> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://witchking.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Prerequisites

> Hardware, software, and account requirements before building the lab.

> [!WARNING]
>
> Complete **all downloads and package installations** while VMs are on NAT (internet access). Switch REMnux to host-only **only** after all tools are installed.

## Host Machine Requirements

| Resource | Minimum | Recommended |
| - | - | - |
| RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB |
| Storage | 150 GB free | 300 GB SSD |
| CPU | 4 cores | 8 cores with VT-x |
| Hypervisor | VMware Workstation Pro / Fusion | VMware Workstation Pro / Fusion |

## VM Resource Allocation

| VM | RAM | vCPU | Disk |
| - | - | - | - |
| VM1 — Ubuntu | 4 GB | 2 | 40 GB |
| VM2 — REMnux | 4 GB | 2 | 60 GB |
| VM3 — SIFT Workstation | 4 GB | 2 | 80 GB |
| VM4 — Windows *(future)* | 4 GB | 2 | 60 GB |

## Downloads Checklist

* [ ] **Ubuntu 24.04 LTS ISO** — for VM1
* [ ] **REMnux OVA** — pre-built VM with all analysis tools
* [ ] **SIFT Workstation OVA** — SANS pre-built forensics VM
* [ ] **VMware Workstation / Fusion**
* [ ] **Anthropic account** with Claude Pro, Max, Team, or Enterprise — required for Claude Code authentication
* [ ] **VirusTotal API key** — Premium recommended for file downloads


This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.