BackTrack

---

title: "BackTrack" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["discontinued-linux-distributions", "linux-distributions-offering-kde-desktop-environment", "operating-system-distributions-bootable-from-read-only-media", "pentesting-software-toolkits", "year-of-introduction-missing", "linux-distributions"] description: "Linux distribution" topic_path: "technology/operating-systems" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BackTrack" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Linux distribution ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox OS"]

Field	Value
name	BackTrack
logo	[[File:
screenshot	[[File:BackTrack 5 R1.png
caption	BackTrack 5 R3
developer	Offensive Security
family	Linux (Unix-like)
ui	Bash, KDE Plasma Desktop, Fluxbox, GNOME
license	Various
preceded by
succeeded by	Kali Linux
website
source_model	Open source
released
discontinued	yes
latest_release_version	5 R3
latest_release_date
supported_platforms	i386 (x86), AMD64 (x86-64), ARM
kernel_type	Monolithic
working_state	Discontinued
::

| name = BackTrack | logo = [[File:|center|250px|Backtrack]] | screenshot = [[File:BackTrack 5 R1.png|250px]] | caption = BackTrack 5 R3 | developer = Offensive Security | family = Linux (Unix-like) | ui = Bash, KDE Plasma Desktop, Fluxbox, GNOME | license = Various | preceded by = | succeeded by = Kali Linux | website = | source_model = Open source | released = | discontinued = yes | latest_release_version = 5 R3 | latest_release_date = | latest_test_version = | supported_platforms = i386 (x86), AMD64 (x86-64), ARM | kernel_type = Monolithic | working_state = Discontinued BackTrack was a Linux distribution that focused on security, based on the Knoppix Linux distribution aimed at digital forensics and penetration testing use. In March 2013, the Offensive Security team rebuilt BackTrack around the Debian distribution and released it under the name 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 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.

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.

Tools

BackTrack provided 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 allowed users to boot BackTrack directly from portable media without requiring installation, though permanent installation to hard disk and network was also an option.

BackTrack included many well known security tools including:

• 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:

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

Releases

::data[format=table]

Date	Release
May 26, 2006	title=BackTrack Downloads (seriously old)
October 13, 2006	BackTrack 2 beta #1 released
November 19, 2006	BackTrack 2 beta #2 released
March 6, 2007	date=13 February 2007
December 14, 2007	BackTrack 3 beta released
June 19, 2008	date=June 19, 2008
February 11, 2009	BackTrack 4 beta released
January 9, 2010	date=January 9, 2010
May 8, 2010	BackTrack 4 R1 release
November 22, 2010	BackTrack 4 R2 release
May 10, 2011	date=May 10, 2011
August 18, 2011	BackTrack 5 R1 release (Linux kernel 2.6.39.5)
March 1, 2012	BackTrack 5 R2 release (Linux kernel 3.2.6)
August 13, 2012	BackTrack 5 R3 release
::

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.

References

References

1. "Developers.".
2. "HowTo:Install KDE 4.1". Offensive-security.com.
3. "BackTrack 4 tutorial".
4. "BackTrack Linux – Penetration Testing Distribution".
5. (March 13, 2013). "Kali Linux Has Been Released!".
6. "BackTrack".
7. Moser, Max. (June 22, 2005). "New release of the Auditor Security Collection available".
8. Marti, Don. (August 2005). "Editors' choice awards 2005". Belltown Media.
9. (March 13, 2024). "Kali Linux History". [[Offensive Security]].
10. Lalitha, Priya. (5 April 2014). "Rational Unified Treatment for Web Application Vulnerability Assessment". [[Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers]].
11. Gupta, Ajay. (October 1, 2010). "BackTrack 4: A One-Stop Shop for Security Analysis and Learning". opensourceforu.com.
12. Murphy, Brandon F.. (July 30, 2013). "Network Penetration Testing and Research". [[NASA]].
13. Hess, Ken. (September 20, 2011). "BackTrack Linux: The Ultimate Hacker's Arsenal". Admin Magazine.
14. "BackTrack Downloads (seriously old)".
15. (15 May 2006). "BackTrack Security Final Release".
16. "Downloads".
17. (14 October 2006). "BackTrack v2.0 Public Beta Has Been Released!".
18. "BackTrack Downloads".
19. (13 February 2007). "BackTrack 2.0 Final Due End of February".
20. "Latest News".
21. (June 19, 2008). "BackTrack Developers Log".
22. "BackTrack Downloads".
23. (January 9, 2010). "BackTrack 4 Final Released".
24. (11 January 2010). "BackTrack 4 Final Release".
25. (August 4, 2010). "BackTrack 4 R1 – Public Release".
26. (November 19, 2010). "BackTrack 4 R2 Download!".
27. (May 10, 2011). "BackTrack 5 Release".
28. (August 18, 2011). "BackTrack 5 R1 released".
29. (March 1, 2012). "BackTrack 5 R2 Released".
30. (August 13, 2012). "BackTrack 5 R3 Released!".
31. Ahmed, Waqas. (February 1, 2013). "BackTrack to be Reborn as Kali Linux!".

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::