How to Install Google Chrome in Kali Linux? – Part 1 – Discussion

Google Chrome is a web browser developed by Google. It used the WebKit layout engine until version 27 and, with the exception of its iOS releases, from version 28 and beyond uses the WebKit fork Blink. It was first released as a beta version for Microsoft Windows on September 2, 2008, and as a stable public release on December 11, 2008.

Net Applications has indicated that Chrome is the third-most popular web browser when it comes to the size of its user base, behind Internet Explorer and Firefox.

In September 2008, Google released the majority of Chrome’s source code as an open source project called Chromium, on which Chrome releases are still based. Notable components that are not open source are the built-in PDF viewer and the built-in Flash player.

Chromium is freely available in Kali repositories. However Google Chrome is not. There’s few different ways to install and run Google Chrome in Kali Linux.

Installing Google Chrome in Kali Linux:

Two ways you can install Google Chrome:

1. Download and Install .deb package from Google.
2. By adding Google Chrome Repositories (we are skipping Debian Repository)

There’s many posts available in search result on how to add Debian Repositories and install Google Chrome in Kali Linux. However, readers should note that

1. Option 1 (download and install .deb package) from above involves manual download and will probably not offer auto update via apt-get update/upgrade.
2. Kali doesn’t recommend adding unsupported repositories such as Debian.
3. By adding Debian repositories you are probably going to break something in your Kali Instillation
4. You will end up updating packages that are incompatible/UN-tested in Kali Linux (such as new kernel)
5. Lastly, why would you add a whole Debian repository when you can just get Google Chrome straight from Google without jeopardizing your Kali Installation!

Running Google Chrome in Kali Linux

You have follow choices to run Google Chrome in Kali Linux:

1. Run Google Chrome as a Standard user in Kali Linux
   • Create a Standard non-root user and run Google Chrome – See How to add remove user (standard user/non-root) in Kali Linux?
2. Run Google Chrome as Root user in Kali Linux
   • By modifying /opt/google/chrome/google-chrome file
3. Run Google Chrome as Standard User (while Logged in as root) in Kali Linux
   • Run Google Chrome using gksu
   • Run Google Chrome using sux

Of these 3 options, 1 is the secure most, but somewhat beats the purpose of using Kali Linux in the first place. Option 2 is somewhat a security risk, but then again, you’re probably running IceWeasel/Firefox/Opera and who knows what browser already while signed into your Google account.

Option 3 is probably the best way to go about it.

Follow Part 2 of this guide How to Install Google Chrome in Kali Linux? – Part 2 – Installation for installation instruction.