[MonkeyVision] BackTrack 3.0 Linux

BackTrack 3.0 (third release)
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Company / developer: Mati Aharoni, Max Moser, Remote-Exploit, jayme

OS family: Linux

Working state: Current

Source model: Free and Open Source Software

Latest stable release: 3.0 >>> June 19, 2008

Kernel type: Monolithic kernel

Default user interface: KDE, Fluxbox

License: Various


Website: www.remote-exploit.org



Size: 2.1 Gig Total.



Files: (4)

CD ISO Image (700 meg),
USB ISO Image (784 meg),
VMWARE Virtual Machine (689 meg, RAR Compressed),
nfo file





QUICK SYNOPSIS:
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BackTrack is a Slackware and SLAX-based live CD with a collection of security and forensics tools. 
It was created by merging Auditor Security Linux with WHAX (formerly Whoppix).





FULL INFO:
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 BackTrack is a Linux distribution distributed as a Live CD which resulted from the merger of WHAX and the Auditor Security Collection. It takes advantage of SLAX's modular design and structure to enable the user to include customizable scripts, additional tools and configurable kernels in personalized distributions. The BackTrack project was created by Mati Aharoni and Max Moser (with updates provided by jayme) and is a collaborative effort involving the community.
BackTrack 2 was released on March 6, 2007 and includes over 300 security tools. A beta version of BackTrack 3 was released on December 14, 2007, but it was announced that its main focus was to support more and newer hardware as well as provide more flexibility and modularity.
BackTrack 3 was released on June 19, 2008. New additions include SAINT and Maltego. Nessus was not included in this release, and the developers decided not to upgrade from kernel version 2.6.21.5.

Features
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BackTrack focuses its central idea on the needs of computer penetration testers. The inclusion of Live CD and Live USB functionality enables any user to just insert their respective data medium and boot up BackTrack. Direct hard disk installations (2.7 GB uncompressed) can also be completed within the Live CD (700 MB compressed) environment through the basic graphical installation wizard with no restart subsequent to installation. BackTrack further continues its compatibility with the computer forensics demographic with accessibility and internationalization by including support for Japanese input in reading and writing in Hiragana, Katakana and Kanji.


The key additions to the BackTrack suite are notably -
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Metasploit integration
RFMON wireless drivers
Kismet
AutoScan-Network - AutoScan-Network is a network discovering and managing application
Nmap
Ettercap
Wireshark (formerly known as Ethereal)



BackTrack's functionality further increases with the arrangement of each tool in 16 categories.

The tool categories are as follows -

Enumeration
Exploit Archives
Scanners
Password Attacks
Fuzzers
Spoofing
Sniffers
Tunneling
Wireless Tools
Bluetooth
Cisco Tools
Database Tools
Forensic Tools
BackTrack Services
Reversing
Misc.


In relation to basic software packages, BackTrack includes some ordinary desktop programs such as Mozilla Firefox, Gaim, K3b, and XMMS.


Criticism
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The BackTrack 2 release garnered some criticism. The security suite did not include the popular security scanner Nessus, due to various licensing problems. Newer releases also created problems with PostgreSQL in Fluxbox which created an error, as well as the inclusion of programs such as the aforementioned Nessus and VMware which did not work. According to news releases the new version of BackTrack 3 will include advertising. Currently, bookmarks in Firefox seem to be the only advertising visible in version 3 Beta.


Training
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The Backtrack security distro has spawned a spin-off training course called Offensive Security, as well as the Offensive Security Certified Professional certification. This training course teaches basic penetration testing using the Backtrack Live CD.



Summary
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This is an excellent Security testing Tool. PLEASE use it with caution and wisdom.

I've included the Live CD Image, Live USB image, and the VMWARE Virtual Machine.



-UncleMonkey777