Latest version of nUbuntu released

Saturday, November 25, 2006

Ubuntu is one of the most successful Linux distributions and from the original branch derived several other versions. They were created to offer more variety to the distribution adding, for example, an alternative window manager or targeting a different user base. This is the case of Kubuntu that was released to offer KDE as window manager or Edubuntu that has been created for scholastic environments.

Another distribution born from Ubuntu is nUbuntu that was created with security testing in mind. Its LiveCD (or the full install) is designed to allow the user to execute security tests on networks and servers.

The most used and powerful pen-testing software is included. For example the nUbuntu distribution includes nmap, dsniff, ettercap and nessus. Besides there are also tools to monitor and test the security of wireless connections.

For a complete list of the installed packages it is sufficient to visit the nUbuntu webpage but even without naming them all the included software is quite impressive. There is everything that more advanced users need to repair or test a system.

This is not definitively a distribution targeted to casual Linux users also because of the absence of packages like Evolution, Gnome and Openoffice.org. Without them and with a light window manager (Fluxbox) nUbuntu is as lightweight as possible. Once again considering the users targeted this seems the right path to follow.

The latest version of nUbuntu for x86 was released this Tuesday and it is built on the Ubuntu 6.10 (codenamed Edgy Eft). It is available for download both using a torrent file or via direct download from the nUbuntu website. The distribution size is 263MB so, with a fast connection, in less than thirty minutes it will be available to be burned to create a LiveCD.

For support on installation and usage there is a forum on the official website and an IRC channel (#nUbuntu) was created on the irc.kaffeinenet.com server.