Run VM and SSH in

runVM.sh

#!/bin/bash
# Script for automatically running a VBox VM in headless mode and SSH into it

# start VM
VMNAME="KaliLinux"
echo "Starting Kali Linux Virtual Machine"
VBoxHeadless --startvm $VMNAME > /dev/null 2>&1 &

# show a spinner while it warms up
WAIT=20
echo "Wait $WAIT seconds for VM to warm up..."
echo 
sleep $WAIT &
PID=$!
i=1
sp="/-\|"
echo -n " "
while [ -d "/proc/$PID" ];
do
    printf "\b${sp:i++%${#sp}:1}"
    sleep 1
done
echo 
echo
echo "Warmed up, opening SSH connection!"
echo 

# connect to the VM
ssh KaliVM

# ask user if they want to shut down VM
echo "Disconnected from Virtual Machine."
echo
read -p "Shut down [yN]? " -n 1 -r
echo
echo
if [[ $REPLY =~ ^[Yy]$ ]];
then
    # shut down
    echo "Shutting down Virtual Machine..."
    VBoxManage controlvm $VMNAME poweroff
    echo "Done!"
else
    # don't shut down
    echo "Keeping Virtual Machine online."
    echo "To shut down, please run 'VBoxManage controlvm $VMNAME poweroff' manually."
fi