Kali Linux 2021.1 Released With New Features: How To Download Or Upgrade
Kali Linux ended last year with the release of v2020.4. Its maker Offensive Security has now announced a new version, Kali Linux 2021.1, as the first release this year.
The latest version 2021.1 comes with enhancements to existing features, new hacking tools, and an updated core packages.
New Features In Kali Linux 2021.1
Starting with core components, v2021.1 has upgraded the Linux kernel to its latest long-term support version 5.10 and desktop environments Xfce and KDE Plasma to version 4.16 and 5.20, respectively.
One of the highlight features of Kali Linux 2021.1 is the addition of command-not-found package by default.
The Command-Not-Found not only suggests you install a package when it’s not already installed, but also points out the typo error with the correct word and gives the original message of “command not found” for an invalid command that doesn’t exist in Kali.
As you may know, in the previous version 2020.4, Kali Linux partnered with CrackMapExec (CME) tool author byt3bl33d3r.
To further extend the partnership and support with more tool authors, Kali is now teaming up with BC Security for exclusive early access to “Empire” (powershell-empire) and “StarKiller” and Joohoi for its Fuzz Faster U Fool (ffuf) tool.
As usual, the latest Kali version has also added more new tools (to the network repositories), such as Airgeddon, Arjun, Chisel, GitLeaks, DumpsterDiver, and HTTProbe.
Among other key updates, this is what Kali Linux 2021.1 has included:
- Workarounds for several terminals (
mate-terminal,terminator,tmux,konsole, andtilix) - Upgraded BusyBox and Rucky tool to version 1.32.0 and 2.1
- New boot-animation for Kali NetHunter
- Preliminary support of Kali ARM for Parallels on Apple Silicon and Raspberry Pi 400’s wireless card
How To Download Or Upgrade To Kali 2021.1?
If you want to get your hands on all of the above-mentioned features, you can download the new Kali 2021.1 images available for several platforms from here.
Or, if you’re already using Kali Linux, you can easily upgrade your system to the latest v2021.1 by running commands:
$ 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
$ [ -f /var/run/reboot-required ] && sudo reboot -f
