How to Install BlackArch Tools on Arch Linux

BlackArch is a security-focused Arch Linux-based distribution that, like its Debian-based counterparts Kali Linux and Parrot OS, provides a plethora of security tools and testing utilities.

If you're using vanilla Arch Linux and want to do security testing, you'll be disappointed to find that the vanilla Arch repositories don't host any pentesting tools. Fret not, because it's pretty easy to add a BlackArch repository to Arch and access the huge arsenal of pentesting tools it hosts.

Let's take a look at the steps to add the BlackArch repository to your Arch-based system and install the pentesting tools.

What is BlackArch Strap Script?

The BlackArch Strap script adds an unofficial user repository that contains all current cybersecurity tools.

Running the script will automatically add the BlackArch repository to your vanilla Arch distribution. You can then immediately start downloading the pentesting tools of your choice that were not previously available in the default Arch Linux installation.

Step 1: Download and run BlackArch Strap Script

Download the strap.sh shell script either from the official BlackArch website or from the command line using the curl command:

curl -O https://blackarch.org/strap.sh

Download: BlackArch Strap Script

Once you've successfully downloaded the script, convert it to an executable using the chmod command and run it with elevated privileges using the sudo prefix:

chmod +x strap.sh

sudo ./strap.sh

Let it finish executing and then move on to the next step.

Step 2: Install Pentesting Tools on Arch using Pacman

Now that you've added the BlackArch repository, you can start installing the pentesting tools of your choice using Pacman, the default package manager for Arch Linux. Or you can use another package manager in case you are not using Pacman.

For example, here's how you would install Metasploit on Arch Linux:

sudo pacman -With metasploit

Those are all the steps needed to add the BlackArch repository to your vanilla Arch Linux distribution and arm yourself with a massive collection of security tools.

Now you know how to add BlackArch tools to Arch Linux

Now that you've turned your regular Arch distribution into a penetration testing beast, you're ready to download and explore all the tools the BlackArch repository has to offer.

Although you won't need to learn or even download many tools from the repository, there are a few tools that you should familiarize yourself with as they will help you improve your security level and allow you to audit your systems yourself.