Kali Linux 2026.3 updates kernel to 7.1.5 and adds NetHunter watch support
Original title: Kali Linux 2026.3 ships kernel 7.1.5, brings wardriving to the TicWatch Pro 3
The release overhauls image build scripts, adds six network tools, and brings TicWatch Pro 3 wardriving plus Mifare NFC access.
The Kali Linux team released version 2026.3 after rewriting the public scripts that produce official images. Refreshed scripts share features and arguments where possible, and each includes build-in-container.sh for Docker or Podman so build dependencies stay off the host. The release has 126 package updates, including a kernel jump from 6.19 to 7.1.5 and KDE Plasma 6.7. Kali NetHunter now supports wardriving from the TicWatch Pro 3, NFC access to Mifare Classic cards, and KernelSU.
- Six new repository tools include dalfox, katana, qsreplace, rustscan, sdrangel, and snaffler-ng.
- Installer defaults produce a kali-rolling AMD64 ISO; flags can select branch, variant, and architecture.
- WearHunter, which controls a NetHunter watch from a phone over ADB, is experimental.
- Nine new kernels cover devices from a Pixel on LineageOS 22.2 to the Sony Xperia 10 V.
From the original article
2 min read at helpnetsecurity.com
The Kali Linux team released version 2026. 3 after overhauling the public build scripts it uses to produce every official image. The refreshed scripts share the same features, command-line arguments and, where possible, the same layout, so a pipeline written against an older script may need edits.
By Anamarija Pogorelec · helpnetsecurity.com
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