This tutorial will use BackTrack (A security and penetration testing focused Linux distribution) and VMWare to help the student set up their own testing lab on a personal PC. Additionally this tutorial can be performed with Microsoft Virtual PC, a free alternative to VMWare.

Materials Needed:

• A copy of VMWare Workstation or Microsoft Virtual PC
• The latest BackTrack ISO file
• ~5GB of free hard drive space
• An hour

Step 1: Install VMWare

Download and install VMWare Workstation from the VMWare website

Step 2: Create New Virtual Machine

Open VMWare Workstation and select File, New, Virtual Machine

Step 3: Configure New Virtual Machine

Choose 'Custom'

Step 4: Select Virtual Machine Format

Choose 'New - Workstation 5'

Step 5: Select Guest Operating System

Choose 'Linux' then for version 'Other Linux 2.6.x kernel'

Step 6: Name your Virtual Machine

Name your new Virtual Machine, in our example we used 'BackTrack'
You can also change the location your Virtual Machine is stored here.

Step 7: Memory Settings

The minimum amount of memory here should be 256mb. If you have more memory in your computer I would advise using up to 512mb.

Step 8: Network Settings

• Use Bridged networking
• Use network address translation (NAT)
• Use host-only networking
• Do not use a network connection

The first three options are of use to us right now. Bridged Networking allows the Virtual Machine to use your computer's current network connection to access the Internet or Network. To use this option you must be able to give your Virtual Machine an address on the same network your host computer resides on. If you cannot do that select NAT instead.

NAT uses the host computer as a router to access the network or Internet. Requests are sent to the host computer, which then forwards them out via its network connection. If you do not have the ability to assign your Virtual Machine its own IP address, use this option.

Host-only networking sets up a network within the host computer. This will be very useful later for our testing as no packets leave the host computer, in fact no packets ever leave VMWare which is why we'll be using this option for our attack and defense scenarios.

Step 9: Choosing I/O Adapter Type

Choose 'Buslogic'

Step 10: Create a virtual disk

Choose 'Create a new virtual disk'

Step 11: Select Disk Type

Choose 'IDE'

Step 12: Specify Disk Capacity

To fully install BackTrack 2.5GB are needed for the files and an additional 500mb is needed for swap space. 4GB is the default and a good choice, however if you do not have enough space you can choose to install BackTrack compressed which will slow the system down, but save a lot of room. If you choose compression you only need 1.5GB of free space.

Step 13: Specify Disk File

Use the default setting of 'BackTrack.vmdk'

Step 14: Configure CDROM to start ISO File

Click 'BackTrack' then 'Edit virtual machine settings' and from the pop-up menu select 'CD-ROM'

Next Step: Installing BackTrack to Disk

Start the Virtual Machine from the menu and move on to installing BackTrack to disk.