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Kali Linux 2026.3 ships kernel 7.1.5 and six new tools

4 sources · 4 articlesFirst reported Updated ()2
What's new

October 26: Help Net Security details rewritten image scripts, Mifare Classic NFC access, nine new NetHunter kernels, and WearHunter control over ADB.

Merged summary · x-ai/grok-4.7 · rewritten as coverage arrivesSummaries by Vani AI

Kali Linux 2026.3 is out with six new pentest tools, kernel 7.1.5, 126 package updates, and NetHunter device additions.

Kali Linux released version 2026.3 on October 26, its third release of the year. It adds six penetration-testing tools—dalfox, katana, qsreplace, rustscan, sdrangel and snaffler-ng—updates 126 packages, and upgrades the kernel from 6.19 to 7.1.5. The optional KDE Plasma desktop moves to 6.7 with per-screen virtual desktops; Xfce remains the default. Public image-build scripts were rewritten with shared arguments and a build-in-container.sh helper for Docker or Podman; remaining script work is deferred to Kali 2026.4, and older CI pipelines may have broken. Kali NetHunter adds TicWatch Pro 3 wardriving, Mifare Classic NFC access, experimental WearHunter, KernelSU, and nine new device kernels.

Key facts
  • New tools: dalfox, katana, qsreplace, rustscan, sdrangel and snaffler-ng; not on every image.
  • Kernel moves from 6.19 to 7.1.5; GBHackers writes the package as 7.1.5.kali.
  • Installer defaults produce a kali-rolling AMD64 ISO; flags select branch, variant and architecture.
  • Existing systems full-upgrade from kali-rolling; WSL users are advised to move to WSL 2.
  • Nine new NetHunter kernels span a Pixel on LineageOS 22.2 to the Sony Xperia 10 V.
  • Weekly images remain available but skip the standard release quality checks.
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Timeline

dated events in the reporting · oldest first
  1. Oct 26, 2026Kali Linux 2026.3 released with six new tools · Cyber Security News

What each outlet adds

beyond the shared facts
  • Help Net SecurityNine NetHunter kernels, Mifare NFC, installer ISO defaults, build-in-container.sh
  • GBHackersWeekly images skip quality checks; tools may miss some images
  • BleepingComputerWSL 2 advice and Intel GPU power improvements in Plasma
  • Cyber Security NewsXfce stays default; older CI pipelines may have broken
Vendors
Kali LinuxOffensive Security
Products
Kali Linux 2026.3Kali LinuxKali NetHunterTicWatch Pro 3NetHunterKDE PlasmaDalfoxKatanaQsreplaceRustscanSDRangelSnaffler-ng

Coverage

oldest first · one row per article · UTC
  1. · 4d ago BleepingComputerFirst report

    Kali Linux 2026.3 released with 6 new tools, desktop and build-script updates

    The release adds tools including dalfox, katana, rustscan and snaffler-ng, updates 126 packages and upgrades the kernel to 7.1.5.

  2. · 4d ago Cyber Security News

    Kali Linux 2026.3 adds six penetration testing tools and moves to Linux kernel 7.1.5

    The six new tools cover XSS scanning, web crawling, port scanning, SDR and SMB share searches, while refreshed build scripts now support containerized builds via Docker or Podman.

  3. · 4d ago GBHackers

    Kali Linux 2026.3 adds six tools and kernel 7.1.5.kali

    The October 26 release also refreshes image build scripts, ships KDE Plasma 6.7 and updates NetHunter.

  4. · 4d ago Help Net Security

    Kali Linux 2026.3 updates kernel to 7.1.5 and adds NetHunter watch support

    The release overhauls image build scripts, adds six network tools, and brings TicWatch Pro 3 wardriving plus Mifare NFC access.