Linux Kernel 6.8 End of Life: Upgrade to Linux Kernel 6.9 Now

Rohan Timalsina

June 18, 2024 - TuxCare expert team

Linux kernel 6.8 was released on March 10, 2024, with some exciting new features and improvements. However, it was not designated as a Long Term Support (LTS) branch. Linux kernel 6.8 reached the end of life (EOL) on May 30, 2024. The Linux kernel developer and maintainer Greg Kroah-Hartman announced the release of Linux 6.8.12, marking the final update in this series. Users are strongly encouraged to upgrade to Linux kernel 6.9 as soon as possible to maintain system security.

What’s New in Linux Kernel 6.9?

Released on May 12th, 2024, Linux kernel 6.9 introduces several key features and improvements:

Rust Support on AArch64 (ARM64) architectures
Intel Flexible Return and Event Delivery (FRED)
AMD SNP (Secure Nested Paging) Guests Support

Additionally, Linux kernel 6.9 includes numerous new and updated drivers, ensuring compatibility with the latest hardware. This makes it a compelling upgrade for any GNU/Linux installation.

Considering Long Term Support (LTS) Kernels

While Linux 6.9 is packed with new features, it is also a short-lived kernel branch supported only for a few months. If you prefer a longer support cycle, consider switching to an LTS kernel series. Linux kernel 6.6 and Linux kernel 6.1 are both supported until December 2026, offering a more stable and long-term solution for your systems.

Conclusion

With Linux kernel 6.8 reaching its end of life, upgrading to Linux kernel 6.9 is essential to keep your systems secure and up-to-date. Enjoy the new features and improvements, as well as stay tuned for future developments in the Linux kernel ecosystem.

Beyond the immediate benefits of upgrading, maintaining security without downtime is a top priority for many businesses. This is where Linux kernel live patching comes in. Live patching allows you to apply critical security updates to the running kernel without needing to reboot your system.

TuxCare’s KernelCare Enterprise provides automated live patching for all major Linux distributions and enables businesses to apply kernel security updates as soon as they become available, all without a reboot. By leveraging KernelCare Enterprise, you can significantly improve your overall security posture while maintaining seamless operations. This minimizes downtime risk and ensures your systems are always up-to-date with the latest security fixes.

The sources for this article include a story from 9to5Linux.

Summary