Kali Linux 2025.2 Released with Menu Overhaul and Smartwatch Wi-Fi Injection

Kali Linux, the leading penetration testing and ethical hacking distribution maintained by Offensive Security, has released version 2025.2 with a sweeping set of improvements.

The latest update introduces a redesigned tool menu structured around the MITRE ATT&CK framework, a major upgrade to BloodHound for Active Directory analysis, and new NetHunter capabilities, including wireless injection support on smartwatches.

Built for cybersecurity professionals, red teamers, and digital forensics experts, Kali Linux is a Debian-based distribution packed with hundreds of preinstalled tools for vulnerability testing, network scanning, reverse engineering, exploitation, and more. It supports multiple platforms, from desktops and ARM boards to mobile and embedded devices, with dedicated variants like Kali NetHunter for Android.

Menu overhaul and DE upgrades

One of the most significant updates in Kali 2025.2 is the complete restructuring of the Kali Menu. Previously inherited from BackTrack and WHAX, the old system was manually maintained and difficult to scale. The refreshed menu is now aligned with the MITRE ATT&CK framework, streamlining access to security tools based on adversarial tactics and techniques. This change not only improves usability for both red and blue teams but also simplifies backend maintenance by automating menu entry generation through YAML configuration files.

Kali Purple retains its NIST CSF structure, though the team has indicated interest in evolving that as well. User feedback is actively encouraged to refine the new menu organization.

Kali 2025.2 upgrades GNOME to version 48, introducing performance improvements like dynamic triple buffering, HDR support, a revamped document reader (papers), and enhanced notification handling. A new VPN IP indicator extension mirrors previous improvements in Xfce, making it easier to manage VPN connectivity from the desktop.

KDE Plasma has been updated to version 6.3, offering better fractional scaling, improved CPU monitoring, expanded Info Center capabilities (now including GPU and battery cycle count data), and new UI customizations.

BloodHound CE and new recon tools

BloodHound Community Edition is now included by default, along with its complete set of data collectors: azurehound, sharphound, and bloodhound-ce-python, the last being specifically built for the CE version. The new BloodHound CE introduces a redesigned interface, better performance, and improved graphing of Active Directory relationships.

Thirteen new tools have been added to Kali’s repository in this release. Highlights include:

• gitxray for auditing GitHub repositories
• binwalk3 for firmware analysis
• tinja for template injection testing
• crlfuzz for CRLF vulnerability detection
• ldeep for deep LDAP enumeration

Also notable is the inclusion of xclip across all desktop environments, making clipboard operations from the terminal faster and more efficient.

NetHunter expands into cars and wearables

The Kali NetHunter suite has seen some of its most inventive updates yet. The TicWatch Pro 3, powered by the bcm43436b0 chipset, now supports wireless injection and WPA2 handshake capture, an unprecedented capability for a wearable. This was made possible through collaboration with the NexMon project.

NetHunter CARsenal, the updated car hacking toolkit formerly known as CAN Arsenal, has been significantly revamped. It now includes utilities like hlcand, VIN decoders, ICSim for CAN bus simulation, and expanded support for CAN-enabled Android devices, including Samsung Galaxy S9/S10 and new entries like the Realme C15 and Redmi Note 11.

Additionally, a preview of Kali NetHunter KeX running on Android radios hints at upcoming Android Auto integrations.

The latest updates give new “toys” for both Red and Blue teams and, of course, any offensive cybersecurity enthusiasts. If you’re interested in testing this specialized Linux distribution, download your preferred spin from here. Existing users can upgrade to Kali Linux 2025.2 with sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade.