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7. Helping Yourself and Getting Help

7.1. Documentation Sources

  • Understanding Problems: To diagnose problems effectively, understand the theoretical role of each program involved by reviewing its documentation. Documentation is often scattered; locating and consulting it is crucial.

  • RTFM Responses:

    • Meaning: "Read the f***ing manual" or "read the fine manual." Often used when a questioner is perceived as not having consulted documentation.

    • Reception: Though abrupt, it implies the answer lies in the manual. Take it as a cue to check the documentation.

  • Avoiding RTFM:

    • Show effort: Mention sources consulted and steps taken to research before asking.

    • Follow Eric Raymond's guidelines for asking smart questions (link) to avoid common pitfalls and receive helpful answers.

7.1.1. Manual Pages

  • Accessing Manual Pages:

    • Use man <command> to view a command's manual page (e.g., man cp).

    • Manual pages cover commands, configuration files, system calls, library functions, devices, and more.

  • Manual Page Sections:

    • Sections are numbered and organized by type, e.g.,

      1. Commands that can be executed from the command line

      2. System calls (functions provided by the kernel)

      3. Library functions (provided by system libraries)

      4. Devices (on Unix-like systems, these are special files, usually placed in the /dev/ directory)

      5. Configuration files (formats and conventions)

      6. Games

      7. Sets of macros and standards

      8. System administration commands

      9. Kernel routines

    • Use man <section> <name> to view a specific section (e.g., man 2 read).

  • Finding Commands:

    • Use apropos <keyword> to search for commands based on their descriptions.

    • Example:

      $ apropos "copy file"
cp (1) - copy files and directories
cpio (1) - copy files to and from archives

  • Exploring Related Documentation:

    • Check the "See Also" section in manual pages for related commands or documentation.

    • GUI tools like konqueror (KDE) and yelp (GNOME) can also search manual pages.

7.1.2. Info Documents

  • GNU Info Format:

    • Manuals for most GNU programs are written in the info format, which offers a hierarchical structure.

    • Many manual pages refer to corresponding info documentation.

  • Viewing Info Documentation:

    • Preferred tool: pinfo (from the pinfo package).

    • Install with:

      apt update && apt install pinfo

    • Use arrow keys to navigate nodes or a graphical browser like konqueror or yelp for a more user-friendly experience.

  • Language and Fallback:

    • Info system documentation is only available in English.

    • If a requested info page is missing, pinfo will fall back to the corresponding man page (which may have translations).

7.1.3. Package-Specific Documentation

  • Location of Documentation:

    • Documentation is found in /usr/share/doc/package/, where package is the name of the installed software.

  • Types of Documentation:

    • README: Basic and important information about the program.

    • Dedicated Documentation Packages: If documentation is extensive, it may be provided in a separate package named package-doc.

  • Debian-Specific Files:

    • README.Debian: Explains adaptations made for Debian compliance.

    • changelog.Debian.gz: Tracks changes between package versions; useful for troubleshooting behavior changes.

    • NEWS.Debian.gz: Highlights major updates that might affect administrators.

  • Recommendation: The main package usually recommends its documentation package for easy access to additional resources.

7.1.4. Websites

  • Web Resources:

    • Free software websites often provide official documentation, FAQs, and mailing list archives.

    • FAQs and mailing lists frequently address common problems.

  • Effective Online Searches:

    • Use search syntax for precision:

      • Restrict to specific domains (e.g., program's website).

      • Add keywords like "kali" or "debian" for relevant results.

    • For specific error messages, enclose them in double quotes to search for the exact phrase.

    • For general errors (e.g., "Permission denied"), check file permissions, user IDs, and groups before searching online.

  • Locating Software Websites:

    • Use the apt show package command to check the Homepage field.

    • Check /usr/share/doc/package/copyright for possible URLs.

    • Use a search engine if no URLs are provided.

  • Balance Search and Common Sense:

    • Avoid relying solely on search engines; use logical troubleshooting steps to resolve issues.

7.1.5. Kali Documentation at kali.org/docs/

The Kali project maintains a collection of useful documentation at https://www.kali.org/docs/. While this course covers a large part of what you should know about Kali Linux, the documentation there might still be useful as it contains step-by-step instructions (much like how-tos) on many topics.

7.2. Kali Linux Communities

There are many Kali Linux communities around the world using many different tools to communicate (forums, real-time chat and social networks, for example).

7.2.1. Forums on forums.kali.org

The official community forums for the Kali Linux project are located at forums.kali.org. Like every web-based forum, you must create an account to be able to post and the system remembers what posts you have already seen, making it easy to follow conversations on a regular basis.

7.2.2. #kali-linux IRC Channel on OFTC

  • IRC Overview:

    • IRC is a real-time chat system with topic-focused chat rooms called channels.

    • The Kali Linux project uses the #kali-linux channel on the OFTC network.

    • Connect via:

      • Server: irc.oftc.net

      • Ports: 6697 (TLS-encrypted) or 6667 (clear-text).

  • Connecting to IRC:

    • Clients: Use graphical clients like hexchat or console clients like irssi.

    • Web-based option: webchat.oftc.net.

  • Channel Rules:

    • Be friendly, tolerant, and reasonable.

    • Avoid off-topic discussions, including illegal activities, pirated software, politics, or religion.

    • IP addresses are visible to others by default.

    • Full rules: Kali IRC Rules.

  • Seeking Help:

    • Before asking: Do your research and share findings.

    • During discussions: Use Pastebin for verbose outputs and share the URL.

    • Be patient for responses due to global time zones.

  • Notifications:

    • Most clients highlight your nickname in replies, ensuring you’re notified even if responses are delayed.

7.3. Filing a Good Bug Report

  1. Communication Tips:

    • Use Plain English: Write simple sentences for clarity, especially for non-native speakers.

    • Be Respectful: Appreciate developers’ voluntary efforts and thank them for their contributions.

    • Offer Help: Test patches or updates if possible.

  2. Writing the Bug Report:

    • Reproduce the Problem: Provide clear, step-by-step instructions and attach relevant files if needed.

    • Context and Expectations: Explain your goal, what you expected, and how the program behaved instead.

    • Be Specific: Include software versions, exact error messages, logs, screenshots, and URLs for downloads.

    • Mention Workarounds: Detail attempted fixes or research findings, including relevant bug tracker links.

  3. Avoid Common Mistakes:

    • Duplicate Reports: Search the bug tracker for similar issues before submitting.

    • Latest Version: Ensure the problem occurs in the latest version of the software.

    • One Bug Per Report: Separate multiple issues into individual bug reports for clarity.

  4. Miscellaneous Tips:

    • Detailed Reports: Provide all necessary information; long reports are acceptable if well-structured.

    • Be Reactive: Respond promptly to developer queries with accurate and complete data.

By following these guidelines, you can help developers identify, prioritize, and resolve bugs more effectively.

7.3.2. Where to File a Bug Report

  1. Identify the Problem:

    • Track down the problem to a specific file or application.

    • For example, use the ps auxf command to identify running processes and find the executable path (e.g., /usr/bin/cherrytree).

  2. Use dpkg to Find Package Information:

    • Find which package owns the file:

      dpkg -S /usr/bin/cherrytree

    • Get package version and origin:

      dpkg -s cherrytree | grep ^Version:

    • A version string containing "kali" indicates a Kali-modified package.

  3. Verify Bug Origin:

    • Debian Package: If the bug is in a package from Debian (without "kali" in the version), it should be reported to Debian.

    • Virtual Machine Test: To confirm, set up a Debian Testing VM and test if the issue persists. If it does, file the bug on Debian.

  4. Upstream or Packaging Issue:

    • Upstream Projects: For issues within an application's functionality, report the bug to the upstream project.

    • Integration Issues: If the bug is related to how the software is packaged or integrated (e.g., missing dependencies or misconfigured compile-time options), report it to Debian/Kali packaging.

    • Dual Reporting: If unsure, file the bug on both Debian/Kali and the upstream project, cross-referencing them.

  5. Finding Upstream Project Info:

By following these steps, you can ensure that the bug report is filed correctly, improving the chances of a quick resolution.

7.5.1. Kali resources

Questions

  1. You want to know if the newer $xyz version of nmap is in Kali. What is the quickest Kali resource to check this?

  2. What are the two primary official, interactive Kali support community resources?

  3. How do you search manual pages for a particular string?

Answers:

  1. That would be pkg.kali.org. For example, https://pkg.kali.org/nmap.

  2. The Kali-Linux IRC channel and the Kali Forums.

  3. Use the apropos command.

Hacker's Mantra: Ethical hacking is not a crime; it’s a necessity. -- Mark Russinovich

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