In a bizarre and unexpected move, Anonymous has supposedly released its own Ubuntu-based operating system on Sourceforge, titled Anonymous OS Live. According to the description, it uses Ubuntu 11.10 with MATE desktop and features various hacking related packages for testing the security of web pages and other educational purposes.

The packages include Parolapass Password Generator, Find Host IP, Anonymous HOIC, Slowloris, Torshammer, Sqlmap, Sql Poison, Admin Finder, John the Ripper, Tor, and some other Linux regulars, like the Xchat IRC client and Pidgin.

The hacker group has also set up a Tumblr page to provide news and updates for their new Linux distribution. At the time of writing, it has over 37,000 downloads with 43 recommended comments and 38 dislikes.

Considering the nature of the group, it's unclear who developed the software, but official Anonymous channels are declaring it a fake, including one warning from their Twitter account saying, "seeing lots of news about just-released purported 'Anonymous OS.' BE CAREFUL! Remember the Zeus Trojan incident w/Slowloris recently!"

Another Anonymous-affiliated site, operationantisec.com, also recommended against downloading the new OS. "We are writing this piece of news just to inform the adventurous ones NOT to download this Live CD ISO image and test it, or even worse, install it on their machines!"

They continued, "download Anonymous-OS 0.1? Hell no, stay away from it! Download Backtrack 5 R2 instead, if you really want to test the security of web sites."

Anonymous OS' developers countered saying, "please people, in our world, in Linux and opensource world, there is no virus [...] if any user believes that Anonymous-OS is wrapped in trojans or backdoored OS by any Law enforcement Company or Hacker please don't download it! But don't mislead the world that Linux is dangerous and has trojans!"

Given the way Anonymous functions it could be nearly impossible to ascertain which is true, but it's probably be best to steer clear of the OS until more details surface.