Operating system

“Santorini” is the new codename for Microsoft’s Windows Lite OS

Microsoft has been reportedly rumored working on a new light version of the desktop operating system (OS) codenamed “Windows Lite.” This OS is built on Windows Core OS for lightweight computing. This OS is designed to compete with Google’s Chrome OS in the education sector and other markets.

The name “Windows Lite” first appeared in a Windows 10 SDK and will run applications from the Microsoft Windows Store and PWAs (Progressive Web Apps). The rumored Lite desktop OS does not replace any existing version of Windows and it is not something that the users would run on the desktop. Lite will also have instant-on functionality and it should be able to run on any CPU.

Now, Zac Bowden, a journalist with Windows Central, reports that Microsoft has finalized a new codename “Santorini” instead of Lite for its new platform. For those unaware, the codename is usually the nickname assigned to software and hardware when Microsoft tests it internally.

Santorini will offer an entirely new experience that has been designed to meet the specific needs of the students who will use it. It will run on a number of new devices including “Centaurus” and “Pegasus”. The Centaurus is a dual-screen device, while Pegasus is a new line of Notebooks running Lite OS with different configurations or features.

While Microsoft has not formally confirmed any such reports, we may likely get to hear more about information about Windows Lite this spring.

Android Q may bring system-wide dark theme, improved privacy, and desktop mode

Google had launched its latest operating system, Android Pie or ‘P’ in August last year. Five months after the release, Google has already started testing its upcoming mobile operating system, Android ‘Q’, according to a new leak spotted by XDAdevelopers.

The first build of Android Q that was created in January 2019 was spotted in February 2019’s security patch that Google recently rolled out for Android Pie. The earliest build of Google’s upcoming OS version gives us a glimpse of what is in store.

According to the in-depth analysis video uploaded by XDA-developers, the upcoming Android Q includes a number of new features such as system-wide dark mode, new privacy controls, new permissions UI, desktop mode, new developer tools and much more.

The most notable change in Android Q is the system-wide Dark Theme. It is believed that Android Q will introduce the “override force-dark” feature. It means that even if third-party apps do not feature built-in themes, this feature can make them switch from white backgrounds to dark gray.

Also, Google is looking to further strengthen its user privacy by adding a new “allow only while the app is in use” permission. This will enable users to see each apps’ permissions individually and also see in the notifications which apps have access to your location. This feature will offer more flexibility to those apps that don’t work if permission is disabled entirely.

Besides the above, Google is working on its own desktop/external display mode, a feature similar to Samsung’s DeX hints XDA Developers. This will make it possible to connect a phone to a monitor and use it as a desktop computer.

Android Q also includes a developer setting for built-in screen recording; however, this feature is not yet functional in this early build of the OS. Additionally, users will be able to use slide notifications right to dismiss them or slide them left for options to access icons for snoozing.

Some other features discovered in the early Android Q build include an off switch for all sensors, improvements to Files app, revamped Screen Lock settings, Game Update Package Preferences setting and more.

Since this is an early build version of Android Q, it is likely to undergo changes before the Developer Preview.

You can watch XDA’s detailed video comparison of Pie and Q running on the Google Pixel 3 XL in the video below.

Google’s upcoming Fuchsia OS will be able to support Android apps

It is no secret that Google is quietly working on a new operating system (OS) dubbed as “Fuchsia” for quite some time now. This upcoming OS is rumored to replace the world’s most popular mobile OS, Android.

Now, a new change in Android’s Geritt source code has apparently confirmed that the upcoming Fuchsia OS will support Android apps, which will run in a specially designed version of the Android Runtime (ART), reports 9to5Google.

For those unaware, ART is the environment used to run Android apps. This version of ART will not only be compatible with any Fuchsia OS devices, but also be installable with the help of a .far file, which is Fuchsia’s take on Android’s APK file. It is also learned that Google would offer developers a new coding kit to make it easy for them to develop apps for Fuchsia, Android, and iOS.

Fuchsia OS will be cross-platform and run on anything from mobile phones to computers and IoT (Internet of Things) devices. The OS will be more secure and well-equipped to understand voice commands and gestures.

Currently, it is unclear when Google will officially release Fuchsia OS, but we can hope to hear more info regarding the new OS during the Google I/O 2019 event later this year.

Ubuntu 18.10 (Cosmic Cuttlefish) Is Now Ready To Download

Canonical has released Ubuntu Linux 18.10 Cosmic Cuttlefish operating system, which is now finally available for download after a short Beta perio.

“Codenamed ‘Cosmic Cuttlefish,’ 18.10 continues Ubuntu’s proud tradition of integrating the latest and greatest open source technologies into a high-quality, easy-to-use Linux distribution. The team has been hard at work through this cycle, introducing new features and fixing bugs,” says Adam Conrad, Software Engineer, Canonical.

Conrad further says, “The Ubuntu kernel has been updated to the 4.18 based Linux kernel, our default toolchain has moved to gcc 8.2 with glibc 2.28, and we’ve also updated to openssl 1.1.1 and gnutls 3.6.4 with TLS1.3 support. Ubuntu Desktop 18.04 LTS brings a fresh look with the community-driven Yaru theme replacing our long-serving Ambiance and Radiance themes. We are shipping the latest GNOME 3.30, Firefox 63, LibreOffice 6.1.2, and many others.”

However, according to the release notes, there are some known issues that are given below.

• After installing Cosmic alongside Cosmic, the resized filesystem is corrupted (bug 1798562) It has not been reported to happen if the original operating system is something else than Cosmic.
• When Ubuntu is reinstalled with preserving existing data, an error message is displayed due to “Could not get lock /target/var/cache/apt/archives/lock” (bug 1798369). The packages installed originally are not reinstalled and must be reinstalled manually. Although the user data is preserved.
• The screen reader doesn’t read the installer when executed from a live session (bug 1797861), is not auto-enabled on first login even if it’s been enabled during installation (bug 1796275) and the pages of the first run wizard are not read properly (bug 1797868).
• When disconnecting from VPNs, DNS resolution may become broken requiring a restart of resolved. $ sudo systemctl restart systemd-resolved.service Bug 1797415.
• In an OEM installation, during user setup, the language selected is not taken into account (bug 1798554).
• The gnome-initial-setup Quit option from the application menu in the top bar doesn’t quit the application. If you want to quit g-i-s use quit from the dock menu instead.

Canonical also released the newest Ubuntu Budgie, Kubuntu, Lubuntu, Ubuntu Kylin, Ubuntu MATE, Ubuntu Studio, and Xubuntu.

Currently, the following Cosmic Cuttlefish versions are available for users:

• Ubuntu (Download) (Release Notes)
• Kubuntu (Download) (Release Notes)
• Lubuntu (Download) (Release Notes)
• Ubuntu Budgie (Download) (Release Notes)
• Ubuntu MATE (Download)(Release Notes)
• Xubuntu (Download) (Release Notes)

Microsoft announces the experimental release of Robot OS (operating system) for Windows 10 users. This OS will be packed with tons of features like Machine Learning, Internet of Things (IoT), cloud services and computer vision as well.

According to Microsoft’s Blog on late Friday. This development will bring the manageability and security of ‘Windows 10 Internet of Things (IoT) Enterprise’ solutions to the ‘ROS’ ecosystem as well.

Talking about ROS. It’s an assemblage of tools and libraries which is utilized and applied to build complex robots. Windows 10 IOT enterprise helps in producing enterprise manageability and security solutions in context to industry based IoT devices, which are used in manufacturing, retail, healthcare, and of course other industries.

If you don’t know then windows is the trusted partner of robotics and industrial systems for decades.’Lou Amadio’ Principal Software Engineer also added we’re looking forward to bringing the intelligent edge to robotics by bringing more advanced features.

With the advancement of Robots, Microsoft also plans to research into advanced development tools.

Microsoft will also host the Windows builds for ‘ROS1’ and shortly for ‘ROS2’ wrote Amadio.

Also Read- 15 Best Windows Themes/Skins To Improve Your Windows 10 Look

Synaptics hints that Microsoft’s next-generation operating system will have enhanced biometric features

It’s been three years since Microsoft introduced its last desktop operating system, Windows 10 in July 2015. The tech giant has since been regularly upgrading, improving and developing the current operating system (OS) with a continuous stream of feature updates.

However, a recently released press note from Synaptics, the leading developer of human interface solutions, mentions “a next-generation operating system” from Microsoft with a focus on biometric security and Windows Hello”. In other words, it hints that Microsoft is likely working on a next-generation OS that is secured by biometrics.

The press release notes titled “Synaptics, AMD Collaborate on Enterprise-Grade Biometric PC Security for Next-Generation Microsoft Operating System” announced “a joint initiative centered on delivering a new industry benchmark in highly-secure biometric fingerprint authentication for enterprise/commercial and consumer notebook PCs based on next-generation AMD Ryzen™ Mobile platform and Microsoft’s next-generation operating system.”

It further states, “The collaboration brings a new level of security for AMD-based laptops by leveraging Synaptics’ unique FS7600 Match-in-Sensor™ fingerprint sensor technology with powerful AMD Ryzen Mobile processors, and Microsoft’s forthcoming biometric security OS including Windows Hello.”

One can conclude from the announcement that the technology will also be based on AMD’s Ryzen Mobile platforms and a new operating system from Microsoft. However, the press release leaves many questions unanswered, as Microsoft itself hasn’t announced any upcoming releases.

However, it could be a reference to Microsoft’s rumored project called Polaris – the portable, lighter, simpler operating system version of Windows 10 targeted at desktop PCs or it could also relate to Windows Core OS, another rumored modular version of Windows 10 for IoT (Internet of Things) smart devices and not a completely new operating system that Microsoft develops.

You can check out the full press release here.

Microsoft’s partner conference, Inspire, is expected to be held from July 15th to 19th in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center and T-Mobile Arena. We can expect to hear more from Microsoft at this event. So, keep watching this space for more updates!!!

‘Eelo’ is an open-source alternative for Google’s Android OS

Android is an open-source operating system that is partly developed and modified by Google. As a result, Android come pre-installed virtually in all smartphones and other devices along with closed source apps and services including the Google Play Store, YouTube, Gmail, and Google Maps. This leaves no alternative for the manufacturers to make any changes to the operating system. Similarly, users who do not want to opt for Google services will not get a Play Store and ultimately almost no apps.

To break the dominance of Google on Android, Gael Duval, a former Linux developer and creator of now defunct but once hugely popular Mandrake Linux (later known as Mandriva Linux), has developed an open-source version of Android that is not connected to Google.

Dubbed as ‘eelo’ that uses only free and open source software (FOSS), this will be an open source, non-profit project that will aim to free users from tech corporates like Google and Apple who invade our privacy by selling our data to advertisers.

“I’m not happy with this situation because iOS is proprietary and I prefer Open Source Software. I’m not happy because Apple is getting crazy with their latest products. They are more and more expensive, and not really exciting.

“Also I’m not happy with Google and others. They have become too big and are tracking us by catching a lot of information about what we do. They want to know us as much as possible to sell advertising. Like millions others, I’VE BECOME A PRODUCT OF GOOGLE.

“I want to stop that, at least for myself. People are free to do what they want. They can choose to be voluntary slaves. But I do not want this situation for me anymore,” Duval said.

Basically, just a fork on LineageOS, an open source Android distribution, eelo will be more than just a mobile operating system and have its own associated web-services such as email, cloud storage and online office tools. It will focus greatly on personal data and privacy.

“eelo is going to inform users why data-slavery is not a fate. And eelo will provide credible alternative to users who care about their data-privacy: mobile phones and smartphone operating systems, and associated web-services. [In] the long term we want to provide a full digital ecosystem, including PC operating systems, personal assistants, [and] web APIs,” the official site of the project reads.

Duval wants to “reconquer his privacy, and make sure that his data remains his data”.

The Kickstarter page of eelo reads, “The eelo project will release attractive “privacy-enabled” smartphone ROMs and smartphones for the average user, with associated web-services.”

The company has issued a three-year roadmap regarding its plans, which are not mentioned on the Kickstarted campaign. During the first year, the team hopes to have a downloadable ROM for several devices and to have released the eelo web services. Further, it has plans to release eelo OS for PC in the second year, and release its own smartphone and a digital assistant in the third year.

Without making any compromise to the functionality, Duval wants to replace every single Google app with a free or open-source alternative that offers the same rich set of features. For instance, Google Maps will be replaced by OpenStreetMaps. eelo uses F-Droid and APKPure instead of the Google Play Store, and Google Drive will be replaced by services like NextCloud or OwnCloud that will allow the user to set up their own personal cloud file server.

The team has already started working on a prototype of its mobile OS that features the newly developed BlissLauncher 2. There’s a Kickstarter campaign for those who are interested in supporting and/or following the project.

Linux Mint 18.3 “Sylvia” Officially Released

Clement Lefebvre, head of the Linux Mint project has announced the general availability of Linux Mint 18.3 Cinnamon and MATE editions of their latest Linux Mint 18.3 “Sylvia” operating system. The latest version will come with updated software, refinements, and new features.

Lefebvre also stated that the Xfce and KDE versions will come later in the year. Besides releasing ISO images for 18.3 “Sylvia”, the Linux Mint team also made a blog post detailing how to upgrade your existing 18.0, 18.1, or 18.2 systems to Sylvia. Linux Mint 18.3 features Cinnamon 3.6, a Linux kernel 4.10 and an Ubuntu 16.04 package base.

Just like other versions in the 18.x series, Linux Mint 18.3 will receive security updates for five years, which means that the users will be able to use the OS as well into 2021. Since this is not a “mandatory” update, if you are using one of the older, but supported Mint 18.x releases and are satisfied with it, then stay on your current release unless you’ve got a reason to upgrade, Lefebvre advises.

The new version of the Linux distribution comes with improvements to existing features such as the Software Manager with a new and updated user interface, a cleaner design, and faster performance. The Software Manager also now comes with native Flatpak support. It allows you to install applications even if their dependencies are not compatible with Linux Mint. Popular software applications such as Spotify, WhatsApp, Skype, Google Earth, Steam or Minecraft are now featured and very easy to install.

“Thanks to Flatpak you can install bleeding-edge applications even if their dependencies are not compatible with Linux Mint. Linux Mint 18.3 comes with Flatpak installed by default and the new Software Manager fully supports it. A section is dedicated to Flatpak and the Software Manager lists the content of each Flatpak remote. Although Flathub is configured by default, you can modify the list of remotes. If you add new ones, they will appear in the Software Manager. Packages and flatpaks are completely different things, but in the Software Manager, they’re presented the same way: They’re just applications you install,” says Lefebvre.

Linux Mint 18.3 features Timeshift, a tool dedicated to system snapshots. “Timeshift is the perfect companion to the Linux Mint Backup Tool. It doesn’t save your personal data, it saves everything else. Thanks to Timeshift you can create backups of the operating system itself. You deleted system files by mistake? You can recover them. You upgraded to a newer release and something isn’t working well anymore? You can go back in time. In preparation for Linux Mint 18.3, our development team worked in cooperation with Tony George, the developer of Timeshift, to improve localization, HiDPI support, look and feel, and support for window progress and encrypted directories,” Lefebvre added.

The new version of Linux Mint also ships with a System Reports tool designed to provide users of the system with crash information, and general purpose information reports. You can read more about the changelogs for Linux Mint 18.3 Cinnamon and MATE by clicking the links.

Linux Mint is available for download with a choice of desktop environment including Cinnamon and MATE.

Source: Neowin

System76 Pop!_OS Beta Ubuntu-based Linux Distro Tailor-made for Developers now available for download

While Linux seems to be winning the Windows vs Linux battle, you would have noticed one astonishing thing. There are very few laptop and PC manufacturers in the world who ship Linux distro PCs/laptops. If you take a count, there must be only 1 top Linux hardware maker against the top Windows 10 PC/laptop makers like Dell/HP/Acer etc.

These manufacturers also ship DOS-based PCs which gives users the freedom to install any Linux distro they want but custom-fitted Linux distro PC/Laptop makers are rare. One such Linux hardware manufacturer is System 76. System 76 has made a name for itself by offering desktops and laptops with the popular Ubuntu distro pre-installed, saving customers valuable time searching for that one resource – drivers.

Now System 76 has come out with its own Linux Distro called  POP!_OS. The Linux hardware manufacturer recently announced it was creating its own Linux distro, which will replace Ubuntu on its system.

Why  POP!_OS?

If you are a Linux fan, you will notice that most Linux distros cater to a specific set of users like hackers, or sysadmin/DevOps. Rarely do you see a Linux distro made for power users like hardcore programmers, scientists, roboticists, VR/AR scientists etc! System 76 looks to fill this gap that exists in the Linux distro sphere. System 76’s Sriram Ramkrishna explained that the goal of POP!_OS is to give power users a clean palette to work with.

“In Pop!_OS there are no photo managers, music managers, games or graphics programs out-of-the-box,” he said. “The out-of-box experience is that of a clean canvas to start working from.”

The Pop!_OS will use Ubuntu as a base, and GNOME will be the desktop environment. System 76 is customizing the operating system, however, with things like fonts, themes, and icons, to create something truly unique and different from other distros. Today, System 76 is rolling out the first official beta of the operating system for download.

“I distro surfed when Canonical announced the end of Unity. Ubuntu GNOME received the most attention from the team. We figured that it’s essentially the future of Ubuntu and we better get to know our new product. GNOME stood out. There was an abundance of technologies, thoughtful workflow, and with the extensions framework we saw the potential to shape the desktop to our customers’ needs. We liked GNOME. We adapted existing themes, icons, and fonts to the System76 brand. Then boot branding. Then distro settings and default apps. Then it wasn’t Ubuntu desktop anymore,” says Carl Richell, CEO, System76.

Richell adds, “Today, our first beta arrives. Download and install it. Tell us your thoughts and about any unexpected behavior. We’re here to answer questions, fix bugs, and refine this release so it shines come October 19th. Even with it being only our first swing, we intend to knock your socks off.”

Pop!_OS is a minimalist Linux operating system like Arch Linux, however, it differs in the audience it caters to – developers, programmers, scientists, astrophysicists etc. System 76’s Ramakrishna makes that clear. He says that he won’t want casual users to test the OS, but rather have hardcore professionals who need a serious distro for work to test their Pop!_OS.

Hardcore developers and programmers can download the beta version of Pop!_OS version here. It comes in two different versions, one for X86_64 computers, and those with Nvidia graphics chipsets. You can then give your feedback to System 76 before it starts shipping computers and laptops running the OS starting from October 19.

Here’s a list of top 10 favourite operating systems of hackers for 2017

Penetration testing is becoming increasingly important for organizations of all sizes, as security breaches continue to grow both in frequency and in the amount of damage they cause. Hackers are always on the lookout for vulnerabilities in a computer system or network that can be easily breached and exploited.

There are some hackers who hack for the pure pleasure of hacking, while there are some who identify system vulnerabilities and access points for penetration, and prevent unwanted access to network and information systems and in return get lucratively paid for doing so. Then, there are those hackers who just want to exploit, embarrass and expose.

So, which operating systems do you think hackers enjoy exploiting the most? Since most of the operating systems for hacking is based on Linux kernel, which means that Linux is always the favorite operating system for hackers.

In this article, we have listed top 10 open source hacking operating systems for ethical hacking and penetration testing.

1. Kali Linux

Developed and funded by Offensive Security Ltd. as the rewrite of BackTrack, Kali Linux distro is one of the best and favourite operating systems of hackers. Kali Linux is a Debian-based Linux distribution aimed at advanced Penetration Testing and Security Auditing. It contains several hundred tools which are geared towards various information security tasks, such as Penetration Testing, Security research, Computer Forensics and Reverse Engineering.

Kali Linux is an open source project that is installable. However, the general concept is to make use of it from the live session, running all sorts of probes and tests and investigations against network targets and offline local storage. It’s geared up both with Windows and Linux-oriented tools. It also supports Wireless 802.11 frame injection, one-click MANA Evil Access Point setups, HID keyboard (Teensy like attacks), as well as Bad USB MITM attacks.

Further, Kali Linux updates its tools, and it is available for different platforms like VMWare, ARM and many more. Also, Kali is pre-installed with the best programs and security tools like Hydra (login cracker), Nmap (port analyzer), Wireshark (data packet analyzer), John the Ripper (password cracking tool) and Metasploit Framework (exploit code developing tool), and other tools that make it different from the other penetration testing operating systems.

Download Kali Linux

2. Parrot Security OS

Developed by the Frozenbox Team, Parrot Security OS (or ParrotSec) is a GNU/LINUX distribution based on Debian with a focus on computer security is another hackers’ favorite operating system. It is designed for penetration testing (computer security), vulnerability assessment and mitigation, computer forensics and anonymous web browsing.

Parrot uses Kali repositories in order to take latest updates for almost all the tools, but it also has its own dedicated repository where all the custom packets are kept. This is why this distro is not just a simple Kali “mod” but entire new concept which relies on Kali’s tool repositories. As such, it introduces a lot of new features and different developing choices. Parrot uses MATE as a Desktop Environment. Lightweight and powerful interface is derived from famous Gnome 2, and thanks to FrozenBox’s highly customizable captivating icons, ad-hoc themes and wallpapers.

The project is certified to run over machines which have 265MB of RAM at least and it is suitable to both 32-bit (i386) and 64-bit (amd64), with a special edition it works on old 32-bit machines (486). Moreover, the project is available for armel and armhf architectures. It even offers an edition (both 32-bit and 64-bit) developed for servers only to carry out cloud pentesting.

Download Parrot Security OS

3. BackBox

BackBox is a penetration test and security assessment oriented Ubuntu-based Linux distribution providing a network and informatic systems analysis toolkit. BackBox desktop environment includes a complete set of tools required for ethical hacking and security testing.

BackBox is lightweight OS and requires less hardware specification. The main aim of BackBox is providing an alternative, highly customizable and well performing system. It runs a desktop environment based on the lightweight Xfce window manager, which makes it standard and easy to use. It includes some of the most used security and analysis Linux tools, aiming for a wide spread of goals, ranging from web application analysis to network analysis, from stress tests to sniffing, also including vulnerability assessment, computer forensic analysis and exploitation.

BackBox has its own software repositories, which is always kept updated to the latest stable version of the most used and best known ethical hacking tools. The integration and development of new tools in the distribution follows the open source community, particularly the Debian Free Software Guidelines criteria.

Download BackBox

4. DEFT Linux

DEFT (Digital Evidence and Forensic Toolkit) is an open source distribution of Linux built around the DART (Digital Advanced Response Toolkit) software and based on the Ubuntu operating system. It is a distribution made for Computer Forensics, with the purpose of running live on systems without tampering or corrupting devices (hard disks, pendrives, etc…) connected to the PC where the boot process takes place. It is loaded with the best free and open source applications dedicated to incident response, cyber intelligence, computer forensics, and designed for use by the military, law enforcement, private security professional and IT auditors.

Download DEFT Linux

5. Samurai Web Testing Framework

The Samurai Web Testing Framework is a virtual machine that is supported on VirtualBox and VMWare, and has been pre-configured to function as a web pen-testing environment. The VM contains the best of the open source and free tools that focus on testing and attacking websites. It also includes many other tools, such as WebScarab, ratproxy, w3af, Burp Suite, and BeEF. It’s often called the best operating system for Web Penetration Testing.

Download Samurai Web Testing Framework

6. Live Hacking OS

Live Hacking DVD is a Linux distribution filled with tools and utilities for ethical hacking, penetration testing and countermeasure verification. Based on Ubuntu, this ‘Live DVD” runs directly from the DVD and doesn’t require installation on your hard-drive. Once booted, you can use the included tools to test, check, ethically hack and perform penetration tests on your own network to ensure that it is secure from outside intruders.

The distribution comes in two forms. A full Linux desktop including a graphical user interface (GNOME) and applications like Firefox along with tools and utilities for DNS enumeration, reconnaissance, foot-printing, password cracking and network sniffing. For greater accessibility, there is a Live Hacking menu to help you quickly find and launch the tools.

The second variation is the Live Hacking Mini CD, which is command line only. However, this doesn’t detract from the power of the tools and utilities included as most of the penetration testing and ethical hacking tools are command line tools. The included /lh directory has symbolic links to the different tools included. It also requires very less hardware requirements.

For example, a fast Pentium 3 or any Pentium 4 class processor (or greater) is sufficient. For the desktop version, 512MB of memory is required with 1GB recommended. Further, the command line version just needs 128MB of memory.

Download Live Hacking OS

7. Network Security Toolkit

Network Security Toolkit (NST) is a bootable ISO image (Live DVD/USB Flash Drive) based on Fedora 24 providing easy access to best-of-breed Open Source Network Security Applications and which should run on most x86_64 systems. NST provides security toolkit for professionals and network administrator with a comprehensive set of Open Source Network Security Tools. All the majority tools mentioned in the article “Top 125 Network Security Tools” by Insecure.org are included inside NST. It also comes with an advanced Web User Interface (WUI) provided for system/network administration, navigation, automation, network monitoring, host geo-location, network analysis and configuration of many network and security applications found within the NST distribution. We can say that NST Control Panel is in a web form. NST can also be used as a network security analysis, validation and monitoring tool on enterprise virtual servers hosting virtual machines.

Download Network Security Toolkit

8. NodeZero

NodeZero is an open source Linux kernel-based operating system derived from the world’s most popular distribution of Linux, Ubuntu, which can be used for penetration testing. NodeZero uses Ubuntu repositories, so your system will always be up to date. The system setup is basic and it is primarily designed for disk installation and customization as you want.

With NodeZero comes around 300 tools for penetration testing and set of basic services which are needed in penetration testing. The distro is available for download as a dual-arch Live DVD ISO image, which will run well on computers that support both 32-bit (x86) and 64-bit (x86_64) instruction set architectures.

Download NodeZero

9. Pentoo

Pentoo is a Linux distribution based upon Gentoo Linux. Pentoo can be used as Live CD or Live USB image and the distribution aims at penetration testing. It is nothing but Gentoo with Pentoo Overlay. It’s basically a Gentoo install with lots of customized tools, customized kernel, and much more. The newly released distribution is available for both 32-bit as well as 64-bit architecture. It features packet injection patched Wi-Fi drivers, GPGPU cracking software, and lots of tools for penetration testing and security assessment. The Pentoo kernel includes grsecurity and PAX hardening and extra patches – with binaries compiled from a hardened toolchain with the latest nightly versions of some tools available.

Download Pentoo 

10. Bugtraq

Bugtraq is an electronic mailing list dedicated to issues about computer security. On-topic issues are new discussions about vulnerabilities, vendor security-related announcements, methods of exploitation, and how to fix them. It is a high-volume mailing list, and almost all new vulnerabilities are discussed there. This forum provides a vehicle for software and system manufacturers to communicate in a targeted fashion with their installed base to inform them of new vulnerabilities, so they can be addressed as soon as possible. With a team of experienced hackers and developers, they offer a great service for ethical hackers and pen testers. It is available in Debian, Ubuntu and OpenSuSe in 32 and 64 bit architectures. Bugtraq system offers the most comprehensive distribution, optimal, and stable with automated services manager in real time.

Download Bugtraq