VAST For Linux

VAST is an open source Live VoIP assessment distribution of Linux powered by VIPER Lab. It includes a vast amount of in-house built tools, as well as essential VoIP security utilities and penetration testing applications, such as Metasploit, Nmap and Hydra.

The VAST operating system is derived from Linux Mint, which in turn is based on the world’s most popular distribution of Linux, Ubuntu. It is distributed as a dual-arch Live DVD ISO image that has approximately 2GB in size and supports both 32-bit (x86) and 64-bit (x86_64) computer architectures.

The Live DVD boot menu is quite standard, allowing users to start the live system with normal configuration or in safe graphics mode using the VESA display server, start the installation directly, perform a system memory diagnostic test, as well as to boot an existing operating system from the local drive.

From the login prompt, where you will have to use the “vast” username and the “vast” password to login, you can choose between the GNOME Classic and Cinnamon graphical desktop environments. It is also possible to choose between various English or Chinese dialects, as well as to select a theme from the fourteenth available.

While the GNOME Classic desktop environment, which is used by default in VAST, comes with a traditional layout, the Cinnamon session looks classic, featuring of a two-panel layout. As mentioned, you can change the default theme from the login prompt, as explained above.

Another strong point of the distribution, is the great collection of open-source applications. Among the most popular ones, we can mention the Mozilla Firefox web browser, Pidgin multi-protocol instant messenger, Mozilla Thunderbird email and news client, Transmission torrent downloader, XChat IRC client, Banshee music player and GNOME MPlayer video player.