11 Best Linux Distros For Hacking And Penetration Testing in 2022

This kind of access to the packet will be crucial when troubleshooting the network. You can use the -B command to get the data in bytes, instead of bits . Linux whois command is used to fetch all the information related to a website. You can get all the information about a website including the registration and the owner information. Linux curl and wget commands are used in downloading files from the internet through CLI. The curl command has to be used with the option “O” to fetch the file, while the wget command is used directly.

The page also shows you how to install support for over a dozen programming languages in your Puppy installation. Puppy Linux is an extremely lightweight distro that has separate editions based on Ubuntu and Slackware. The entire OS is small enough to be run entirely in RAM, which makes it extremely fast and responsive.

The best Linux distros for programming: Our top 5 choices

TumbleWeed is any power user’s or software developer’s piece of cake thanks to the availability of up-to-date packages such as office applications, GCC compiler, and the kernel. Arch Linux is a lightweight and flexible geeky Linux distro designed for advanced users or Linux experts who care much about what is installed and the services running. It gives users the freedom to custom or configures the system, to their preference. In a nutshell, Arch is meant for users who really know the ins and outs of working with Linux. Developed and maintained by offensive security, Kali Linux is a Debian-based Linux distro designed for penetration testing and conducting digital forensics. It ships with out-of-the-box tools meant for penetration testing such as Nmap, Metasploit Framework, Maltego, and Aircrack-ng to mention a few. As a free and open-source operating system, Linux has spawned several distributions over time, spreading its wings to encompass a large community of users.

Consider these things and more when choosing which of these options. Essentially, Sabayon makes most of the Gentoo setup decisions for you. You still get a lot of control, but you don’t have to turn every knob and flip every switch to get a working system. Do you want to set up a Linux desktop to work and look exactly the way you want it to?

Network Security Toolkit

But, when you are done, you’ll have a unique desktop to call your own. Our first choice is Fedora, but we analyzed features, tools, usability, and more below. David was qualified as a Cisco Certified Systems Instructor (CCSI #22787) many years ago! He has been conducting Cisco courses for over 15 years and has delivered instructor-led courses in various countries around the world covering a wide range of Cisco topics from CCNA to CCIE. There are even more reasons, but make sure you don’t get left behind!

At the same time, Dell Networks has embraced partnerships with Cumulus and BigSwitch to sell Whitebrand switching using open network hardware for those customers who want choices for NOS on their hardware. Modern courses and learning activities in state-of-the-art technologies prepare you for your new career. Job growth for network engineering and administration in all technologies including Linux is expected to grow 4-5% in the next ten years. With the advent and adaption of technologies (SDN & NFV) in enterprises, Cloud, and Service Provider environments, Linux has become a must-have skill for network engineers. So as you can see, there are a variety of reasons to learn more about Linux as a whole.

Best Linux distribution for network engineers?

There are hundreds of Linux distribution options available, according to distro experts. The most significant changes to the stock desktop environments are the included usability apps. For example, Manjaro includes an application for installing proprietary drivers . Other popular applications, like Firefox, are pre-installed as well. The main attraction here for users is the ready-to-go security tools.

It is based on Debian and comes with many useful preinstalled applications, so you can get started with your task as soon as you install Raspberry Pi OS. Manjaro is a powerful Linux distribution that offers powerful performance and full control while making it an Mobile Developer job description template Workable ideal Linux distribution for every type of user. This Linux distro is ideal for gamers as it is ships-in with the necessary tools for gaming. Hybrid graphics cards work flawlessly with this distro, which helps you take your gaming experience to the next level.

Kali Linux

For others, there is Leap — a more stable openSUSE version for a general audience. However, Arch Linux is not for beginners, and it should only be used by advanced users who already know the Linux operating system. We believe that based on our Job Application for IT Help Desk Engineer at Grammarly experience and the results of various benchmarks, Gentoo and Arch appear to be relatively equal in terms of speed and functionality. For advanced users who want to install their own customized version of Linux, Arch Linux is a popular choice.

• EasyOS is an experimental Linux distro from the original developers of Puppy Linux, which we discussed earlier in this article.
• The CentOS Project is a community-driven free operating system that aims at delivering a robust and reliable open source ecosystem.
• On the other hand, software features and technology planning are easier in standard releases due to a better understanding of upcoming features in the next version.
• The project is about to merge with Funtoo, which is led by the original creator of Gentoo Linux.

You can also “edit” the source by usingUSE flags customizations. A lot of network operating systems are based on Linux, or have a Linux shell you can access, or use Linux type commands. The author shows you an example using Cisco, Arista, and Cumulus Linux.

Tools for choosing a distribution

Virtual machines such as VirtualBox and VMware Workstation virtualize hardware allowing users to test live media on a virtual machine. Some websites like DistroWatch offer lists of distributions, and link to screenshots of operating systems as a way to get a first impression of various distributions. Packages are usually defined by a single PKGBUILD text file.Manjaro Linux, a derivative of Arch Linux that includes a graphical installer and other ease-of-use features for less experienced Linux users. Although Linux distributions typically contain much more software than proprietary operating systems, it is normal for local administrators to also install software not included in the distribution. An example would be a newer version of a software application than that supplied with the distribution, or an alternative to that chosen by the distribution . If the additional software is distributed in source-only form, it must be locally compiled. However, if additional software is locally added, the “state” of the local system may fall out of synchronization with the state of the package manager’s database.

Because Pop OS is based on Ubuntu, it has access to the entire Ubuntu repository. So, you shouldn’t have an issue finding an app for anything you need. In their early days, NoviFlow distinguished themselves by offering support for the full OpenFlow specification.

While installing and setting up Kali is as easy as setting up any Debian distribution, its default software packages are where things take a different course. For example, instead of LibreOffice for your default office suite or Thunderbird for your e-mail client, neither one is provided by default. At the same time, though, if you want to switch Linux kernels, Manjaro is one of the few distros that makes it easy to switch operating system gears. You just re-boot your system, make your selection in the boot menu, and you’re back to your desktop with a new kernel running underneath. Ubuntu is one of the most popular Linux distros for all kinds of users, from Linux newbies to seasoned campaigners.

• Linux is a fantastic operating system because it is not limited by its specific programming language.
• A “live” distribution is a Linux distribution that can be booted from removable storage media such as optical discs or USB flash drives, instead of being installed on and booted from a hard disk drive.
• ArchLabs Linux is an Arch Linux-based Linux distribution; it is an ideal distro for intermediate and advanced users.
• It ships with a powerful web interface that is very easy to use that simplifies common administration tasks.
• Fedora has enjoyed a reputation for being one of the most user-friendly distros for quite a while now owing to its simplicity and out-of-the-box applications which enable newcomers to easily get started.

Ubuntu is one of the oldest yet most popularly used Linux distro on the planet. The reason behind so much popularity of Ubuntu is that it is a very easy-to-use and reliable Linux distro. On top of that, Ubuntu makes switching from Windows to Linux as widely used Windows applications work easily on Ubuntu with the help of applications like Wine. A screenshot of the Ubuntu desktop environment with open applications. Before the release of openSUSE, open-source software company SUSE was already a leader in bringing Linux products to enterprise environments with the SUSE Linux Enterprise Server . While Arch’s slogan is “Keep it simple,” simple is in the eye of the user. As someone whose first “desktop” was the Bourne shell, it’s not that hard.

thoughts on “10 Linux Distributions and Their Targeted Users”

Solus ships in with many development tools pre-installed on it, making it an ideal distro for developers. Solus comes with an eopkg package manager, which might prove to be a hurdle while learning how to use solus but not for too long.