backtrack

Backtrack the highest rated and acclaimed Linux security distribution to date. BackTrack is a Linux-based penetration testing arsenal that aids security professionals in the ability to perform assessments in a purely native environment dedicated to hacking. Regardless if you’re making BackTrack your primary operating system, booting from a LiveDVD, or using your favorite thumbdrive, BackTrack has been customized down to every package, kernel configuration, script and patch solely for the purpose of the penetration tester.

  
Tools in Backtrack

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 integration
• RFMON Injection capable wireless drivers
• Kismet
• Nmap
• Ophcrack
• Ettercap
• Wireshark (formerly known as Ethereal)
• BeEF (Browser Exploitation Framework)
• Hydra
• Cisco OCS Mass Scanner A very reliable and fast scanner for Cisco routers with telnet/enable default password.
• Quypt (Terminal Emulator) (which is private software by Crimson Hacking group, which has leaked to the Mainstream) Blackhat
• A large collection of exploits as well as more commonplace software such as browsers.

BackTrack arranges tools into 11 categories:

• Information Gathering
• Network Mapping
• Vulnerability Identification
• Web Application Analysis
• Radio Network Analysis (802.11, Bluetooth, RFID)
• Penetration (Exploit & Social Engineering Toolkit)
• Privilege Escalation
• Maintaining Access
• Digital Forensics
• Reverse Engineering
• Voice Over IP

 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. (Now based on Debian)
May 8, 2010	BackTrack 4 R1 release
November 22, 2010	BackTrack 4 R2 release
May 10, 2011	BackTrack 5 release

Few screenshots(images) of backtrack