Advantages to Bactrack?

[wabi]

Okay I'm a bit of a noob to Linux but what is the advantage to Backtrack? I know it comes with certain tools but can't someone just install those on any linux distro?

[iTpHo3NiX]

The advantage of backtrack is the fact that it comes pre loaded with penetration testing software, but on pretty much any debian build you can add the backtrack repos and install the same shit on it. It just depends on what you want. BT makes it simple and has pretty much all the tools you'll need for pentesting

[Corrupted_Fear]

Preloaded with all the tools you could ever need, has docs everywhere, easy enough support, its not windows. Yea, it has a bit of a learning curve, welcome to Linux. What I did is went through the menus and learned exactly what each tool did and how to use it, one at a time. It will keep you pretty busy for a while, but the experience and knowledge you will get is invaluable.

[wabi]

So my suspicions were correct, lol.
I was wondering if maybe there was something else I was missing by how often people talk about it.
I guess I'll put it on a virtual machine and play around a bit.
Thanks guys.

[iTpHo3NiX]

So my suspicions were correct, lol.
I was wondering if maybe there was something else I was missing by how often people talk about it.
I guess I'll put it on a virtual machine and play around a bit.
Thanks guys.

The thing is its simple, already made, why re-invent the wheel? I guess if you want a slimmer version without applications you wont be using you can always just build off whatever base you want. The point of backtrack is to have all the relevant packages installed (including dependencies) and all of the irrelevant ones not. Also it just depends on what you're going to be doing. For example if you are using the OS for more mobile/blackhat activities having it on a live disk, everything configured and is portable comes in handy. Another advantage of Backtrack is its more of a hardened OS that is less likely to become subject to being hacked or exploited. For example, say you're doing pentesting at a hotspot in a coffee shop. After probing some networks, someone else is there doing the same. He sees that you are connected to the network and EXPLOITABLE APP on your machine is running and he then uses an exploit to gain access to your system because of some non needed application for security purposes is installed and running on your system.

[proxx]

It looks like im the first one who is gonna disagree here.
Backtrack is unstable as shit, outdated, way to heavy and some misc problems as a bonus.
Owyeah , did I mention poorly documented?
Its also very vulnerable, ow man I remembered the first time I did a nessus scan on backtrack, lmfao.

I actually encourage you to install just about any plain linux distro and build it up yourself.
Get something lightweight and stable.
Intstalling the tools is a learning experience by itself.
Itll help you make the full switch to linux, windows is soo... 1998.

May current system outperforms backtrack in any way.

[Z3R0]

@proxx, the reason it's unstable is because it's not intended to be used as an OS that you would browse facebook with. It comes pre-installed with a lot of additional services that take barely any configuring to setup (like an ssh, ftp, tftp, and http server). Ofc it's going to be vulnerable to a lot of different things. It's designed to be setup as quickly as possible, so you can fuck shit up as quickly as possible.

----text below is legitimately for everyone else, no one is being singled out----

@everyone else, Backtrack is extremely useful for the sole purpose of cracking. That's all it is supposed to do. It is supposed to help a semi-knowledgeable person get shell on as many different machines, as fast as technologically feasible. All of this ranting about how much it sucks isn't going to get you anywhere.

If I want to cross-compile a windows exploit on linux, and successfully get a shell from a vulnerable service, I can do that with backtrack. If I want to setup a web server, and host client-side exploits, I can do that with backtrack. If I need to reverse ssh tunnel a vulnerable service behind a firewall on a target back to me, I can do that with backtrack. I'm not saying you can't do it on any other distro. What I am saying is that you can do all of this, and more with backtrack as it is, without having to download/compile/make/configure/trouble-shoot whatever I need to do a task necessary for getting a shell/other valuable credential.

It's great if some of you want to create/find your own tools, but please don't knock backtrack off as useless just because it's "mainstream"

[proxx]

Yes and thats exactly my point its cluttered.
As a full time linux user its pretty much pointless to go boot something else all the time (nor do i like debian based systems but thats just a matter of taste).
For me there is no purpose in running some ubuntu spinoff.

I have all the tools I need at my disposal setup in a fashion that I want it to be.
As I stated before ; installing,compiling and setting up the tools yourself is a great learning experience. Not to mention that to have knowledge on this subject is essential.
And about stability , there is no reason for it to be unstable, in fact when it comes to pentesting I think its a priority to have a rock solid system, espescially when time is your enemy.

It comes down to taste and opinion which is exactly the OP's question.

[Uriah]

While it is true that you can download backtrack software on any distro, I believe that they claim to have customized tools. If you download the same program, it may function slightly different. Also, firefox in Backtrack has a ton of add on's on it that I believe the distro has made relatively unique.
I would say that if you want it, get it. But, I wouldn't call it a necessity. I liked it.