The Parrot Security Team officially released ParrotOS 7, describing it as one of the most significant updates in the project’s history. The new version represents a complete rewrite of the operating system, introducing architectural changes that affect nearly every layer of the distribution. According to the developers, the release was shaped heavily by community involvement, with contributors participating not only in beta testing but also in higher-level planning and decision-making.
ParrotOS 7 is codenamed Echo, inspired by the Echo Parakeet, also known as the Mauritius Parakeet. The codename is reflected in a redesigned visual identity that includes a new default wallpaper, revised icons, and updated color schemes. These changes are delivered through a dedicated package called echo-themes, which is included by default and available through the project’s graphics repository.
Transition to KDE Plasma 6 and Debian 13 Foundation
One of the most impactful changes in ParrotOS 7 is the switch to KDE Plasma 6 as the default desktop environment. The move replaces MATE in new installations and introduces Wayland as the default display protocol. The Parrot team applied custom theming and performance-focused optimizations to keep KDE Plasma 6 lightweight while maintaining consistency with the project’s design goals.
This desktop transition required significant refactoring of system components. The parrot-core package, version 7.0.10, was redesigned to support KDE’s plain-text configuration files, moving away from its earlier dependence on MATE and the dconf database. Additional system packages, including Parrot-Interface 7.0.2, Parrot-Menu 7.0.16, and Parrot-Desktop-KDE 7.0.2, were updated to support the new environment.
ParrotOS 7 is built on Debian 13, inheriting upstream changes while introducing its own build and deployment improvements. ISO images continue to be generated using live-build, while a custom system produces optimized virtual machine images for QEMU, VirtualBox, VMware, and UTM. These images are distributed in formats such as .qcow2, .vmdk, .ova, .vdi, and .utm.
Toolchain Updates and Introduction of AI Categories
Tooling remains a core focus of the ParrotOS operating system. ParrotOS 7 introduces several new security tools, including convoC2, goshs, evil-winrm-py, hexstrike-ai, bpf-linker, pkinit-tools, chisel, autorecon, and trufflehog. Existing tools received updates, such as airgeddon 11.60, Burp Suite 2025.10.5 with added arm64 support, Caido 0.53.1, Jadx 1.4.7, Maltego 4.8.1, and bloodhound.py 1.8.0.
Core language and system components were also refreshed. ParrotOS 7 ships with Python 3.13.5, Go 1.24.4, OpenJDK 25.0.1, glibc 2.41, and AppArmor 4.1.0. The parrot-tools metapackage was expanded to pre-install more utilities, reorganizing tools across development, information-gathering, reversing, cloud, and cryptography categories.
A notable structural change in ParrotOS 7 is the addition of a dedicated AI tools category. The developers stated, “You asked, we delivered,” while clarifying that their goal is to support tools designed to test and secure large language models rather than promote unchecked automation. The first AI-focused tool included is Hexstrike AI, with plans to integrate additional MCP-powered utilities focused on prompt security and LLM assessment.
Platform Expansion, Updates, and Upgrade Guidance
ParrotOS 7 is the first penetration testing distribution to officially support RISC-V, providing a pre-assembled root filesystem tarball and repository-level support for Debian packages and Parrot tools compiled for the architecture. Docker images and Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) builds have also been updated to Echo, with automated CI/CD pipelines ensuring consistent builds and rapid updates.
System maintenance tools were revised as well. The parrot-updater utility was completely rewritten in Rust, with a new GTK4-based graphical interface. The tool now performs weekly update checks and displays notifications when updates are available. The Rocket application reached version 1.3.0, bringing performance improvements.
The transition to KDE Plasma 6 also affects Raspberry Pi editions. While support continues, the Parrot team recommends using the Core Edition on Raspberry Pi 3B systems and limiting full editions to devices with at least 2 GB of RAM. Alternative desktop environments such as MATE or XFCE may be reconsidered in future releases.
Due to the scope of changes in ParrotOS 7, the developers recommend a clean installation rather than upgrading from Parrot 6 Lorykeet. The 6.x branch will continue receiving security updates, and an automated migration path is planned once the transition is considered stable. Users upgrading older systems should note that adopting KDE Plasma 6 may require manual migration of configuration files from /etc/skel to user home directories.
