Enhanced Session for Kali Linux.

install.sh

#!/bin/bash
# Original : https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Microsoft/linux-vm-tools/master/arch/install-config.sh

###############################################################################
# Update our machine to the latest code if we need to.
#

if [ "$(id -u)" -ne 0 ]; then
    echo 'This script must be run with root privileges' >&2
    exit 1
fi

apt update && apt upgrade -y

if [ -f /var/run/reboot-required ]; then
    echo "A reboot is required in order to proceed with the install." >&2
    echo "Please reboot and re-run this script to finish the install." >&2
    exit 1
fi

###############################################################################
# Install XRDP
#
apt install -y xrdp

###############################################################################
# Configure XRDP
#
systemctl enable xrdp
systemctl enable xrdp-sesman

# Configure the installed XRDP ini files.
# use vsock transport.
# sed -i_orig -e 's/use_vsock=false/use_vsock=true/g' /etc/xrdp/xrdp.ini
sed -i_orig -e 's/port=3389/port=vsock://-1:3389/g' /etc/xrdp/xrdp.ini # 2020.1 support.
# use rdp security.
sed -i_orig -e 's/security_layer=negotiate/security_layer=rdp/g' /etc/xrdp/xrdp.ini
# remove encryption validation.
sed -i_orig -e 's/crypt_level=high/crypt_level=none/g' /etc/xrdp/xrdp.ini
# disable bitmap compression since its local its much faster
sed -i_orig -e 's/bitmap_compression=true/bitmap_compression=false/g' /etc/xrdp/xrdp.ini
sed -n -e 's/max_bpp=32/max_bpp=24/g' /etc/xrdp/xrdp.ini
sed -i_orig -e 's/X11DisplayOffset=10/X11DisplayOffset=0/g' /etc/xrdp/sesman.ini
# rename the redirected drives to 'shared-drives'
sed -i_orig -e 's/FuseMountName=thinclient_drives/FuseMountName=shared-drives/g' /etc/xrdp/sesman.ini

# Change the allowed_users
echo "allowed_users=anybody" > /etc/X11/Xwrapper.config


#Ensure hv_sock gets loaded
if [ ! -e /etc/modules-load.d/hv_sock.conf ]; then
	echo "hv_sock" > /etc/modules-load.d/hv_sock.conf
fi

# Configure the policy xrdp session
cat > /etc/polkit-1/localauthority/50-local.d/45-allow-colord.pkla <<EOF
[Allow Colord all Users]
Identity=unix-user:*
Action=org.freedesktop.color-manager.create-device;org.freedesktop.color-manager.create-profile;org.freedesktop.color-manager.delete-device;org.freedesktop.color-manager.delete-profile;org.freedesktop.color-manager.modify-device;org.freedesktop.color-manager.modify-profile
ResultAny=no
ResultInactive=no
ResultActive=yes
EOF

###############################################################################
# .xinitrc has to be modified manually.
#
#echo "exec gnome-session" > ~/.xinitrc
echo "exec startxfce4" > ~/.xinitrc # thanks @rasschaert and @patrickceg.
echo "You will have to configure .xinitrc to start your windows manager, see https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Xinit"
echo "Reboot your machine to begin using XRDP."

Set-VM -Name acamar-kali -EnhancedSessionTransportType HvSocket

Seems to work (my VM is called acamar-kali)

The newest documentation has Set-VM -Name ... Also "-EnhancedSessionTransportType" doesn't exist in the documentation, but it tab-completes on my machine.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/hyper-v/set-vm?view=win10-ps

If you really can't get the name to work, try

Get-VM myvm

...if that returns nothing or has an error, your PowerShell module for Hyper-V is broken.
If the Get-VM works, you can use the pipe notation to run Set-VM:

Get-VM myvm | Set-VM -EnhancedSessionTransportType HvSocket

Just thought I'd confirm that this works for me with a fresh install of Kali 2020.2 and XFCE (on Windows 10 1909, build 18363.778), though I couldn't get it to use XRDP until I tried shutting down my VM before enabling Enhanced Session Mode on the VM, after that it worked as expected.

Thanks @mimura1133

Likewise just tried it on Kali 2020.02 (upgraded hyper-v image from 2019.4), only worked once Kali was fully shut down (rather than a reboot) after that worked like a charm.

Thanks @mimura1133

FYI: for Kali 2020.3 I had to replace the sed slashes ('/') with percent signs ('%') as described here https://serverfault.com/questions/857477/sed-e-expression-unknown-option-to-s

Besides that, everything else worked great.

Thanks @mimura1133

Hi Team,
This worked fine for me earlier but I am having issue finding xrdp package in Kali Repo with Kali 2021.1 ( it 404ed ),
anyone hitting the same issue,

( though if i get the repo via deb.debian then it also doesn't works )
any advice would be really appreciated :)

Hi @holidayz1,
Could you please check with https://github.com/mimura1133/linux-vm-tools/blob/master/kali/2020.x/install.sh ?

the gist had moved to https://github.com/mimura1133/linux-vm-tools/ repo.

Thanks @mimura1133
yes, I believe tried https://github.com/mimura1133/linux-vm-tools/blob/master/kali/2020.x/install.sh , It didn't worked.
Though I tried linux-vm-tools/ubuntu/19.04/install.sh since i got xrdp from deb.debian and it worked like a charm

Hi @holidayz1,
Unfortunately, I have not been able to reproduce the problem with clean installation.
However, if you using GNOME (gdm3) or latest version of xrdp, the ubuntu/19.04/install.sh be better, as you said.

if you're using GNOME shell (gdm3), need to set "WaylandEnable=false" at /etc/gdm3/custom.conf, because the xrdp will use Xorg.
other changes are in the way the VSOCK settings are written.

If you know of a way to improve the code in the kali version, please send us a pull request, thanks. :)