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== Tools ==
== Tools ==
BackTrack provides users with easy access to a comprehensive and large collection of security-related tools ranging from port scanners to password crackers. Support for [[Live CD]] and [[Live USB]] functionality allows users to boot BackTrack directly from portable media without requiring installation, though permanent installation to hard disk is also an option.
BackTrack provides users with easy access to a comprehensive and large collection of security-related tools ranging from port scanners to Security Audit. Support for [[Live CD]] and [[Live USB]] functionality allows users to boot BackTrack directly from portable media without requiring installation, though permanent installation to hard disk and network is also an option.


BackTrack includes many well known security tools including:
BackTrack includes many well known security tools including:

Revision as of 09:58, 11 April 2013

BackTrack
BackTrack 5 R3
DeveloperMati Aharoni, Devon Kearns, Offensive Security.[1]
OS familyUnix-Like
Working stateActive
Source modelOpen source
Latest release5 R3 / August 13, 2012; 12 years ago (2012-08-13)
Platformsi386 (x86), AMD64 (x86-64), ARM
Kernel typeMonolithic
Default
user interface
Bash, KDE Plasma Desktop, Fluxbox,[2][3] GNOME
LicenseVarious
Official websitewww.backtrack-linux.org

BackTrack was a distribution based on the Debian GNU/Linux distribution aimed at digital forensics and penetration testing use.[4] It was named after backtracking, a search algorithm. In March 2013 the Offensive Security team later replaced it with a successor product, Kali Linux.[5]

History

The BackTrack distribution originated from the merger of two formerly competing distributions which focused on penetration testing:

  • WHAX: a Slax based Linux distribution developed by Mati Aharoni, a security consultant. Earlier versions of WHAX were called Whoppix[6] and were based on Knoppix.
  • Auditor Security Collection: a Live CD based on Knoppix developed by Max Moser which included over 300 tools organized in a user-friendly hierarchy.

The overlap with Auditor and WHAX in purpose and in their collection of tools partly led to the merger.

Tools

BackTrack provides users with easy access to a comprehensive and large collection of security-related tools ranging from port scanners to Security Audit. Support for Live CD and Live USB functionality allows users to boot BackTrack directly from portable media without requiring installation, though permanent installation to hard disk and network is also an option.

BackTrack includes many well known security tools including:

BackTrack arranges tools into 12 categories:

  • Information gathering
  • Vulnerability assessment
  • Exploitation tools
  • Privilege escalation
  • Maintaining access
  • Reverse engineering
  • RFID tools
  • Stress testing
  • Forensics
  • Reporting tools
  • Services
  • Miscellaneous

Releases

Date Release
February 5, 2006 BackTrack v.1.0 Beta
May 26, 2006 The BackTrack project released its first non-beta version (1.0).
March 6, 2007 BackTrack 2 final released.
June 19, 2008 BackTrack 3 final released.
January 9, 2010 BackTrack 4 final release. (Linux kernel 2.6.30.9)
May 8, 2010 BackTrack 4 R1 release
November 22, 2010 BackTrack 4 R2 release
May 10, 2011 BackTrack 5 release (Linux kernel 2.6.38)
August 18, 2011 BackTrack 5 R1 release (Linux kernel 2.6.39.4)
March 1, 2012 BackTrack 5 R2 release (Linux kernel 3.2.6[7])
August 13, 2012 BackTrack 5 R3 release[4]
March 13, 2013 Kali 1.0 release[8]

As soon as newer versions of BackTrack are released, older versions lose their support and service from the BackTrack development team.

References

  1. ^ "Developers".
  2. ^ "HowTo:Install KDE 4.1". Offensive-security.com. Retrieved 2009-12-12.
  3. ^ BackTrack 4 tutorial
  4. ^ a b BackTrack Linux – Penetration Testing Distribution
  5. ^ "Kali Linux Has Been Released!". 2013-03-12. Retrieved 2013-03-18.
  6. ^ http://www.remote-exploit.org/?page_id=160
  7. ^ http://www.backtrack-linux.org/backtrack/upgrading-to-backtrack-5-r2/
  8. ^ Kali Linux