BackTrack) was a distribution based on the Debian GNU/Linux distribution aimed at digital forensics and penetration testing use. It was named after backtracking, a search algorithm. In March 2013 the BackTrack team later replaced it with a successor product, Kali Linux.
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.
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 includes many well known security tools including:
Metasploit for integration
RFMON, injection capable wireless drivers
Aircrack-ng
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 with telnet and enabling of a default password.
A large collection of exploits as well as more commonplace software such as browsers.
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
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.