What’s New in Kali Linux 2019.4? Xfce Desktop, Undercover Mode, NetHunter Kex & BTRFS

Release Highlights

Default desktop switched from GNOME to Xfce with new GTK3 themes.

Kali Undercover mode disguises the OS as Windows 10.

NetHunter Kex provides a full Kali desktop on Android devices.

PowerShell added to the main repository.

BTRFS enabled as the default root filesystem.

Kernel upgraded to version 5.3.9.

General bug fixes and tool updates.

New Desktop Environment and GTK3 Theme

The 2019.4 release replaces GNOME with the lightweight Xfce desktop, which runs well on low‑end hardware and devices such as the Raspberry Pi. A new GTK3 theme is supplied for both Xfce and GNOME; users who prefer GNOME can still install the GNOME variant.

Kali Undercover Mode

Undercover mode lets Kali masquerade as a Windows 10 system, making the workstation less conspicuous in environments where security tools might attract attention. A small script toggles the theme between the default Kali look and a Windows‑like appearance.

NetHunter Kex – Full Kali Desktop on Android

NetHunter Kex enables an Android device to run a complete Kali desktop via Bluetooth mouse/keyboard and HDMI output, effectively turning the phone into a lightweight ARM desktop. The feature is still in testing; the official documentation provides usage details.

PowerShell Support

PowerShell is now in the main Kali repository. Install it with a single command:

apt update && apt -y install powershell

BTRFS as Root Filesystem

Kali Linux 2019.4 adds optional BTRFS support for the root filesystem, providing copy‑on‑write, writable snapshots, subvolumes, and built‑in RAID. This enables easy rollback after upgrades.

BTRFS is a Linux file system with COW, snapshot, subvolume, and RAID capabilities, aiming to replace ext3/ext4 by offering larger file size limits, better fault tolerance, and easier management.

Download and Update

Official download page: https://www.kali.org/downloads/

For existing installations, update the sources list and upgrade:

# cat /etc/apt/sources.list
deb http://http.kali.org/kali kali-rolling main non-free contrib
EOF

apt update && apt -y full-upgrade

Switch to the new Xfce desktop: apt -y install kali-desktop-xfce Verify the installed version:

grep VERSION /etc/os-release

uname -v