Kali Linux remains one of the most trusted operating systems for penetration testing and cybersecurity tasks. With the release of version 2025.1c, the developers addressed several critical issues affecting users of previous builds, especially those related to system updates and GPG key verification. If you’re also interested in topics like changing a user’s shell, sharing aliases across shells, or configuring environment paths in tcsh, you might find this update particularly relevant.
Whether you’re a red teamer, a system admin, or just learning Kali, this latest update is worth a closer look. Beyond fixing the critical key issue, Kali 2025.1c brings fresh tools, updated desktop environments, and improvements that make cybersecurity workflows faster and more reliable.
Fixing the Missing GPG Key Issue
If you installed Kali Linux before April 2025, your system may fail to update due to an outdated archive signing key. Symptoms include errors like:
The following signatures couldn't be verified...
NO_PUBKEY...To check and fix this, simply open a terminal and run:
sudo wget https://archive.kali.org/archive-keyring.gpg -O /usr/share/keyrings/kali-archive-keyring.gpg
sudo apt-get updateThis command fetches and installs the new official Kali archive key. Once added, package updates should work as expected.
If you’re already using Kali 2025.1c or newer, you’re in the clear—the new key is included by default.
Redesigned Menu Based on MITRE ATT&CK
One of the more subtle but impactful updates in this release is the redesign of the Kali Menu, which now follows the MITRE ATT&CK framework. This makes it easier for both offensive and defensive teams to find and launch the right tool for the job, based on technique or objective rather than category or package name.
New Tools Introduced
The Kali 2025.1c release brings over a dozen new tools into the repositories. Here are a few highlights:
- Azurehound: For collecting and analyzing data from Microsoft Azure environments.
- binwalk3: A newer version of the classic binwalk tool, used for reverse engineering firmware.
- bopscrk: A smart wordlist generator useful in password attacks.
- ldapnomnom, kerbrute-ng, shellcode_launcher: Tools focused on protocol enumeration and payload management.
Each tool is integrated seamlessly with the system and can be installed via apt. You can also explore more CLI tricks and tools in this article on Bash one-liners, or learn how to set your default text editor in tcsh.
Desktop and Hardware Updates
Kali 2025.1c includes:
- GNOME 48 and KDE Plasma 6.3: Polished interfaces with better performance.
- ARM device optimizations, especially for Raspberry Pi users.
- Fixes to bootloader issues and network stack bugs reported in previous versions.
Final Thoughts
Kali Linux 2025.1c is a welcome update that fixes important underlying issues while also adding meaningful improvements for daily use. The addition of the new GPG key ensures stable software updates, while the menu redesign and tool additions improve usability and scope for professionals and learners alike.
As always, it’s a good idea to review your system’s users and permissions periodically. For example, check our article on the ‘nobody’ user in Linux or how to verify if a package is installed on Debian or RHEL.
