
If you use the DVD, use a USB drive or mountable hard disk partition to save the information you gather. The Live DVD is powerful but considerably slower than a hard disk or USB disk. Remember that you'll need to save your data from your information gathering exercises so that you can write security audit reports for your clients. A 16GB USB drive holds the installation with plenty of room for saving files and data. BackTrack is perfectly suited to installation to a USB drive, so that it's portable and stealthier than a hard disk install.
#Backtrack 4 install#
If you decide to install it to a hard disk or USB drive, the installation expands to almost 7GB. The distro is a bootable, live DVD that's approximately 2GB in size. In short, BackTrack's tagline says it all: "The quieter you become, the more you are able to hear." Additionally, no spyware will report back to any vendor. No names, bank accounts, or user accounts are associated with obtaining the ISO image. You don't have to register (Registration is optional). One reason for BackTrack's popularity is its anonymity. And, hackers certainly prefer hundreds of no cost, high-end applications to anything commercial. Many security professionals prefer them over expensive commercial programs. What Do You Get For Nothing?īackTrack Linux contains more than 300 security tools and utilities that are all open source.
#Backtrack 4 update#
Fortunately, each command line application opens and displays the help text so you can refer to the command reference right there on the screen.īackTrack is a highly customized, Debian-based Linux distribution that you should only update through BackTrack's own repositories ( ). Even in graphical mode (which comes up with the Gnome desktop), most of the applications open in a terminal window. You must love the command line to use this distro, although it does contain a few graphical tools, such as zenmap If you're looking for all of the tools in one place, this is it. BackTrack is packed with every security and hacker tool used by security professionals and professional hackers. Its only purpose is to test your network, devices, and systems for security vulnerabilities. It is the largest collection of wireless hacking, server exploiting, web application assessing, social-engineering tools available in a single Linux distribution.īackTrack Linux is a fine example of a specialized Linux distribution. Penetration (Pen) testing and security auditing are now part of every system administrator's "other duties as assigned." BackTrack Linux ( ) is a custom distribution designed for security testing for all skill levels from novice to expert.
