Kali Linux 2025.2 Released with Revamped Kali Menu, 13 New Hacking Tools

posted by Marius Nestor on Jun 13, 2025,
updated Jun 18, 2025

Coming three months after Kali Linux 2025.1, the Kali Linux 2025.2 release introduces a completely revamped Kali Menu to follow the MITRE ATTACK framework structure, helping users more easily find the right tool for their needs.

While Xfce remains Kali Linux’s default desktop environment, this release comes with support for the latest GNOME 48 desktop environment, along with a new GNOME VPN IP extension to view the IP address of your current VPN connection right in the panel, as well as support for the KDE Plasma 6.3 desktop environment.

Read on

Update

By Roy:

• Distro Watch ☛ Distribution Release: Kali Linux 2025.2

  The Kali Linux team has released a new snapshot of the project's penetration testing distribution. Kali Linux 2025.2 features GNOME 48 and KDE Plasma 6.3, but the biggest visible change is to the application menu: [...]

• Kali Linux ☛ Kali Linux 2025.2 Release (Kali Menu Refresh, BloodHound CE & CARsenal)

  We’re almost half way through 2025 already, and we’ve got a lot to share with you in this release, Kali 2025.2.

• Kali 2025.2 Introduces 13 New Tools, Revamped MITRE-Based Menu

  One of the most notable changes in this release is the complete reorganization of the Kali menu. Gone is the old structure inherited from BackTrack and WHAX, which, according to devs, had become increasingly difficult to manage.

Later coverage:

• Kali Linux 2025.2 delivers Bloodhound CE, CARsenal, 13 new tools

  As per usual, the newest Kali version comes with new community wallpapers and new versions of the KDE Plasma and GNOME graphical desktop environments.

  This time around, the Kali Menu is new, as well: it has been reorganized to follow the MITRE ATT&CK framework structure.

  “Seasoned professionals may not use the menu to start up items, using shortcuts such as super key and typing the tool name, or via a terminal window,” OffSec says, but they see the menu as a way to discover tools: “Finding the right tool for your task should now be a lot more intuitive for red and blue teams alike.”

  OffSec has also bumped BloodHound, the penetration testing tool that maps attack paths in Microsoft Active Directory (AD) and Azure AD/Entra ID environments, to the latest version: BloodHound Community Edition (CE).

ZDNet:

• Kali Linux gets a UI refresh, new tools, and an updated car hacking toolset | ZDNET

  Kali Linux is a widely respected Linux distribution geared toward testing and auditing systems and networks, and the latest release has added more hacking tools, updates, and even a UI refresh.

  First, the CAN Arsenal was renamed CARsenal, so its purpose is obvious. Not only has CARsenal received a UI update, but there are some new tools added into the mix, such as hlcand (a modified version of slcand for ELM327 usage), VIN Info (for decoding VIN identifiers), CaringCaribou (for providing Linstener, Dump Fizzer, Send, UDS, and XCP modules), and ICSim (provides a simulator for VCAN and for testing the CARsenal toolset without having to use specialized hardware).

Bleeping Computer:

• Kali Linux 2025.2 released with 13 new tools, car hacking updates

  Kali Linux 2025.2, the second release of the year, is now available for download with 13 new tools and an expanded car hacking toolkit.

  Designed for cybersecurity professionals and ethical hackers, the Kali Linux distribution facilitates security audits, penetration testing, and network research.