QUOTE (rknightmd @ Oct 5 2009, 02:17 PM)

Do any of you avid Backtrack users know of any books on how to use Backtrack? I've never been able to find any information on how to use it. If you read the descriptions of security courses from the major security training companies, many mention that they use Backtrack in the courses, and have it installed on the laptops the course participants use for the courses, however, it sounds like you are expected to know how to use Backtrack...is that true? How does one learn how to use the programs installed with the OS? (if you don't have $3,000+ to take the courses)
Not really, Backtrack isn't really it's own OS it's a flavor of Debian with a ton of networking tools on it, probably the best thing you could to to learn how to use it is just download it and start running it. Then open a command line and start reading man pages, It's just a linux distro with tons of security auditing software pre installed, I have almost all of the peices of software used by BT3 on my Ubuntu box. It's important to know how to use certain pieces of software like nmap ettercap/wireshark and others but you can figure that out from the man pages.
Also if you are at work in a company that runs Cisco do NOT play around with yersinia at work, it is VERY possible to take down your network unintentionally with some of the tools that come pre-installed with BT3 so be sure you read your man pages thoroughly before you start playing around with stuff in a production environment.