We have already commented on it in some other release, that although the Raspberry Pi 5 It arrived without many options, these would arrive as the months went by. Right now there are already the possibilities of systems like Time, MX and, since a few moments ago, Parrot 6.0. The new version of one of the benchmarks in terms of security-oriented operating systems is now available, and here we are to announce its launch and talk about what's new.
Like the aforementioned MX, Parrot 6.0 arrives based on Debian 12, but the kernel is somewhat newer than the one used by the distribution that has been number 1 on DistroWatch for many uninterrupted months. They have opted for Linux 6.5, already at the end of its life cycle, but which will receive patches from Parrot as long as this new release is supported.
Parrot 6.0 highlights
- Debian 12: The system has been updated to be based on the newly released Debian 12, which offers improved stability and features.
- Linux kernel 6.5: Incorporates the latest Linux kernel with additional patches for network sniffing and injection, improving cybersecurity capabilities, and of course better performance and native support for the latest Intel and AMD CPUs.
- Advanced DKMS and Wi-Fi Drivers: Includes supported DKMS modules for the Linux 6.5 kernel, covering additional Wi-Fi drivers for better network analysis and the latest Nvidia drivers for better hardware compatibility.
- Updated penetration testing tools: All penetration testing tools have been updated, ensuring that users have access to the latest methods and techniques.
- Updated libraries and Python 3.11: The introduction of the new libc6 and Python 3.11 allows various system tools to be updated to their latest versions.
- Updated system look: Slight modifications have been made to the system's graphical interface, providing a fresh look.
- Experimental containerization for unsupported tools: Experimental feature that allows tools not currently supported by the system to be containerized, improving flexibility. This will allow future versions of Parrot to bring in various tools that were either deprecated/abandoned in the past, or that have never been added before due to their integration complexity.
- Grub Safe Boot Options: Grub bootloader patches reintroduced to ensure reliable and secure boot options.
- Improved Squid Installer: The installation process has been improved with updates to the Calamares installer.
- Changing the audio system to Pipewire: Pipewire is now the default audio system, replacing PulseAudio, for better audio management.
- VirtualBox from Debian Sid: VirtualBox has been backported and reintroduced from Debian Sid to improve virtualization support.
- Support for the Raspberry Pi 5.
- Performance improvements on Raspberry Pi.
How to upgrade from a previous version
To update from a previous version you have to open a terminal and type sudo parrot-upgrade o sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade twice. That is, choose one of the two commands, but you have to write them twice: with the first one you will update all the packages to their latest version, and with the second you will upload them to Parrot 6.0 which is available today.
For new installations, the ISO images Parrot 6.0 are available here, and can be downloaded in editions:
- Security: the normal one with security tools. This is the option to choose for the Parrot experience as you expect it to be.
- Home- A normal operating system with the Parrot image.
- pwnbox: the Security edition but with a web base.
- Cloud, cloud editions.
- Architect- to decide what to install and what not to install, which is the equivalent of the Debian web installer.
- WSL: the edition for the Windows subsystem.
- Raspberry Pi, which needs no introduction.
We remind you that for use in a live session, the username and password are in both cases "parrot" without the quotes. And we take the opportunity to remember how to make that Live unit usable as well. with persistent storage.