The Kali Linux development team has unveiled Kali Linux 2025.3, marking the third significant update of the year for this renowned penetration testing and ethical hacking distribution. This release introduces ten new tools, substantial enhancements to the Kali NetHunter mobile platform, and improved wireless capabilities for Raspberry Pi devices.
Key Features and Enhancements
Kali Linux 2025.3 brings several notable improvements and changes since the previous 2025.2 version released in June.
Nexmon Support for Raspberry Pi
A standout feature in this release is the reinstatement of Nexmon support, a patched firmware that enables monitor mode and frame injection on specific wireless chips. This enhancement extends advanced Wi-Fi capabilities to the Raspberry Pi’s built-in wireless card, including the Raspberry Pi 5. Security professionals can now sniff wireless packets and inject custom raw packets, essential for comprehensive wireless security assessments. The 64-bit (arm64) image is now recommended for Raspberry Pi devices, encompassing support for the Pi 5 and eliminating the need for separate images.
HashiCorp Packer & Vagrant Integration Refresh
The development team has refined the process of building Virtual Machine (VM) images by updating the integration of HashiCorp’s Packer and Vagrant tools. To streamline the build process, Kali’s Vagrant images are no longer generated using Packer. Instead, modifications are now incorporated into the existing VM build scripts, and the Packer build scripts have been upgraded to version 2 standards.
Discontinuation of ARMel Support
In alignment with Debian’s direction, Kali Linux is phasing out support for the ARMel architecture. This decision impacts a limited number of older devices, such as the original Raspberry Pi 1 and Raspberry Pi Zero W. The development team has indicated that resources previously allocated to maintaining this legacy architecture will be redirected toward newer platforms like RISC-V.
Configurable Xfce VPN IP Plugin
The Xfce desktop environment’s VPN IP plugin has been updated to allow users to configure which network interface the plugin monitors. This improvement is particularly beneficial for users managing multiple VPN connections or utilizing non-standard interfaces.
Introduction of 10 New Hacking Tools
As with each release, Kali 2025.3 expands its toolkit with the addition of ten new packages:
– Caido & Caido-cli: A web security auditing toolkit featuring both a graphical client and a command-line server.
– Detect It Easy (DiE): A utility designed for identifying file types.
– Gemini CLI: An open-source AI agent that integrates Google’s Gemini into the command line.
– krbrelayx: A toolkit for Kerberos relaying and exploiting unconstrained delegation.
– ligolo-mp: A solution for establishing multi-user pivoting tunnels.
– llm-tools-nmap: A tool that enables Large Language Models (LLMs) to utilize nmap for network scanning.
– mcp-kali-server: A configuration tool for connecting AI agents to Kali.
– patchleaks: A tool designed to quickly identify and detail security fixes in software patches.
– vwifi-dkms: A module for creating virtual dummy Wi-Fi networks.
Kali NetHunter and ARM Platform Updates
The Kali NetHunter platform for mobile devices has received significant updates. Notably, support has been added for the Samsung Galaxy S10, offering a cost-effective device capable of internal Wi-Fi monitor mode and injection on both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands. Additionally, the CARsenal car hacking suite has undergone a substantial update, featuring a new user interface, refactored code, expanded tools, and enhanced simulation capabilities with the inclusion of UDSim.
Obtaining Kali Linux 2025.3
For new installations, fresh images are available for download from the official Kali website. Existing Kali Linux users can upgrade to version 2025.3 by executing the following commands:
“`bash
echo deb http://http.kali.org/kali kali-rolling main contrib non-free non-free-firmware | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list
sudo apt update && sudo apt -y full-upgrade
cp -vrbi /etc/skel/. ~/
[ -f /var/run/reboot-required ] && sudo reboot -f
“`
These commands ensure that the system’s package list is updated, all packages are upgraded to their latest versions, default configurations are copied to the user’s home directory, and the system is rebooted if necessary.
Kali Linux 2025.3 continues to solidify its position as a leading platform for penetration testing and ethical hacking, offering a comprehensive suite of tools and features tailored to the needs of security professionals.
