Parrot OS vs Kali Linux: The Complete Guide

A security OS is a key part of an architecture that helps in building, maintaining, and testing the stability of the product or the service in terms of cybersecurity. We are sure you already know the importance that is given to cybersecurity in the 21st century and it is rightly done so. Vulnerabilities in a system can be detected and removed so as to not allow attacks from external sources.

Check out our Parrot OS vs Kali Linux video on YouTube designed especially for beginners:

What is Parrot OS?

Parrot Security OS is based on the Debian Kernel and was specially designed for ethical hackers and penetration testers. It was released in 2013. It is a popular open-source operating system that focuses on cybersecurity and privacy. It provides a secure and reliable platform for various tasks such as penetration testing, cryptography, and general security-oriented computing, etc.

Parrot OS offers multiple desktop environments, including the default MATE desktop, as well as KDE, Xfce, LXQt, and others. This allows users to choose their desktop environment according to their preferences and optimize performance based on their hardware resources.
It is similar to Kali Linux and is in line with the Debian standards, where all of the code segments adhere to certain set standards built for security experts, developers, and privacy-aware audiences.

Features of Parrot OS

Here are some features of Parrot OS:

Open Source

Parrot OS is an open-source operating system, which means it is freely available and its source code can be accessed, modified, and distributed by anyone. These unique features allow users to customize and adapt the system according to their needs and preferences.

Lightweight

Parrot OS is designed to be lightweight, making it suitable for running on older or low-resource hardware. By utilizing system resources efficiently, it ensures smooth performance, even on hardware configurations with limited capabilities.

Security

Parrot OS emphasizes security and privacy. It offers a wide range of security tools and features for penetration testing, digital forensics, and anonymity. Parrot OS receives regular updates to address vulnerabilities and ensure the system stays up-to-date with the latest security measures.

Sandbox

Parrot OS includes sandboxing features that provide a secure environment for running potentially malicious or untrusted applications. It helps isolate these applications from the rest of the system, and effectively reduces the risk of compromising overall security.

Custom Kernel

Apart from the extensive collection of scripts, parrot security features a custom-designed Linux kernel, ensuring maximum protection and resistance against unauthorized access. This tailored kernel enhances security measures, providing users with robust defense mechanisms.

Next up on this Parrot vs. Kali Linux blog, let’s take a quick introduction to Kali Linux.

What is Kali Linux?

Kali Linux, formerly known as BackTrack Linux, is an open-source, free operating system built on the Linux platform designed for sophisticated penetration testing and security audits. For a wide range of information security tasks like digital forensics, penetration testing, security research, and reverse engineering, Kali Linux comes with hundreds of tools. It is a cross-platform solution that is easy to use and free of cost. Best for information security professionals and enthusiasts. Debian has been a very reliable and stable distribution that serves as a strong basis for the Kali Linux desktop.

Features of Kali Linux

Free

Kali Linux is completely free to use just like its predecessor BackTrack.

Multi-language support

Kali has an accurate multilingual guide that opens up its platform to a variety of non-native English users.

Customization

Kali was not built to look good but to provide outstanding performance. Hence, users need to work with customization to make it look and feel better while utilizing its performance.

ARM Support

A large range of ARM devices can run Kali Linux. Since ARM libraries are integrated with the mainstream version, updates to the tools mentioned above will occur simultaneously with the installation as a whole.

Parrot Security OS vs Kali Linux

Before beginning with the comparison, you must know that both Kali Linux and Parrot OS are used for the same purpose of penetration testing. At the end of the day, it is more of a preference than an absolute comparison.

Parrot OS vs Kali Linux: Hardware Requirements

Kali Linux is a bit demanding in terms of hardware requirements, and here’s why:

• Kali Linux requires over 20 GB of storage, while Parrot OS can make do with just around 15 GB.
• Kali is a little heavyweight, demanding a minimum RAM of 1 GB, while Parrot OS can make do with just 300 MB RAM.
• Kali Linux requires hardware acceleration, using the GPU, while Parrot OS does not need this.

In terms of storage requirements and hardware capabilities, hence, Parrot OS makes a quick win over Kali Linux. An additional benefit is the deployment size after the installation; Parrot OS gets the upper hand when there is a limit on space and/or older hardware configurations are being considered.

Parrot OS vs Kali Linux: Variety

In terms of offering users a variety of features and releases, both Kali Linux and Parrot OS have multiple offerings as mentioned below.

For Kali Linux:

• Kali ARM (IoT)
• Kali Desktop
• Kali Lite
• Kali Full

Coming to Parrot OS:

• Parrot Security OS Studio
• Parrot Security OS Air
• Parrot Security OS Lite
• Parrot Security OS Full

One should note that Parrot OS has the upper hand as it was built around the idea of wireless penetration testing and is thoroughly efficient on that. With Kali Linux, on the other hand, one gets interfaces for a variety of devices, including IoT-based applications. So when choosing, it becomes clear that you need to consider your requirement.

Parrot OS vs Kali Linux: How Easy it is to Learn

The one common question that everyone asks when it comes to working with either of the penetration-testing-based OS is which of these are user-friendly and easy enough for beginners to prefer. It is important to note that both of these Linux offerings are based on a niche concept that requires prior knowledge of Linux.

If Linux is what you’re after in general, we recommend you begin your journey by looking at distributions like Ubuntu. If ethical hacking is what you’re after, it is recommended to take the route of learning either Kali Linux or Parrot OS.

Parrot OS is better in terms of offering an easy-to-use interface and tools, which can be grasped easily by beginners. However, both Kali Linux and Parrot OS provide learners with a bunch of tools they can make use of.

The following section covers the tools provided by both these penetration-testing-based operating systems.

Parrot OS vs Kali Linux: Tools Provided

If you have had a chance to look at Parrot OS prior to reading this ‘Kali Linux vs Parrot OS’ blog, you might know that Parrot OS provides a plethora of tools when compared to Kali. Most of the tools that are present on Parrot OS are also present on Kali, but here are two important tools that are not present in the Kali ecosystem.

AnonSurf

One of the most vital things needed to hack into anyone’s architecture is anonymity. There is no perfect textbook method used to completely become anonymous when working on this.

Even though there are a lot of tools, AnonSurf takes the lead here because of its powerful ability to anonymize an entire system, using Tor IPtables. Tor is a package that comes pre-installed with Parrot OS and gives the outright advantage to begin penetration testing without any need for the installation of other tools, like in the case of Kali.

Wifiphisher

Wifiphisher is one of the tools needed when performing security testing over Wi-Fi. Clients can be targeted and attacks can take place to easily plant malware and other malignant software entities in the victim’s network.

It is a tool that can be customized to quickly capture and obtain all the credentials needed to penetrate the network in an organized fashion. This plays a key role in establishing security methods and protocols across a spectrum of networks.

Parrot OS vs. Kali Linux: Comparison

When comparing Parrot OS to Kali Linux, it’s important to note that both are popular choices for penetration testing and security auditing. Let’s learn about the comparison between Parrot OS and Kali Linux in details:

Parrot OS vs. Kali Linux: Which Operating System to Choose?

The choice between Kali Linux and Parrot OS depends on your specific needs, and what benefits each of them has to offer.

Parrot Security to be a more sensible choice for those who are looking for following benefits:

• Light Weight
• Numerous pre-installed tools
• Suitable for rigs with low-power
• A comparatively simpler user interface

Kali Linux will be the best choice if you are looking for the following qualities:

• strong community support
• Reliable Development Team 
• Suitable for robust systems
• Environment that Is  Semi-Professional

Conclusion

Picking up an operating system for penetration testing as denoted in this Kali Linux vs Parrot OS blog is purely based on factors of choice, customization, and the specification of the systems it is run on. We personally would recommend prospects to take a look at Parrot OS due to the multiple advantages it provides to users, learners, and the community on the whole.

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