Kali Linux 2026.1 delivers several new tools and a classic desktop theme

Unleashed yesterday, Kali Linux 2026.1 comes as an anniversary edition with visual changes in the shape of a new mode that brings back its ancestor, namely BackTrack Linux, as well as a special anniversary event, the yearly theme refresh, and no less than eight new apps.

As it has been happening for years now, this new 20xx.1 release of Kali Linux comes with the annual theme refresh, which is described on the official blog as "a long-standing tradition that keeps the Kali Linux interface as modern and innovative," with changes to the boot animation, login screen, boot menu, and so on. A fresh set of desktop wallpapers is also included.

While BackTrack Linux became KaliLinux in March 2013, this security-focused distro was never forgotten. Released into the wild for the first time at the end of May 2006, Kali's ancestor will soon celebrate its 20th anniversary. To celebrate it, Kali Linux 2026.1 comes with a special mode in kali-undercover, which transforms the system into BackTrack 5 from the visual perspective, using the same wallpaper, colors, and window themes. This mode can be found in the menu, but it can also be launched in the terminal by using the kali-undercover --backtrack command.

The 13th Kali Linux birthday event is still open, although the top 3 places and prizes are no longer up for grabs. Those who missed it so far can find out more on Kali's Discord channel.

The list of new tools added to Kali Linux by the latest update consists of the following: AdaptixC2, Atomic-Operator, Fluxion, GEF, MetasploitMCP, SSTImap, WPProbe, and XSStrike. The kernel is now 6.18, and the list of changes includes 25 new packages, 9 removed ones, and no less than 183 updates. As usual, the downloads can be retrieved from this page, which provides a comprehensive set of choices.