Top 5 Linux Distros/Distributions Acting As Penetration Testing Tools

Just like a good plumber needs his tools to perform the best work a budding pen-tester or a curious hacker needs the best penetration testing tool to perform a good testing. Every informational security professional has to work with a penetration testing training and most of the training may ask for using the penetration testing tool within a Linux Pen-testing/ Forensics Box. Linux Penetration Testing Tool!!!

Definitely not a new term to learn but is just in the year 2012 when BackTrack was used by over four million professional security researchers which was the part of the Linux pen-testing distributions. Linux distribution is an open source tool to help the testers in performing the penetration testing. Like all other pen-testing distro has its own pros, cons and specialty. Some distro for example are better at web application vulnerability discovery, forensics, WiFi cracking, reverse engineering, malware analysis, social engineering etc.

Let us find some best pen-test Linux Distributions/distros allowing the best tools that are helpful in penetration testing services for the testers:-

1. BackTrack5r3– Based on the popular OS Ubuntu, the BackTrack was only available within a KDE environment earlier, but later Gnome was added as an option when BackTrack v5 was released.  It can run on a live CD or flash drive. The distribution is ideal for wireless cracking, exploiting, web application assessment, learning, or social-engineering a client.
2. NodeZero– NodeZero like BackTrack uses the Ubuntu based distro for penetration testing by using repositories. With NodeZero you get a system update when Ubuntu releases a patch for its bug. According to NodeZero, a penetration tester “requires a strong and efficient system [achieved by using] a distribution that is a permanent installation, that benefits from a strong selection of tools, integrated with a stable Linux environment.
3. BackBox– BackBox is also an Ubuntu-based distribution developed to perform penetration tests and security assessments and is gaining popularity with passing day. Testers believe that this distro is fast and easy to use. It has a concise look and works so well. Like other distros, BackBox is also always updated to the latest stable versions of the most often used and best-known ethical hacking tools through repositories.
4. Blackubuntu– The blackubuntu distro also runs on Ubuntu software and has the penetration testing benefits like Information Gathering, Network Mapping, Vulnerability Identification, Penetration, Privilege Escalation, Maintaining Access, Radio Network Analysis, VoIP Analysis, Digital Forensic, Reverse Engineering and a Miscellaneous section.
5. Pentoo– This is a security focused live CD based on Gentoo and so if you are using Pentoo, this is the best distro for you. Pentoo has some of the best customized tools and kernel including a Hardened Kernel with aufs patches, Backported Wifi stack from latest stable kernel release, Module loading support ala slax, XFCE4 wm and Cuda/OPENCL cracking support with development tools.

So the testers, if working on Linux OS, must check for some of these Linux Distros that can act as the best tools for performing the efficient penetration testing services.

Author Bio – Neha is an info-sec expert, she is working in information security company having overall experience of more than 5 years. She is well versed in web application security and mobile application security testing services. When Neha is not busy testing, she pens down her experience and shares it with the online world.