What Was Accomplished:
1. Main Debian Machine (Host)
- Running Debian Trixie with Python 3.13.2 (managed via pyenv)
- Created a clean virtual environment: ~/blackhat-python/venv
- Installed and configured essential tools:
- tcpdump, tshark, wireshark, netcat-traditional, libpcap-dev
- Added user to the wireshark group for non-root packet capture
- Installed key Python libraries inside the venv: Scapy, Paramiko, Requests, BeautifulSoup4, and lxml
- Verified raw packet capture works without sudo and core modules import cleanly
2. Kali Linux VM
- Fully updated Kali VM
- Created the exact same project structure: ~/blackhat-python/venv
- Installed the same core tools and Python libraries
- Successfully tested basic socket connectivity
3. First Working Test
- Built and ran a simple TCP client (tcp_client.py) on the Kali VM
- It successfully connected to www.google.com:80 and received a real HTTP 301 redirect response
Current Status: Both environments are now clean, consistent, and ready for the hands-on chapters of Black Hat Python.
Next steps planned:
- Build the full BHNet (netcat replacement) from Chapter 2
- Test it between the Debian host and Kali VM
- Move into TCP proxy, raw socket sniffers (Chapter 3), and Scapy-based tools (Chapter 4)
This setup gives me the best of both worlds: a stable daily driver on Debian and a purpose-built pentesting environment on Kali.