Parrot Os vs Kali Linux : which is best for Ethical Hacking

Parrot Os

Parrot OS is a free and open-source GNU/Linux distribution based on Debian Testing designed for security specialists, developers, and privacy-conscious users. Therefore, when I refer to code containers as being "Debian based," I mean that they follow Debian development methods.

What Exactly Is Parrot Security?

A Linux operating system, specifically one based on Debian, called Parrot Security OS was originally made available to ethical hackers and penetration testers in 2013. Parrot OS may be viewed as a mobile lab for a variety of cyber security management tasks, including digital forensics, reverse engineering, and pen testing. It also comes with everything you need to build your applications and protect your data.

Users of Parrot OS have a wide range of protected and data encryption options, and it is often updated. The tools in the package are designed to function with the majority of hardware that makes use of container management software, such as Docker or Podman. Parrot OS is a fantastic replacement for systems with outdated hardware or low resources since it is pretty light and works surprisingly quickly on all PCs.

It features a unique "Forensics Mode" that is far more stealthy than its beginner mode since it does not mount any of the platforms' hard discs or volumes and has no impact on the host system. This mode is performed on the host system to perform any forensic operations.

Facts OF Parrot Os:

Free - As ParrotOS is open-source and free, you may view the source code and modify it to suit your needs.

Lightweight - The ParrotOS operating system has proved to be extremely light and operates extremely fast even on outdated hardware or with limited resources.

Parrot Os is completely self-contained, regularly distributed, and continuously upgraded, so it is secure.

The Security Features of Parrots

1. Custom Kernel: In addition to the massive catalog of scripts, parrot security has its own customized Linux kernel, which has been specifically customized to give as much protection and resistance to intruders as possible as the first line of defense.
2. Variety of Apps: Parrot Security includes all the tools available in Kali Linux, a well-known penetration testing operating system, as well as a few more for good measure. This was accomplished while maintaining nearly the same operating system size between the two operating systems.
3. Customized Desktop: They provide two distinct desktop environments, MATE, which comes pre-installed by usual, and KDE. Consider desktop environments to be the primary user interface (UI) for a Linux distribution for those unaware of Linux terminology.
4. Lightweight: One of the critical advantages of Parrot OS vs Kali Linux is its small size. This means that it requires substantially less disc space and computer power to perform correctly, with as little as 320MB of RAM needed.

Kali Linux

An open-source Linux distribution built on the Debian operating system, Kali Linux (formerly BackTrack Linux), is designed for advanced security testing and auditing. Offering standard tools, settings, and automation enables users to concentrate on the work at hand rather than the surrounding activities.

In addition to several hundred tools aimed at different Information Security jobs like Penetration Testing, Security Research, Computer Forensics, Reverse Engineering, Vulnerability Management, and Red Team Testing, Kali Linux also includes industry-specific customizations.

Information security experts and individuals can use Kali Linux, a multi-platform solution, for free.

Now, look at some of Kali Linux's most important features being offered to its customers.

1. Pre-installed Tools: The current version of Kali Linux includes over 600 penetration tools. Developers eliminated numerous scripts that did not work or cloned other services that offered the same or equal functionality after extensively reviewing each tool available in BackTrack.
2. Safe Development: The Kali Linux team comprises a limited group of people who are the only ones trusted to submit packages and interact with the repository while employing different security mechanisms. Restricting access to critical codebases to external assets significantly reduces the risk of source contamination.
3. Multilingual OS: Although penetration tools are frequently developed in English, Kali's creators have ensured that it has solid multilingual support, enabling more users to work in their native language and find the tools they need for their penetration testing journey.
4. ARM Support: Kali Linux is available on a wide variety of ARM devices. ARM libraries are integrated with the mainstream version, ensuring that the tools described above are updated in conjunction with the rest of the installation.

Parrot OS vs Kali Linux Direct Comparison

Kali Linux	Parrot Security
Requires at least 1 GB RAM	Requires 320 MB RAM minimum
Graphical acceleration needed	No graphical acceleration needed
Takes up to 20+ GB of storage	Storage used is 15 GB+
All basic tools pre-installed	Basic + extra tools pre-installed
Strong community support	Growing support community
More scalable on stronger hardware	Meant for under-powered systems first

Despite such unique offerings, every user will have a particular use case to which they need a definite answer. To know the right operating system for you, you will categorize each OS's user base in the next section.

Which OS I should use?

Kali Linux will be the best choice for you should you favor the following qualities-

• Extensive community support
• Trusted Development Team
• Fit for powerful systems
• Semi-Professional Environment

Parrot Security is a more viable alternative for users looking at the following benefits-

• Very lightweight and lean
• A plethora of tools pre-installed
• Suitable for under-powered rigs
• Relatively more straightforward user interface

With this, you have reached the end of this tutorial on Parrot OS vs Kali Linux.