscreen & RAM

sudo apt install -y virtualbox-guest-x11 → install the Guest Additions

package (-y = auto-yes)
sudo reboot → restart the VM so the new drivers load

TIP

To enable copy-paste between Windows and the VM: with the VM

selected, Settings › General › Advanced › set Shared Clipboard:
Bidirectional.
Prefer not to use the terminal? In a running VM you can also click the
menu Devices › Insert Guest Additions CD image and run the installer
from the inserted CD.

Step 10.3 — Golden rule: don't start everything at once

⚠ PROTECT YOUR HOST PC's MEMORY

Each running VM eats real RAM from your laptop. Starting all of them
together can freeze your whole computer.
• Start one or two VMs at a time (e.g. Kali + Metasploitable).
• Power off VMs you're not using (inside the VM, or right-click › Close ›
Power Off).
• 8 GB host RAM? Run just one VM at a time and keep it at 2048 MB.

✓ CHECKPOINT

At least one VM goes fullscreen and (after Guest Additions) resizes

smoothly. You know to run only 1–2 VMs at once. ✓

SECTION SUMMARY

What you just did:

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EWB COURSES Fullscreen & RAM

✓ Toggled fullscreen with Right Ctrl + F

✓ Installed Guest Additions on Kali/Parrot
✓ Enabled bidirectional clipboard
✓ Learned safe RAM habits

What you have now:

• Comfortable, full-screen VMs with copy-paste
• A lab you can actually work in

Next: Everything works! Now the most important habit: cleaning up.

CLEAN UP · RECLAIM YOUR SPACE EASY

Cleanup & Termination — Delete

Everything You Created

Step 11 of 12 · 92% complete | This section: ~10 min · Time remaining: ~15 min

⚠ WHY THIS MATTERS

These VMs and their disks can occupy 40–80 GB of your hard drive. Unlike
the cloud there's no monthly bill — but they will silently eat your disk space
until your PC slows down or runs out of room. When you're done practising
(or before a deadline space-crunch), clean up properly.

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EWB COURSES Cleanup & Termination

Method 1 — Delete a VM from VirtualBox (normal way)

1. Open VirtualBox. In the left list, right-click a machine (e.g. Kali

Linux).
2. If it's running, choose Close › Power Off first.
3. Right-click › Remove…
4. Choose Delete all files — this deletes the VM and its virtual disk,
freeing the space.
5. Repeat for Parrot, Metasploitable2, and ParrotSec-ISO.

⚠ “Remove only” vs “Delete all files”

Delete all files = removes the VM and erases its disk (frees space) — use
this for full cleanup. Remove only = forgets the VM but leaves the big disk
file on your drive (space NOT freed). For real cleanup, choose Delete all
files.

Method 2 — If a VM won't delete: remove leftovers by

hand
Sometimes a disk stays “registered” or a file is left behind. Clear them in
this order:

1. Detach the disk: File › Tools › Virtual Media Manager — select the
disk › Release › then Remove.
2. Delete the VM folder: open your lab folder (e.g. D:\CyberLab\VMs)
and delete the machine's folder.
3. Empty the Recycle Bin to actually reclaim the disk space.

Method 3 — Command line (advanced, optional)

Prefer the terminal? Open PowerShell on Windows and run:

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# list all your VMs and their names

"C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox\[Link]" list vms
# delete one VM AND its disk files (repeat per machine)
"C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox\[Link]" unregistervm
"Kali Linux" --delete

LINE BY LINE

VBoxManage list vms → prints every VM name VirtualBox knows about

unregistervm "Kali Linux" → removes that VM (use the exact name in
quotes)
--delete → also deletes its disk files, so the space is actually freed

Verification Checklist — confirm it's all gone

CONFIRM EVERYTHING IS DELETED

[ ] VirtualBox machine list is empty (no Kali, Parrot, Metasploitable,

ParrotSec-ISO).
[ ] File › Tools › Virtual Media Manager shows no leftover disks (.vdi /
.vmdk).
[ ] Your lab folder (D:\CyberLab\VMs) has no machine folders left.
[ ] You emptied the Recycle Bin.
[ ] Optional: also delete the big downloads (the .7z, .ova, .iso, .zip files)
from your Downloads folder.
[ ] Disk space went back up (This PC › right-click C:/D: › Properties).

OFTEN-MISSED LEFTOVERS

• Standalone disk files still listed in the Virtual Media Manager —

Release then Remove.

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• Snapshots (if you made any) — they keep extra disk copies; delete
the VM with Delete all files to clear them.
• The original downloads (9.6 GB OVA, 7.8 GB ISO, etc.) — these alone
can be 20+ GB.

PLATFORM NOTE — LOCAL / VIRTUALBOX LABS

• Power off every VM, then Remove › Delete all files for each.
• Delete leftover virtual disks (.vdi / .vmdk) in the Virtual Media
Manager.
• Remove any snapshots and any custom Host-Only networks you
added.
• Delete the source downloads and empty the Recycle Bin to free
space.

✓ You're done! All machines and disks are deleted, and your computer is
back to its original state with the space reclaimed.

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WRAP-UP · KEEP THIS PAGE EASY

Quick Reference Card

Step 12 of 12 · 100% complete | This section: ~5 min · Time remaining: ~5 min

One-page cheat sheet for the whole lab — print it or keep it open.

Machines you created

Machine Format / Method Login (user / pass) Role

Attacker
Kali Linux VDI – attach disk kali / kali
(main)

Parrot OVA – import parrot / parrot Attacker (2nd)

Metasploitable2 VMDK – attach disk msfadmin / msfadmin Target (safe)

ParrotSec-ISO ISO – full install ewbuser / Parrot@Lab123! Practice install

Key facts & shortcuts

Item Value

VirtualBox version 7.2.x (Windows host)

Visual C++ runtime (if needed) [Link]

Toggle fullscreen Right Ctrl + F

Verify Extension Pack File › Tools › Extension Pack Manager

Verify virtualization Task Manager › Performance › CPU

Guest Additions (Kali/Parrot) sudo apt install -y virtualbox-guest-x11

Metasploitable network NAT or Host-Only — NEVER Bridged

Lab folder (suggested) D:\CyberLab\VMs

Cleanup Right-click VM › Remove › Delete all files

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EWB COURSES Troubleshooting

All Troubleshooting — In One Place

Every common problem from this guide, gathered here for quick lookup.

Symptom Likely cause Fix

Installer says “Visual Install vc_redist.[Link] (Part 2.2),

Missing MS runtime
C++ 2019 needed” then re-run VirtualBox installer

VMs very slow or Core Isolation / Turn off Memory Integrity + Hyper-V
freeze (Windows 11) Hyper-V on features, restart (Part 4.3)

VM won't start / “VT-x Virtualization off in Enable VT-x / AMD-V (SVM) in BIOS,
not available” BIOS save & exit (Part 4.2)

“Architecture not Apple Silicon Use UTM/Parallels with ARM images,

supported” (M1/M2/M3) or a Windows PC

Screen stuck in tiny No Guest Additions Right Ctrl+F; set Video Memory 128
window / low video RAM MB; install Guest Additions (Part 10)

Extension Pack won't Download the Extension Pack

Version mismatch
install matching your VirtualBox version

VM keeps booting the Power off; Settings › Storage ›

ISO still attached
installer remove the ISO (Part 9.5)

Too many VMs Run only 1–2 VMs; power off the rest
Whole PC freezes
running (Part 10.3)

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

✗ Forgetting to install the Visual C++ runtime before VirtualBox.
✗ Choosing the wrong Subtype (Metasploitable is Ubuntu, Kali/Parrot
are Debian).
✗ Leaving the ISO attached after installing (it boots the installer forever).
✗ Setting Metasploitable's network to Bridged — unsafe; use
NAT/Host-Only.
✗ Updating Parrot on first boot — wait until your trainer says so.
✗ Starting all VMs at once and freezing the host.
✗ Using Remove only at cleanup and wondering why disk space didn't
return.

Knowledge Check
Quick self-test — answers at the bottom. No peeking!

1. What's the difference between the Extension Pack and Guest

Additions?
2. Which file format is a complete, ready-made machine you just import?
3. Where do you check that virtualization is enabled in Windows?
4. Why must Metasploitable 2 never be on a Bridged/public network?
5. At cleanup, which option actually frees disk space?

Answers: 1) Extension Pack installs into VirtualBox on the host (USB/webcam); Guest
Additions install inside a VM (fullscreen/clipboard). 2) OVA. 3) Task Manager ›
Performance › CPU › Virtualization. 4) It's deliberately vulnerable — exposing it risks
real compromise; keep it on NAT/Host-Only. 5) Remove › Delete all files.

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What's Next? — Continue Your Learning

You completed: Cybersecurity Lab Setup. Your lab is ready — here's
where to go next.

1. Linux Command-Line Basics

Navigate files, users, and permissions in Kali (cd, ls, sudo, apt) — the
foundation for every tool.
2. VirtualBox Networking
Build an isolated attacker target network (Host-Only / NAT Network)
so Kali can safely reach Metasploitable.
3. Snapshots & RAM Management
Save a clean state before experiments and roll back instantly; tune
CPU/RAM per VM.
4. Your First Scan
Use nmap from Kali against Metasploitable to map open ports — your first
real exercise.

TIP

Practice tip: rebuild this lab 2–3 times until you can do it without the
guide. Muscle memory here makes the whole course easier. You've got
this! — Learn. Elevate. Empower.

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