The developers of ParrotOS have officially launched Parrot 7.0, dubbed codename "Echo," marking a significant upgrade to this ethical hacking distribution. This release is based on the latest Debian 13 “Trixie” and incorporates the long-term supported Linux 6.12 LTS kernel.
One of the most notable changes is the adoption of KDE Plasma as the default desktop environment, optimized for performance on Wayland, while maintaining a classic terminal appearance throughout the system. The release introduces a variety of new hacking tools, including:
- ConvoC2: a Red Team tool for exploiting MS Teams
- goshs: a SimpleHTTPServer written in Go
- evil-winrm-py: a command execution tool for remote Windows systems
- AutoRecon: a multi-threaded network reconnaissance utility
Additionally, the release includes tools like bpf-linker, PKINITtools for Kerberos interactions, Chisel for bypassing firewalls, BloodHound.py, and TruffleHog for scanning secrets.
Responding to user feedback, an "AI Tools" category has been added to the Parrot Security edition, featuring HexStrike AI, aimed at penetration testing. The developers emphasize the importance of developing effective strategies to harness AI for enhancing cybersecurity.
Parrot 7.0 also brings other improvements, such as:
- Updated parrot-tools metapackage with additional pre-installed tools
- A RISC-V compatible root filesystem
- A rewritten Parrot Updater in Rust featuring a graphical user interface
- Updated Docker and WSL images
- A new script for converting Debian installations to Parrot OS
For detailed information about the new features and updates, users are encouraged to check the release notes. Parrot 7.0 is available for download as both Home and Security editions for 64-bit systems on the official website. Existing Parrot 6 users can upgrade to this new version, although a clean installation is recommended for optimal stability and performance.