It’s that time of the year when we break out the latest hacker’s toolkit and get you up to speed. Rather than cover Kali again, we’re rolling BackBox out. In Tux’s Hacking Academy, we get you up and running, take you through the critical tools, start you playing with some exploits, and outline what you need in a dedicated hacker’s Wi-Fi adaptor – they’re not all built equally.
I can’t think of a better way to learn about how Linux and networks function than hacking away with key tools and a dedicated distro. It’s obviously no surprise that open source and Linux have always been at the fore when it comes to these low-level analysis tools. Through serendipity, this issue we’re also talking to the founders of one of the key network tools: Wireshark. Its creation and development is testament to the communities and ethos of open source. We also catch up on their latest project, Stratoshark – it’s fascinating stuff.
However, if you just want to get on with using Linux, you should try one of the power distros we’re testing this issue. Of course, Arch Linux wins hands down, but the compiledfrom-source Gentoo or configuration-based NixOS also offer innovative, powerful and mind-expanding ways of learning more about how Linux works and, of course, how we can all enjoy it!