Parrot OS 7.3 is now available for download, with updated installation images for this Debian-based, security-focused Linux distribution designed for penetration testing, digital forensics, reverse engineering, privacy, and development.
A key update is the adoption of Linux kernel 7.0, which offers improved hardware support and new kernel features. Parrot OS 7.3 also introduces optimized builds through an opt-in repository of packages rebuilt for newer CPU baselines, with claimed performance gains of 20% to 50% in compute-intensive workloads.
Moreover, official Vagrant images are now available for both the Home and Security editions, enabling users to quickly deploy reproducible Parrot OS environments for testing, training, and lab work without manual installation.
On desktop, the distro uses KDE as its default environment. Like the previous ones, this update also ships with Plasma 6.3.6, Frameworks 6.13, and KDE Gear 25.04.3 apps collection, built on top of Qt 6.8.2.
For penetration testers and security researchers, Parrot OS 7.3 updates the distribution’s security tools. Notable updates include Airgeddon 12.0, Bettercap 2.41.5, BloodyAD 2.5.4, Caido 0.55.2, and Enum4linux-ng 1.3.10.
Finally, the release includes additional desktop and usability improvements, such as an updated Firefox start page and a new section on the official website dedicated to Parrot OS tools.
For additional details, see the announcement. Existing users can update through the standard APT-based upgrade process.
The distro is available in two main desktop editions: Security and Home. The Security Edition includes a suite of preinstalled penetration testing and cybersecurity tools for professionals and researchers. The Home Edition is for everyday use, privacy, and development, offering a clean system without the full security toolset by default, though additional tools can be installed manually.
