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Arudius is a Linux live CD with tools that try to address the network security aspect (penetration testing and vulnerability analysis) of information assurance. It is based on Slackware (Zenwalk) for i386 systems and targets the information security audience. It is released under the GNU GPL and contains only open-source software. Arudius uses Fluxbox as its window manager but most of the tools included in the distribution are command-line.

BackTrack is the result of the merging of two Innovative Penetration Testing live Linux distributions Whax and Auditor. Combining the best features from both distributions, and paying special attention to small details, this is probably the best version of either distributions to ever come out. Based on SLAX (Slackware), BackTrack provides user modularity. This means the distribution can be easily customised by the user to include personal scripts, additional tools, customised kernels, etc.

Helix is a customized distribution of the Knoppix Live Linux CD. Helix is more than just a bootable live CD. You can still boot into a customized Linux environment that includes customized linux kernels, excellent hardware detection and many applications dedicated to Incident Response and Forensics.

Troppix is a stand-alone Linux live CD based on Debian GNU/Linux, aimed at security professionals, penetration testers and auditors. In particular, Troppix features support for a wide range of wireless cards, and offers several tools for detecting and penetrating wireless networks. Troppix also includes several well known security tools, such as the nmap port scanner and the metasploit framework for vulnerability exploitation.