CISA logo CISA Penn State Abington
Come to a meeting
Open source · Free for everyone

Tools we build.
Yours to use.

A Linux system set up for learning security, one-command desktop themes, and the code behind our labs and this site. Everything is on GitHub.

CISA on GitHub See what’s here
The CISA Linux desktop: a Windows-style taskbar with the CISA badge as the Start button, and the Welcome page open in Firefox
  • 2 projectsCISA Linux and CISA Rice
  • 30+ toolsReady to use, grouped by topic
  • 9 themesOne command to switch
  • $0Free and open source

CISA Linux

A hacking lab that feels like home.

A Linux system for students who’ve only ever used Windows. The taskbar, Start menu and shortcuts work the way you expect, and the security tools from our sessions are already installed.

  • Feels like Windows. Start menu, taskbar and system tray, plus Win+E, Win+L and Print Screen.
  • Tools grouped by topic. Recon, Web, Passwords, Exploitation, Forensics and Reverse Engineering, each with a short explanation.
  • Ready for the labs. Import your TryHackMe or OffSec VPN file in two clicks.
  • Stable. Built on Debian 13 with Secure Boot support. Run it from USB, in a VM, or next to Windows.
View on GitHub Build the ISO

ISO download coming soon. Until then, ask an e-board member for a USB stick at the next session.

The CISA Linux boot menu with the CISA badge
The boot menu works on modern laptops (UEFI with Secure Boot) and older BIOS machines.

Offense

  • Nmap
  • Burp Suite
  • Metasploit
  • sqlmap
  • Gobuster
  • ffuf
  • Nikto
  • Hydra
  • John the Ripper
  • Hashcat

Defense

  • Wireshark
  • tcpdump
  • Autopsy
  • Sleuth Kit
  • YARA
  • Binwalk
  • ExifTool
  • Ghidra
  • CyberChef

CISA Rice

A riced desktop in one command.

View on GitHub →

After installing CISA Linux, paste this into the terminal and pick a theme. You get a fully riced Hyprland desktop, which you choose on the login screen, and the beginner-friendly Plasma desktop changes to match. Switch themes any time with Super+Shift+T, or undo everything with --restore.

$ curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/psu-abington-cisa/cisa-rice/main/install.sh | bash
  • CISA Navy theme in Hyprland: navy desktop, system info with the CISA badge, clock and calendar
    CISA NavyClub colors and the badge
  • Signal theme: navy with signal-orange accents and the ci mark
    SignalNavy and signal orange
  • Reef theme: deep teal with coral accents
    ReefDeep teal and coral
  • Volt theme: deep violet with chartreuse accents
    VoltViolet and chartreuse
  • Daylight theme: light blue-white desktop with navy text and orange accents
    DaylightLight, blue and orange
  • OLED theme: pure black desktop with a field of dim marks and one lit
    OLEDTrue black, no glow
  • Glass theme: frosted transparent windows over a colorful aurora
    GlassGlossy frosted glass
  • Blueprint theme: monochrome desktop with the CISA shield drawn as an engineering drawing
    BlueprintMonochrome engineering drawing
  • Phosphor theme: black and green CRT terminal look
    PhosphorCRT terminal green
The CISA menu: a greeting, a search box, pinned apps such as Terminal, Burp Suite, Wireshark and Ghidra, CISA tool categories, and power buttons
The CISA menu (press Super): search, pinned tools and CISA tool categories, styled by your theme.
  • Minimal by design. A slim floating top bar, a themed start menu and a clean terminal prompt. Nothing extra.
  • Lab VPN in the top bar. It lights up with your TryHackMe or OffSec IP; click it to copy the IP for LHOST.
  • Feels like Windows. Super opens apps, plus Alt+F4, Alt+Tab, Win+L, Win+V clipboard and Win+Shift+S screenshots.
  • Lost? Super+/ shows every shortcut on screen. Super+D opens the dashboard.
  • Only from Debian. Hyprland comes from Debian 13’s official backports, and the CISA logo is a sharp vector at any size.

On GitHub

Our linux setup source code

github.com/psu-abington-cisa →
cisa-linux

The build setup for CISA Linux. One script turns Debian into the ISO.

Shell · live-build cisa-rice

A riced Hyprland desktop with nine themes, plus matching Plasma. Add your own theme by writing a single file of colors.

Hyprland · Python · Shell

Found a bug or have an idea? Open an issue on the repo, or bring it to the next session.

Keep learning

Practice between sessions.

01

Our write-ups

Step-by-step solutions from CISA members. Read the write-ups, then publish your own.

Only practice on systems you own or have permission to test: these platforms, our labs, and your own VMs.

Want help getting set up?

Bring your laptop to a session and we’ll get CISA Linux running with you.

See the next session Browse our GitHub