Copy/paste text from Kali Linux (VM) to Windows host using VirtualBox

Tested on:
Host: Windows 10 Enterprise (1803) with VirtualBox 5.2.18
Guest: Kali Linux 2018.3a

Goal: Copy/paste text from Kali Linux from/to Windows host

Solution:

This is not absolutely necessary but is a good practice, update Kali to latest version using a terminal, like:

:/# apt update
:/# apt upgrade
:/# apt autoremove

Sometimes this is not enough to bring Kali to the latest and greatest, you may have to also upgrade it, like:

:/# apt full-upgrade

I would advice to reboot the machine at this point so that we will be running the latest kernel. The next command may also pick the wrong version of the kernel headers if the machine(VM) is running the older version of the kernel. Now, install dkms so that VirtualBox guest additions can be compiled as part of the kernel, like:

:/# apt install dkms

Now mount VirtualBox guest additions, this will be done from the external/host UI of the VirtualBox guest VM. For example, click on Devices | Insert Guest Additions CD Image... Now head into the VM and do:

:/# cd /media/cdrom
:/# sh ./VBoxLinuxAdditions.run

Then reboot the machine. To copy/paste do Devices | Shared Clipboard | Bidirectional or other options as appropriate. Copy/paste between the host and VM should now work.