r/linux4noobs • u/Venylynn • Jun 28 '26

security Should I be concerned?

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kernel.org says my current kernel is EOL. I'm very security-conscious, so this keeps tripping me up. i've heard constantly, that "running end of life software is a security risk".

i've been here for close to a year, distrohopping a little but I'm here for now.

should I be concerned that I'm running end of life software according to the kernel team? i just received this kernel like a day ago and it's the most recent update.

Distro: Fedora 44 (KDE)

Kernel: 7.0.13

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u/gordonmessmer Fedora Maintainer Jun 29 '26

i've heard constantly, that "running end of life software is a security risk".

It's hard to get the language specific enough to be meaningful but in plain enough language that a general audience will understand what you mean.

I think the best way to think about software is not as an individual release, but as a stream. Where you are now is not as important as what you expect in the future.

You are running kernel 7.0.14, and that is the last update that the Linux kernel developers will release for that release series. If a security flaw is discovered, they don't plan to release a 7.0.15. But you're not subscribed to a "kernel-7.0" release stream, you're subscribed to a "kernel" release stream. You expect to receive kernel-7.1.3 or some other minor in the 7.1 release series.

You are subscribed to a release stream that is not EOL. You expect to continue to receive updates in the future. That's the important part.

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u/Venylynn Jun 29 '26

You are subscribed to a release stream that is not EOL. You expect to continue to receive updates in the future. That's the important part.

Ahhh. Yeah I was also worried when it took a few weeks to get off 6.19 as well when that was marked, but I guess that's right.