Cannot Ping Kali Ubuntu from Ubuntu: A VirtualBox Firewall Issue

Not Ping: Kali Ubuntu VirtualBox Firewall Issue

In this article, we will cover a common issue faced by users when they are unable to ping their Kali Ubuntu virtual machine from their Ubuntu host machine. We will discuss the potential causes of this issue and provide solutions to resolve it. Specifically, we will focus on the firewall settings within VirtualBox and on the Kali Ubuntu virtual machine itself. By the end of this article, you will have a better understanding of how to configure your firewall settings to allow ping requests between your virtual machines and host machine.

VirtualBox Firewall Settings

The first potential cause of the "not ping" issue is related to the firewall settings within VirtualBox. By default, VirtualBox enables a firewall on each virtual machine to protect it from external attacks. However, this firewall may block incoming ping requests from the host machine. To resolve this issue, we need to modify the firewall settings within VirtualBox.

To modify the firewall settings, follow these steps:

1. Start your VirtualBox and select the Kali Ubuntu virtual machine.
2. Click on "Settings" and then "Network."
3. Select the "Adapter 1" tab and enable the "Promiscuous Mode" to "Allow All."
4. Save the changes and start the virtual machine.

 < settings>
 < Network>
 < Adapter 1>
 < PromiscuousMode>Allow All
 < /Adapter 1>
 < /Network>
 < /settings>
 

The "Promiscuous Mode" setting allows the virtual machine to receive all traffic on the network, including ping requests from the host machine. After modifying this setting, you should be able to ping the Kali Ubuntu virtual machine from the Ubuntu host machine.

Kali Ubuntu Firewall Settings

If modifying the VirtualBox firewall settings does not resolve the "not ping" issue, then we need to consider the firewall settings within Kali Ubuntu. By default, Kali Ubuntu enables a firewall called "UFW" (Uncomplicated Firewall) to protect the system from external attacks. However, this firewall may block incoming ping requests from the host machine.

To modify the UFW firewall settings, follow these steps:

1. Start your Kali Ubuntu virtual machine and open the terminal.
2. Check the current status of the UFW firewall by running the following command:

sudo ufw status

If the UFW firewall is enabled, you will see a list of allowed and denied connections. By default, the UFW firewall blocks all incoming connections, including ping requests.

3. To allow incoming ping requests, run the following command:

sudo ufw allow in ICMP

This command allows incoming ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol) packets, which include ping requests. After running this command, you should be able to ping the Kali Ubuntu virtual machine from the Ubuntu host machine.

• The "not ping" issue between Ubuntu and Kali Ubuntu virtual machines is caused by the firewall settings within VirtualBox and Kali Ubuntu.
• To resolve the issue, modify the firewall settings within VirtualBox by enabling the "Promiscuous Mode" for the Kali Ubuntu virtual machine.
• Modify the UFW firewall settings within Kali Ubuntu by allowing incoming ICMP packets using the "sudo ufw allow in ICMP" command.

References

• VirtualBox Network Settings
• UFW (Uncomplicated Firewall)
• How to Enable or Disable ICMP Ping in Linux