Four Long-Term Support (LTS) Linux kernels, including versions 6.6.159, 6.1.190, 5.15.223, and 5.10.272, have been released, all featuring a small selection of backported networking and security fixes. Notably, the kernels 5.10 and 5.15 are approaching their end of life, with support ceasing on December 31, 2026, which raises migration concerns for users of Ubuntu 22.04 and RHEL 9. The updates primarily address networking and security issues, such as a TCP use-after-free vulnerability and improvements in checksum validation. Users still on the older kernels are advised to plan their upgrades to the more recent versions, 6.1 and 6.6, which are supported until the end of 2027

Four Linux LTS Kernels Released as 5.10 and 5.15 Race Toward End of Life

Greg Kroah-Hartman signed off on four LTS kernels, 6.6.159, 6.1.190, 5.15.223 and 5.10.272, each carrying the same small set of backported networking and security fixes. The updates close a TCP use-after-free, harden IPv4 checksum validation and restore SCTP traffic through nfnetlink_queue, clearing the thresholds of Canadian advisory AV26-970. Two of the branches, 5.10 and 5.15, sit just two months from end of life on December 31, 2026, intensifying migration pressure for Ubuntu 22.04 and RHEL 9 users. The other two, 6.1 and 6.6, remain safe through the end of 2027, making this a planning window rather than a panic.

Four Linux LTS Kernels Released as 5.10 and 5.15 Race Toward End of Life @ Linux Compatible