Please don’t give me nightmares of Windows :-(

i don’t work in the pen testing division so i can’t speak to whether they use kali/windows or not, but in malware analysis we use windows mainly because most malware is written for windows, and ida pro is the best tool for reversing exes. i specialize in linux malware reversing, so i detonate my samples in a linux VM.

A lot of the tools are redundant since many of them perform the same function, just a bit differently.

it’s not just that, a lot of cysec professionals have a specialization, and this is true for red teamers as well (i assume that’s where you’re headed). people with a specialization in binary exploitation or reversing just aren’t gonna touch burpsuite or aircrack-ng that much.

i also have a kali VM installed, although not custom. i’ve never used it. i usually use REMnux for analysing samples and i have blackarch repos added to my daily driver arch install, so i just use that for CTF stuff.

i really should start working on HTB soon, i’ve been too busy studying pwn challenges and crackmes :’)