Kali Linux vs. Parrot OS: Which security-forward distro is right for you?

Whether you're interested in penetration testing or simply curious about cybersecurity, I recommend one of these specialized Linux distributions. Let's compare.

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ZDNET's key takeaways

• Kali Linux and Parrot OS are geared toward penetration testing.
• Only Parrot OS has an option for general-purpose use.
• You can download and install each of these distros for free.

Cybersecurity. The word can bring to mind TV shows and movies in which a roomful of tech elites, sporting headsets and staring at massive arrays of screens, are trying to track down who did what to whom.

Whew.

In reality, cybersecurity isn't always about rooms deep within the bowels of unmarked, windowless buildings, populated with women and men who are Sheldon Cooper-level brilliant. Sometimes, cybersecurity is one person at home running tests on their own LAN ...