BashCore
A custom Debian live ISO with security tools, no GUI, only Bash.
https://www.bashcore.org/
Contact: postmaster@bashcore.org
About BashCore
BashCore is a custom Debian-based live ISO designed for security professionals, networking enthusiasts, and students. It features a minimalist design with no graphical interface, relying entirely on Bash for operation.
BashCore provides a fresh environment on every boot, making it ideal for students to practice security, networking, and system administration skills without risk. Its lightweight nature also makes it perfect for VirtualBox and other virtual machines, ensuring smooth performance even on systems with limited resources.
The ISO includes a curated selection of tools for penetration testing, network analysis, and system diagnostics. GPU-ready: NVIDIA and AMD graphics supported out of the box. Built using Debian's live-build framework, BashCore is stable, customizable, and adheres to open-source principles.
All BashCore editions (including BashLab OS) adopt a stealth philosophy: no logos, no splash screens, no visual branding. This intentional lack of customization produces a system footprint indistinguishable from standard Debian environments, reducing the risk of OS-level fingerprinting. It’s not just minimalism, it’s mimetism. Privacy starts before the browser even launches.
Whether you’re learning the basics or need a reliable tool for advanced tasks, BashCore offers a streamlined, efficient command-line experience.
Features
System Information
Debian Version: 12 (Bookworm)
Kernel: Linux 6.1 for 64-bit PCs
Minimalist Design
Lightweight and Fast
Curated Tools
Fresh Environment on Every Boot
Highly Customizable
*** Installation Instructions
Create a Bootable USB with Ventoy:
Download Ventoy from the official website and install it on a USB drive.
Copy the BashCore.iso file to the USB drive.
Boot from the USB drive and select BashCore.iso from the Ventoy menu.
*** Set the Keyboard
sudo dpkg-reconfigure console-data
*** Connect to Wi-Fi
sudo nmtui
*** Login Instructions
extra TTYs (TTY7, 8 etc) require login with:
User: user
Password: live
*** Add more virtual consoles:
sudo systemctl start getty@tty7.service
*** Turn off screen after inactivity:
setterm -blank 10
BashCoreX
BashCoreX is the graphical variant of BashCore, built on Debian 12 "Bookworm" with the XFCE desktop environment and Linux kernel 6.1.
It provides the same stable and privacy-focused base as BashCore, but adds a lightweight graphical interface for users who prefer a desktop workflow. Preinstalled applications include Firefox, Tor Browser, Mullvad Browser, Tilix, Wireshark, FileZilla, GParted and Mousepad.
Designed for both professionals and learners, BashCoreX offers a smooth and GPU-ready live experience, compatible with NVIDIA and AMD graphics. It runs efficiently on physical systems as well as virtual machines.
Like all BashCore editions, BashCoreX follows a stealth philosophy: no branding, no themes, no splash screens. Its neutral appearance blends seamlessly with standard Debian environments, reducing OS-level fingerprinting and preserving user privacy.
Login credentials for the live session:
User: live
Password: live
BashCoreT
BashCoreT is the command-line edition of BashCore built on Debian 13 "Trixie", featuring the Linux 6.12 kernel with realtime (PREEMPT_RT) support.
It delivers a minimal, lightning-fast terminal environment tailored for advanced users, pentesters, and system engineers who need cutting-edge responsiveness and full control.
BashCoreT maintains the same modular structure and open-source philosophy as the original BashCore, while adopting Debian’s next-generation base system for enhanced performance, hardware compatibility, and long-term reliability.
BashCoreTX
BashCoreTX is a graphical live ISO based on Debian 13 "Trixie", featuring the XFCE desktop environment and the Linux 6.12 kernel.
It combines the visual usability of BashCoreX with the modern foundation of BashCoreT, offering a GPU-ready desktop experience that remains fast, stable, and privacy-oriented.
Preinstalled tools include Firefox, Tor Browser, Mullvad Browser, FileZilla, GParted, Tilix, Wireshark, and Mousepad, along with a curated set of CLI utilities for penetration testing, network analysis, and system diagnostics.
Like every edition of BashCore, BashCoreTX embraces a stealth design: no logos, no splash screens, no unnecessary branding, ensuring a clean system footprint and minimal fingerprinting.
Login credentials for the live session:
User: live
Password: live
BashCoreZ
BashCoreZ is the purest edition of BashCore, based on Debian 13 "Trixie" and Linux kernel 6.12. The "Z" stands for zero: zero bloat, zero customizations, zero added packages. It replicates the default Debian netinst installation in a live environment, offering only the essentials for boot and network connectivity.
This edition is designed for power users who need a lightweight, fully ephemeral base. Every boot is a fresh start: no persistence, no unnecessary configurations, and no added software. It’s perfect for creating a clean slate, where you install only what you need via apt, ensuring total control over the system.
BashCoreZ is ideal for virtual machines, low-resource systems, or anyone who wants a minimal Debian foundation with maximum speed and privacy. It resets on reboot, leaving no traces behind, and reduces the risk of OS-level fingerprinting, following the BashCore stealth philosophy.
BashLabOS
BashLabOS is a graphical live system built on the same Debian-based foundation as BashCoreTX, featuring the XFCE desktop environment together with Tor Browser and Mullvad Browser preinstalled.
Unlike the BashCore editions, BashLabOS does not include penetration testing or system administration tools. Instead, it provides a balanced set of applications for everyday use: GIMP (image editing), Ristretto (image viewer), FileZilla (FTP client), VLC (media player), LibreOffice (office suite), and GParted (disk partitioning tool). It also includes Tor and Proxychains4 for enhanced privacy and network anonymity.
BashLabOS is not designed for pentesting, sysadmin training, or student labs, it’s made for everyday use, digital research, and private communication. It combines the performance and simplicity of BashCore with a comfortable desktop experience, always keeping privacy and security at its core.
Login credentials for the live session:
User: live
Password: live
*** List of tools:
Compression & Archiving
p7zip-full
Network Scanning & Enumeration
aircrack-ng
amass ***
arp-scan
dirb
dirsearch ***
dmitry
enum4linux ***
masscan
netcat-openbsd
nmap
whatweb ***
wpscan ***
Exploitation & Pentesting
hydra
hashcat
john
medusa
metasploit ***
nikto ***
searchsploit ***
seclists ***
sqlmap ***
Traffic Analysis & Spoofing
hping3
macchanger
tcpdump
tor
tshark
Proxy & Anonymity
openvpn
proxychains4
Programming & Scripting
g++
gcc
perl
python3
R
ruby
System Utilities
curl
dc
git
links
lynis
lynx
sed
ufw
wget
Text Editors & Development
emacs
octave
vim
* Tools marked with *** are located in /opt/
** Launch wpscan with bundle exec /opt/wpscan/bin/./wpscan
The various ISO images of BashCore can be downloaded from the official website at https://www.bashcore.org/, where you will find links to the latest versions that are consistently updated.
BashCore is provided as a free and open system image for educational, ethical, and professional use.
By downloading or using BashCore, you accept the following terms:
BashCore is distributed under the MIT License.
The ISO image is provided as-is, without warranties of any kind.
No source code, build scripts, or internal configuration files are distributed or made public.
BashCore is based on the Debian GNU/Linux operating system, and includes unmodified tools from various open source projects (MIT, BSD, Apache, GPL, etc.).
This project is not affiliated with or endorsed by Debian or any upstream software included.
Debian™ is a registered trademark of Software in the Public Interest, Inc.
BashCore may include binary-only, unmodified versions of third-party tools released under GPL or similar licenses. These components remain under their respective licenses, and BashCore makes no claim over them.
This project provides only the final ISO image for download and personal use. Reverse engineering or repackaging is allowed under the terms of the MIT License, but no official support or documentation is provided beyond the ISO itself.
Privacy and Transparency
bashcore.org does not track you.
No analytics, no cookies, no JavaScript, just static pages.
We don’t collect or store any information about visitors or downloads.
The site doesn’t use any external service, counter, or telemetry.
Our web hosting provider (Aruba S.p.A.) may generate temporary technical logs for maintenance or security purposes, but these are not accessible to us and remain entirely under the provider’s control.
We don’t know who visits the site or who downloads the ISOs, and we don’t want to.
Privacy isn’t a feature of BashCore. It’s a principle.
We are not responsible for any illegal use of the software.
