Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) Lecture

Introduction to WSL

• WSL allows running Linux on Windows and vice versa.
• Demonstrated running Ubuntu and Kali Linux on Windows.
• Offers GUI support, GPU access, and shared files between Windows and Linux.
• Enables use of Linux commands on Windows and Windows commands on Linux.
• WSL2 is the latest version, offering better performance and features.

Installation Requirements

Hardware Requirements

• 64-bit processor (ARM supported).
• Minimum of 4GB RAM (16GB or higher recommended for best performance).
• Enable virtualization in BIOS (Intel VTx or AMD-V).

Software Requirements

• Must be running Windows (best experience on Windows 11).
• Windows 10 supported on build 19041 or higher.
• Admin privileges needed.

Installing WSL2

• Open Windows Terminal, type WSL --install.
• Default installation includes Ubuntu. Restart required.
• Set up a username and a password upon first launch.

Using WSL2

• Start WSL by typing WSL -d Ubuntu (or your distro's name).
• List available distros using WSL --list --online.
• Additional distros (e.g., Kali Linux) can be installed from Microsoft Store.
• Example of installing Kali Linux using the command line and Microsoft Store.

Features and Commands

Running Windows Commands in Linux

• Use Windows commands like ipconfig, ping.exe, and notepad.exe.
• Open current location in Windows Explorer: explorer.exe .

Running Linux Commands in Windows PowerShell

• Pipe commands using WSL, e.g., ipconfig | WSL grep 10..
• Commands like cat can be used with WSL, e.g., WSL cat file.txt.

Kali Linux Tools Setup

• Run kali-tweaks to access tool installation menu.
• Example: Install top 10 Kali Linux tools.

Data Privacy Concerns

• Mentioned SpiderFoot tool for OSINT (Open-Source Intelligence).
• Discussion about the vulnerability of personal data on sites like TruthFinder.
• Introduction to Incogni service to remove personal information from public databases.
• Steps to sign up and use Incogni.

WSL Functionalities

• Enable or disable WSL instances using commands.
• Example commands: WSL --shutdown, WSL --terminate distro_name.
• Listing distributions with verbose output: WSL --list --verbose.
• Setting default distro: WSL --set-default distro_name.

File Management

Accessing Files

• Access Windows files from Linux: cd /mnt/c/Users/username.
• Access Linux files from Windows Explorer via explorer.exe .
• Linux files also accessible from Windows' left-hand sidebar under

GUI Applications

• WSL2 supports GUI applications via WSLg.
• Running GUI applications like Wireshark and Google Chrome from Linux on Windows.

GPU Access

• WSL2 allows direct access to GPU, e.g., Nvidia-smi.

Advanced Configurations

Config Files

• Two config files: local wsl.conf and global wslconfig.
• Local config located in /etc/wsl.conf. Used for system-wide settings.
• Global config (wslconfig) found in user directory in Windows.
• Example: changing networking mode from NAT to mirrored.

Networking Mode Example

• Default networking mode is NAT; setup for mirrored mode shown:

  [WSL2]
  networkingMode = mirrored
  

• Importance of waiting 8 seconds after shutdown for changes to take effect.

Backing Up and Importing Distros

• Command to export distro: WSL --export distro_name filename.tar.
• Command to import distro on another machine: WSL --import new_distro location filename.tar.
• Specify user account to avoid root default: WSL -d distro -u username.

Visual Studio Code Integration

• Use code command to open files from Linux in VS Code.
• Install WSL extension for better integration.

Docker Support

• Docker can be run inside WSL2.
• Install Docker Desktop as another method using WSL2 as backend.

Conclusion

• WSL2 combines Windows and Linux, offering powerful functionalities.
• Further capabilities include running Docker, accessing GPU, and sophisticated file management.
• Enable users to optimize development and operational workflows.

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Presenter: Network Chuck Source: Network Chuck's WSL2 Tutorial and Demonstration