Automated Security Onion OVA creation - 12/08/2025 11:07 EDT

The goal of this project is to create a Packer (HCL) configuration that automates the creation of a Security Onion 2.4 OVA using the VMware Builder. The OVA should be pre-configured with a default username (Onion) and password (Onion6^). The installation should follow the official Security Onion documentation and use either an answer file (preseed/kickstart) or cloud-init for unattended setup.

Requirements
1. Base Configuration
Use Packer (HCL format) with the VMware builder (vmware-iso) to build the OVA from ISO.
Automate the installation of Security Onion in Standalone mode (default setup).

2. VMware-Specific Settings
Configure the VMware builder to output an OVA (not just a VMX).
Allocate sufficient resources https://docs.securityonion.net/en/2.4/hardware.html .

3. Authentication & User Setup
Default username: Onion
Default password: Onion6^
Ensure the user has sudo privileges.

4. Unattended Installation
Use either:
An answer file (preseed/kickstart)
Cloud-init for post-install configuration.
The Security Onion setup should run automatically without manual input.

5. Output Format
The final artifact must be an OVA file compatible with VMware ESXi, Workstation, or VirtualBox.

Deliverables
A working pkr.hcl file using the VMware builder (vmware-iso) that outputs an OVA.

Acceptance Criteria
1. The Packer build completes without errors using the VMware builder.
2. The resulting OVA boots successfully in VMware/ESXi/VirtualBox.
3. Security Onion is installed in Standalone mode with default settings.
4. The Onion user can log in with password Onion6^ .
5. The OVA is properly generated and can be imported into VMware.

Submission
The pkr.hcl file (using vmware-iso).
Any supporting files (answer files, scripts, etc.).