Offensive Security organization has announced the release of the first Kali Linux update in 2022. Kali Linux comes with a variety of hacking tools and it is preferred by ethical hackers to deploy penetration testing processes that provide necessary information regarding security flaws on systems or infrastructures.
Visuals will update only once a year
Kali Linux 2022.1 brings new tools from ProjectDiscovery, shell prompt changes, a visual refresh, and more to the table. The new version uses Linux kernel 5.15 and it is based on Debian 10. Kali 2022 comes with a visual refreshment including new wallpapers, login backgrounds, and boot displays. Developers state that there won’t be any new visual improvements until Kali Linux 2023.1. From now on, they will focus on visuals in a yearly cycle.
Kali 2022.1 now has a flavor that brings all of the necessary tools as pre-installed in an offline installation. The flavor is named Kali Everything and it can only be downloaded via torrents due to the size of the ISO image, 9.4 GB. Kaly Linux Everything might be handy in certain situations during penetration tests.
New tools for ethical hackers
The new version of Kali brings a new switch under kali-tweaks > Hardening section for enabling old algorithms and ciphers in a very easy way. It simply configures the SSH client as Wide Compatibility and it is set to Secure option by default; users will need to activate it manually before using it for security reasons. The new release also brings new tools that are listed below:
- dnsx: Fast and multi-purpose DNS toolkit allows running multiple DNS queries
- email2phonenumber: An OSINT tool to obtain a target’s phone number just by having his email address
- naabu: A fast port scanner with a focus on reliability and simplicity
- nuclei: Targeted scanning based on templates
- PoshC2: A proxy aware C2 framework with post-exploitation and lateral movement
- proxify: Swiss Army knife Proxy tool for HTTP/HTTPS traffic capture, manipulation, and replay on the go
There are some notable changes like a new browser landing page and ARM improvements. The missing functions when running the i3 desktop environment in a guest VM such as drag&drop and copy/paste features now work properly out of the box. Shell prompt has some improvements and visual changes as well. The skull in the root prompt is replaced with a Kali logo. But you can go back for old-skull look anytime by using the following commands:
sed -i 's/prompt_symbol=㉿/prompt_symbol=💀/' ~/.zshrc
source ~/.zshrc
Download Kali Linux 2022.1 Images
There are several installation options for Kali Linux 2022.1. You can make a fresh installation by choosing one of those, using the links below:
| Name | File Type | Size | Download | SHA256sum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 64-bit Installer | ISO | 2.8 GB | Direct | Torrent | 784e403bd58e5b05e5c24d91dc44e405fb02674bb85ee0b290e0f2ea16113a39 |
| 32-bit Installer | ISO | 2.5 GB | Direct | Torrent | 275e2ff3f4fc2645123cd1a3058426d6e5213eb9652aa0e29fb19dd893668491 |
| Apple M1 | ISO | 2.3 GB | Direct | Torrent | 0408a12179757dbe294f509d5e64a196cf9b39c869118af28159c77906a08b79 |
| VMware Image 64-bit | 7z | 2.3 GB | Direct | Torrent | 424e1011db35e20f7670b310485ab3a37556fb7a2336d261f30a358f1a4e19be |
| VirtualBox Image 64-bit | OVA | 3.7 GB | Direct | Torrent | 224fdc3975253f478038d1f2b393a5ff6c4564ac8227f089322cadb214238d91 |
| Live Boot | ISO | 3.5 GB | Direct | Torrent | 172b24b051311f40c8da05f346ec036ee373e0b1eed19b6db31252bd05a9a0f8 |
For other download options, you can visit the official kali linux download page.
The users who already have Kali Linux installed can make a full upgrade by using the commands below:
echo "deb http://http.kali.org/kali kali-rolling main non-free contrib" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list
sudo apt update && sudo apt -y full-upgrade
cp -rbi /etc/skel/. ~
[ -f /var/run/reboot-required ] && sudo reboot -f
FAQ
What is the latest Kali Linux version?
The latest Kali Linux version is Kali Linux 2022.4 and it was released on 06 December 2022.
Is Kali Linux free?
Yes, Kali Linux is completely free to use.
Is Kali Linux illegal?
Using Kali Linux is not illegal. It is mostly used by ethical hackers for penetration tests to harden an organization’s security. Utilizing Kali Linux tools with malicious intentions is illegal.
Is Kali Linux free?
Yes, Kali Linux is completely free to use.
What is Kali Linux based on?
Kali Linux is based on Debian.
What is Kali Linux used for?
Kali Linux is used for performing penetration tests and it comes with several tools. Hackers also use the distribution to utilize its tools for malicious actions.
Is Kali Linux easy to learn?
Kali Linux is a normal Linux distribution, so it is not hard to learn for an average Linux user. However, learning to use the hacking tools requires expertise.
Is BackTrack and Kali Linux the same?
BackTrack and Kali Linux is the same distribution. The name of the distribution was changed in 2013.
Is there a Kali Linux alternative?
Parrot OS can be used as an alternative for Kali Linux.
What is the default username and password for Kali Linux 2023?
The default username and password for Kali Linux 2023 is “kali/kali“.
Can I install Kali Linux on Windows?
You can install Kali Linux from Microsoft Store on Windows 10 after enabling Windows Subsystem for Linux. It is also possible to install Kali Linux on Windows by third-party virtual machine software such as VMWare and Virtual Box.
What desktop environment does Kali Linux use?
Kali Linux uses the XFCE desktop environment as default. Users can change to GNOME Shel or KDE Plasma during installation.
How many GB is Kali Linux?
Kali Linux has several images with varying sizes between 2.3 GB and 9.4 GB as offline installers.
Can Kali Linux be installed on a virtual machine?
Yes, Kali Linux can be installed on a virtual machine. A virtual machine (VM) allows you to run an operating system within another operating system. This means that you can install Kali Linux on a virtual machine and run it on top of your current operating system, without the need to replace it or partition your hard drive. To install Kali Linux on VMWare, you can refer to our article: How to create VM and install a Linux distro on VMWare Workstation