BackTrack explained

BackTrack was a Linux distribution that focused on security, based on the Knoppix Linux distribution aimed at digital forensics and penetration testing use.^[4] In March 2013, the Offensive Security team rebuilt BackTrack around the Debian distribution and released it under the name 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 and were based on Knoppix.^[6]
• Auditor Security Collection: a Live CD based on Knoppix developed by Max Moser which included over 300 tools organized in a user-friendly hierarchy.^{[7] [8]}

On January 9, 2010, BackTrack 4 improved hardware support, and added official FluxBox support. The overlap with Auditor and WHAX in purpose and in collection of tools partly led to the merger. The overlap came about as Backtrack 5, released on May 10, 2011. This version also seen the base OS changed from Slackware to Ubuntu.^[9]

Tools

BackTrack provided users with easy access to a comprehensive and large collection of security-related tools ranging from port scanners to Security Audit.^[10] Support for Live CD and Live USB functionality allowed users to boot BackTrack directly from portable media without requiring installation,^[11] though permanent installation to hard disk and network was also an option.

BackTrack included many well known security tools including:^[12]

• Metasploit for integration
• Wi-Fi drivers supporting monitor mode (rfmon mode) and packet injection
• Aircrack-ng
• Reaver, a tool used to exploit a vulnerability in WPS
• Gerix Wifi Cracker
• Kismet
• Nmap
• Ophcrack
• Ettercap
• Wireshark (formerly known as Ethereal)
• BeEF (Browser Exploitation Framework)
• Hydra
• OWASP Mantra Security Framework, a collection of hacking tools, add-ons and scripts based on Firefox
• Cisco OCS Mass Scanner, a very reliable and fast scanner for Cisco routers to test default telnet and enabling password.
• A large collection of exploits as well as more commonplace software such as browsers.
• Armitage - java-based front-end to Metasploit.

BackTrack arranged tools into 12 categories:^[13]

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

Releases

Date	Release
May 26, 2006	First stable release of BackTrack based on Slackware[14] [15]
October 13, 2006	BackTrack 2 beta #1 released[16] [17]
November 19, 2006	BackTrack 2 beta #2 released[18]
March 6, 2007	BackTrack 2 final released[19]
December 14, 2007	BackTrack 3 beta released[20]
June 19, 2008	BackTrack 3 final released (Linux kernel 2.6.21.5)[21]
February 11, 2009	BackTrack 4 beta released[22]
January 9, 2010	BackTrack 4 final release (Linux kernel 2.6.30.9 and base OS changed to Ubuntu)[23] [24]
May 8, 2010	BackTrack 4 R1 release[25]
November 22, 2010	BackTrack 4 R2 release[26]
May 10, 2011	BackTrack 5 release (Linux kernel 2.6.38)[27]
August 18, 2011	BackTrack 5 R1 release (Linux kernel 2.6.39.5)[28]
March 1, 2012	BackTrack 5 R2 release (Linux kernel 3.2.6)[29]
August 13, 2012	BackTrack 5 R3 release[30]

Whenever a new version of BackTrack was released, older versions would lose their support and service from the BackTrack development team. There are currently no supported versions of BackTrack.^[31]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Developers. . 2010-03-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100322191128/http://www.backtrack-linux.org/about/ . 2010-03-22 . dead .
2. Web site: HowTo:Install KDE 4.1 . Offensive-security.com . 2009-12-12 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090806044712/http://backtrack.offensive-security.com/index.php/HowTo%3AInstall_KDE_4.1 . 2009-08-06 .
3. Web site: BackTrack 4 tutorial . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111026005034/http://forum.indonesianbacktrack.or.id/forumdisplay.php?fid=78 . 2011-10-26 .
4. Web site: BackTrack Linux – Penetration Testing Distribution . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20250123202439/https://www.backtrack-linux.org/ . 23 January 2025 . 19 February 2025 . Backtrack Linux.
5. Web site: March 13, 2013 . Kali Linux Has Been Released! . March 18, 2013 . Offensive Security.
6. Web site: BackTrack . February 19, 2025 . remote-exploit.org.
7. Web site: Moser . Max . June 22, 2005 . New release of the Auditor Security Collection available . February 19, 2025 . seclists.org.
8. Marti . Don . August 2005 . Editors' choice awards 2005 . . Belltown Media . 2005 . 136 . 4 . 1075-3583.
9. Web site: March 13, 2024 . Kali Linux History . February 19, 2025 . . Offensive Security.
10. Lalitha . Priya . Challissery Samu . Lifna . Shankar Jagli . Dhanamma . Joy . Anooja . 5 April 2014 . Rational Unified Treatment for Web Application Vulnerability Assessment . International Conference on Circuits, Systems, Communication and Information Technology Applications . . Mumbai, India . 338 . 10.1109/CSCITA.2014.6839283 . 978-1-4799-2494-3.
11. News: Gupta . Ajay . October 1, 2010 . BackTrack 4: A One-Stop Shop for Security Analysis and Learning . February 19, 2025 . opensourceforu.com.
12. Network Penetration Testing and Research . Murphy . Brandon F. . July 30, 2013 . . 2–3 . February 19, 2025 .
13. News: Hess . Ken . September 20, 2011 . BackTrack Linux: The Ultimate Hacker's Arsenal . February 19, 2025 . Admin Magazine . 1–3.
14. Web site: BackTrack Downloads (seriously old) . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080626100030/http://www.remote-exploit.org/backtrack_download_veryold.html . 2008-06-26 . April 9, 2019 . remote-exploit.org . en.
15. Web site: 15 May 2006 . BackTrack Security Final Release . April 9, 2019 . en.
16. Web site: Downloads . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20061027172529/http://www.offensive-security.com/downloads.html . October 27, 2006 . April 9, 2019 . . en.
17. Web site: 14 October 2006 . BackTrack v2.0 Public Beta Has Been Released! . April 9, 2019 . secmaniac . en . Blogspot.
18. Web site: BackTrack Downloads . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070202024932/http://www.remote-exploit.org/backtrack_download.html . February 2, 2007 . April 9, 2019 . remote-exploit.org . en.
19. Web site: 13 February 2007 . BackTrack 2.0 Final Due End of February . April 9, 2019 . secmaniac . en . Blogspot.
20. Web site: Latest News . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080501210105/http://www.remote-exploit.org/news.html . 2008-05-01 . April 9, 2019 . remote-exploit.org . en.
21. Web site: June 19, 2008 . BackTrack Developers Log . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090529075045/http://www.remote-exploit.org/backtrack_devlog.html . May 29, 2009 . April 9, 2019 . remote-exploit.org . en.
22. Web site: BackTrack Downloads . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090523080314/http://www.remote-exploit.org/backtrack_download.html . 2009-05-23 . April 9, 2019 . remote-exploit.org . en.
23. Web site: January 9, 2010 . BackTrack 4 Final Released . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100114220541/http://www.backtrack-linux.org/backtrack/backtrack4-release/ . January 14, 2010 . April 9, 2019 . backtrack-linux.org . en.
24. Web site: 11 January 2010 . BackTrack 4 Final Release . April 9, 2019 . . en.
25. Web site: August 4, 2010 . BackTrack 4 R1 – Public Release . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20101130093002/http://www.backtrack-linux.org/backtrack/backtrack-4-r1-public-release/ . November 30, 2010 . April 9, 2019 . backtrack-linux.org . en.
26. Web site: November 19, 2010 . BackTrack 4 R2 Download! . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110112194447/http://www.backtrack-linux.org/backtrack/backtrack-4-r2-download/ . January 12, 2011 . April 9, 2019 . backtrack-linux.org . en.
27. Web site: May 10, 2011 . BackTrack 5 Release . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120226060247/http://www.backtrack-linux.org/backtrack/backtrack-5-release/ . February 26, 2012 . April 9, 2019 . backtrack-linux.org . en.
28. Web site: August 18, 2011 . BackTrack 5 R1 released . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120223221229/http://www.backtrack-linux.org/backtrack/backtrack-5-r1-released . February 23, 2012 . April 9, 2019 . backtrack-linux.org . en.
29. Web site: March 1, 2012 . BackTrack 5 R2 Released . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120303005136/http://www.backtrack-linux.org/backtrack/backtrack-5-r2-released/ . March 3, 2012 . April 9, 2019 . backtrack-linux.org . en.
30. Web site: August 13, 2012 . BackTrack 5 R3 Released! . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130314031147/http://www.backtrack-linux.org/backtrack/backtrack-5-r3-released/ . March 14, 2013 . April 9, 2019 . backtrack-linux.org . en.
31. Web site: Ahmed . Waqas . February 1, 2013 . BackTrack to be Reborn as Kali Linux! . February 19, 2025 . HackRead.