You can run the standard installer (an NCURSES installer) or a GTK installer (GUI). The best way to successfully install Parrot Sec is to go directly to Install from the boot menu. The Parrot installer can only be used if the kernel versions of the live system and the installer are the same. After using Parrot as a live instance, I went to install, only to discover the kernel had upgraded from 4.6.0 to 4.7. The installation of Parrot can hiccup out of the gate. Before discovering those credentials, I had to unset the screen locking (otherwise I was having to constantly reboot after five minutes of inactivity). It took me a while to discover that the default live credentials are root/toor. One of the issues I discovered is, out of the box, the screen will lock after five minutes. If you run Parrot as a live instance, you can then install the distribution to your hard drive by going to Applications > System Tools > Install Parrot Security OS. You can also install directly from the boot menu. When you first fire up the image, you will see a boot screen unlike any you’ve ever seen (Figure 2 ).įigure 2: The Parrot Security boot screen.įrom the boot screen, you can start Parrot as either a live instance, run it in text mode, run it live with persistence (any configurations you make will be saved), Live with encrypted persistence (so your configuration options cannot be viewed by others), a non-invasive forensics mode, an aggressively anonymous mode, or a failsafe mode. Parrot can be run as either a live distribution or installed on a standard desktop. RAM: At least 256MB for i386 and 320MB for amd64. It’s pretty and it’s powerful.Īrchitecture: i386, amd64 (x86-64bit), 486 (legacy x86), armel, and armhf This is a rolling release upgrade distribution that uses the MATE desktop and the Lightdm display manager…all presented with custom icons and wallpapers. Parrot is based on Debian 9 and includes a custom hardened Linux 4.6 kernel. Parrot as distributionīeyond the testing, auditing, and programming tools, what you’ll find in the Parrot distribution is a rock solid system. Dive into the Parrot submenu ( Figure 1 ) and you’ll find an astonishing array of tools.įigure 1: The Parrot submenu of the main menu. The software list alone should be enough to have security and network admins rushing to download a copy.Īnd that’s just from the standard menu entries. Parrot Security is a complete distribution, based on Debian Jessie core, which includes software for cryptography, cloud, anonymity, digital forensics, programming.

That’s where the likes Parrot Security come in. But what tools are the best for the job of forensics or testing? As you probably know, the list of such tools is extensive and often times it’s a matter of experimentation, review, and guesswork. Without the right tools, that brilliant mind can only do so much. Network and security administrators rely heavily on their tools.

Use parrot os