Top Best Operating System for Ethical Hackers in 2023

Top 10+ Operating Systems (OS) for Ethical Hackers

Table of Contents

Since ethical hacking has gained much popularity, let us comprehend what hacking is. In basic terms, hacking can be characterized as breaking into a framework, organization, or web substance to get delicate information. Programmers monitor provisos and shortcomings. For a long time, hacking has been connected to abusing networks, PCs, cell phones, or different frameworks.

1. KALI LINUX

Linux is an operating system based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991, by Linus Torvalds Kali Linux is a secure distribution of Linux especially designed for digital forensics and penetration testing. Forensic Mode is another excellent feature of the Kali Linux operating system.

Features:

Testing for penetration is possible.
Full Customization of Kali ISOs
This OS supports complete disc encryption.
The network-based Kali Linux installation can be easily automated and customized.
Live USB Boot
Forensic work can be done using its forensics mode.
Both a 32-bit and 64-bit version of this platform is available.
Kali Linux can be updated.
Over 400+ Preinstalled tools for Hacking
Multi-Language support

System Requirements:

2 GB of RAM
20 GB of disk space
32– or 64-bit CPU (single-core) with 2 GHz speed or better
Single disk to Install.
Broadband internet connection
Using the amd64 installer image.

An Introduction To Ethical Hacking A Complete Guide

Downloads kali.org

2. PARROT SECURITY

Parrot is a Security OS a Linux (specifically Debian) based operating system designed for ethical hackers and penetration testers and was initially launched in 2013. Parrot OS can be used as a completely portable laboratory for a wide range of cyber security operations from pen testing to reverse engineering and digital forensics.

Features:

Freedom
System Security
High Performance
Full office suite
Developer-Friendly
Multimedia production tools including VLC and GIMP
Anonymity tools TOR and Firefox pre-installed AD-blockers.

System Requirements:

No Graphical Acceleration is Required
Minimum 320MB RAM is required
A minimum 1GHZ dual-core CPU is required
At least 16GB of hard disk space is needed to install the operating system

Downloads parrotsec.org

3. DEFT LINUX

Deft is Operating System. The Digital Evidence and Forensics Toolkit, or DEFT, is an open-source Linux distribution. It is built around DART (Digital Advanced Response Toolkit) software and is based on Ubuntu.

Features:

It is based on the Lubuntu system and includes free penetration testing and digital forensics software.
Complete support for logical acquisitions in iOS 7.1, Android, and Bitlocker-encrypted drives.
Digital Forensics Framework 1.3

System Requirements:

X86 CPU 200MHz and 128 MB RAM
Since DEFT Zero is a Live MODE edition and is based on Lubuntu, it takes a unique approach.

Downloads distrowatch.com

4. Samurai Web Testing Framework

This is an Operating System. The Samurai Web Testing Framework is essentially a live Linupen testing ready set up to act as a platform for web pen-testing. The framework includes various open-source and free hacking tools for finding website vulnerabilities.

Features:

Samurai Web Testing Framework is an open-source project that focuses on exploiting websites.
It has already been set up for web pen-testing.
Features that can be used to target the website for the attack.
It includes tools like WebScarab (a tool for evaluating web security applications) and proxy (a program for running a web proxy server).

System Requirements:

2 GB of RAM
20 GB of disk space
32 or 64-bit CPU (single core) with 2 GHz speed or better

Downloads samurai-wtf.org

5. NodeZero Linux

NodeZero – Ubuntu-based Linux distribution for penetration testing. NodeZero is a fully automated cyber attacker that simulates real-world attackers’ tools, tactics, and techniques. A Dual-Arch LiveDVD ISO image of a Linux distribution that supports both 32-bit and 64-bit computing architectures is available archiveos.org download.

Features:

Hard disk booting
Install direct
Safe mode booting
Text mode or debug mode

2 CPU (physical or virtual
8 GB RAM
20 GB free HDD space

Downloads archiveos.org

6. Linux Kodachi 

Linux Kodachi is a Debian-based distribution that can be run from a DVD or USB thumb drive. Linux Kodachi Operating System is based on Ubuntu 18.04.6, it will provide you with a secure, anti-forensic, and anonymous operating system considering all the features that a person concerned about privacy would need to be secure.

Features:

Automatic DNS encryption
Automatic connection to a VPN (network traffic)
Automatic connection to the Tor network (browser traffic)

System Requirements:

8 GB RAM
2 CPU (physical & virtual)
20 GB free HDD space

Downloads sourceforge.net

7. Blackarch Linux

It is an Arch Linux-based best distro for hacking, penetration testers, and security researchers. It is considered the best OS for hacking distribution for security researchers to use to perform application-based and web security testing as it comes with over 1,600 tools. This tool serious rival to Kali Linux and Backbox in terms of diversity and usability.

Features:

more than 1800 tools
Different architectures are supported
An installer that supports source-based construction
Install the package one at a time or in groups

System Requirements:

2GHz Quad-Core Processor
50 GB Disk Space.
6 GB Random Acess Memory (RAM)

Download blackarch.org

8. Network Security Toolkit (NST)

Network Security Toolkit is based on the Linux distribution Fedora on 32-bit and 64-bit platforms. This user-friendly hacking distribution transforms x86 PCs through ethical hacking tools that can be used for network traffic sniffing, intrusion detection, network packet creation, network/host scanning, etc.

Features:

Multi-Tap Network Packet Capture
Web-Based Network Security Tools
Host/IPv4 Address Geolocation
Network/System Monitoring
Network Intrusion Detection
Network Interface Bandwidth Monitor
Web-based Snort IDS Integration
Active Connections Monitor

A i686 or x86_64 compatible CPU (Core 2 series or later)
At least 512MB of RAM (we recommend at least 1024MB if you want to use a graphical desktop)
A DVD drive and BIOS capable of booting from a DVD
A supported Ethernet (NIC) Adapter or WIFI card

Download sourceforge.net

9. BugTraq

Bugtraq was an electronic mailing list devoted to computer security issues. On-topic issues are new discussions about vulnerabilities, vendor security announcements, exploit methods, and how to fix them.

Features:

A wide range of pen-testing tools are available on Bugtraq, including mobile forensic tools, virus testing labs, tools created by the Bugtraq-Community Hackingwala
audit too ls for GSM,WIFI, Bluetooth, and RFID
integrated Windows tools

System Requirements:

1GHz x86 Processor.
512 MB of system memory (RAM)
15 GB of disk space for installation.
DVD-ROM drive or UDB port.

Download sourceforge.net

10. Cyborg Hawk Linux

The most sophisticated, powerful, and still amazing penetration testing distribution ever created. Crafted with the best tools for professional ethical hackers and cyber security experts.

Features: