Manually Configuring OpenVPN Client on Kali Linux (CLI Guide)

With cyber threats increasing in both complexity and volume, securing your internet connection isn’t optional anymore—it’s essential. Just last year, global ransomware attacks surged by over 93%, affecting individuals, businesses, and even public infrastructure. In such an environment, using a VPN is more than just about accessing geo-blocked content—it’s about encrypting your traffic, hiding your digital footprint, and staying safe on the web.

Now, Kali Linux isn’t your average operating system. It’s a powerful, Debian-based distro designed for ethical hackers, penetration testers, and security pros. But with great power comes complexity. And if you’re working in Kali, especially on remote networks, setting up a secure VPN tunnel becomes a baseline requirement.

This brings us to OpenVPN, one of the most trusted and secure VPN protocols available. While many users prefer graphical interfaces for setup, those who choose Kali often prefer full control—and that means doing it manually via the command line.

Whether you're accessing cloud environments, performing audits from remote locations, or tunneling into infrastructure on Cyfuture Cloud or similar hosting platforms, knowing how to manually configure OpenVPN on Kali Linux using CLI can be a game-changer.

Let’s walk through it step-by-step.

Why Use OpenVPN on Kali Linux?

Before jumping into the CLI commands, let’s answer the “why” part.

Security: OpenVPN uses robust encryption protocols like AES-256 and supports certificate-based authentication.

Flexibility: It works across public networks, private clouds, enterprise hosting solutions, and beyond.

Reliability: It handles network drops gracefully and re-establishes sessions seamlessly.

Compatibility: You can easily connect Kali to VPN servers deployed on platforms like Cyfuture Cloud, AWS, or even your own custom hosting setup.

Bottom line: If you’re serious about secure, stable VPN access from Kali Linux, OpenVPN is the tool for the job.

What You Need Before You Start

Before diving into the command line, make sure you’ve got the following:

OpenVPN installed on your Kali machine

A .ovpn configuration file from your VPN provider or your own server

User credentials, if your config uses username/password-based auth

Root or sudo access on your Kali machine

Optional but recommended: access to a secure cloud or hosting service for your VPN server, like Cyfuture Cloud, which offers scalable and encrypted infrastructure.

Step-by-Step: Manually Configuring OpenVPN on Kali Linux (CLI)

Step 1: Update and Install OpenVPN

Start by updating your package lists and ensuring OpenVPN is installed.

To verify that it installed correctly:

This should return the installed version and build details. If it doesn’t, the install didn’t complete successfully.

Step 2: Transfer or Create the Configuration File

You’ll need the .ovpn file from your VPN provider. This contains all the necessary parameters, including:

Server IP or hostname

Port

Protocol (TCP/UDP)

Encryption settings

Certificate paths

If you host your own VPN server (say on Cyfuture Cloud), you can create your own .ovpn profile using easy-rsa.

For simplicity, let’s assume you have a file called myvpn.ovpn.

Move this file to the /etc/openvpn/ directory:

Make sure the file is readable:

Note: OpenVPN reads the default configuration as client.conf, so renaming helps for automation.

Step 3: Add Credentials (If Needed)

If your VPN server uses username/password authentication, OpenVPN will prompt for it unless you supply them ahead of time.

Create a file called auth.txt:

Add your credentials:

Save and close.

Then, edit your client.conf (or myvpn.ovpn) and add the following line:

This ensures your login details are pulled automatically.

Step 4: Start the VPN Connection

Run OpenVPN with root privileges:

If everything’s configured correctly, you should start seeing log output that ends in something like:

At this point, your traffic is encrypted and tunneled through the VPN.

Step 5: Verify the VPN Tunnel

To confirm your IP has changed, run:

Compare this to your original IP before connecting. If they differ, the VPN is working.

You can also run:

This will show the tun0 interface, which is the virtual tunnel created by OpenVPN.

Step 6: Keep the VPN Running in the Background (Optional)

To keep the VPN running after you log out, run it as a system service.

To check its status:

This is useful for persistent connections—especially if you're deploying Kali Linux machines on cloud hosting like Cyfuture Cloud and need them to auto-connect securely on boot.

Common Issues and Fixes

VPN Fails to Connect?

Check your logs

Or look at /var/log/syslog for OpenVPN-specific entries.

Auth Errors?

Double-check the auth-user-pass directive and ensure the auth.txt file permissions are secure

DNS Leaks?

Consider using a privacy-focused DNS like 1.1.1.1 or 8.8.8.8. You can edit /etc/resolv.conf manually or use resolvconf if you're on a dynamic setup.

Use Case: Hosting & Cloud Integration

Say you’ve deployed a pentesting setup on Cyfuture Cloud. You want to:

Connect Kali Linux VMs to a central VPN server hosted in a secure region.

Monitor all traffic through a central secure tunnel.

Ensure all your nodes—whether testing websites, probing vulnerabilities, or monitoring traffic—operate behind encryption.

This manual OpenVPN setup fits perfectly. You gain full control over configurations, tight integration with cloud resources, and the confidence that all your data is shielded—even across multiple cloud-hosted machines.

Conclusion

Kali Linux hosting is powerful, but to operate it safely—especially over public networks—you need a solid VPN setup. OpenVPN offers the right balance of security, flexibility, and reliability, and configuring it manually gives you full control.

Whether you're running pentests from a coffee shop, accessing critical environments on Cyfuture Cloud, or managing a fleet of remote machines via your own cloud hosting platform, a secure VPN tunnel isn’t optional—it’s essential.

This guide walked you through the full CLI process, from installation to verification, giving you a future-proof way to keep your Kali environment safe and stealthy. No GUI needed, just clean CLI work that gets the job done.

Need help automating this setup for larger deployments or integrating it with cloud-init scripts? Let me know, and I’ll help you build out a secure, scalable VPN tunnel system for your Kali fleet.