On November 10, 2026, Greg Kroah-Hartman released two Linux kernel updates: version 7.3.4 for the stable branch and version 6.18.63 for the 2025 Long-Term Support (LTS) track, both focusing heavily on security improvements. The updates include notable fixes for vulnerabilities related to Xen netback, AMD Zen 5 CPU, and various AppArmor hardening measures, with the LTS version being more comprehensive, addressing numerous security and maintenance issues across several components. The release of both versions on the same day showcases the independent nature of the stable and LTS tracks, highlighting a maintenance model increasingly influenced by automated bug-finding technologies. As the kernel continues to evolve, these updates reflect ongoing efforts to enhance security and stability within the Linux ecosystem
Linux 7.3.4 and 6.18.63 Released: Security-Focused Kernel Updates for Stable and LTS
Greg Kroah-Hartman released two Linux kernel updates on 10 November 2026, one each for the fast stable branch (7.3.4) and the 2025 LTS track (6.18.63). Both patches lean heavily on security, folding in two Xen netback advisories (XSA-531 and XSA-532), an AMD Zen 5 TSA_FILL CPU mitigation, and a cluster of AppArmor hardening fixes. The 6.18.63 LTS patch is the larger of the two, packing out-of-bounds-read and integer-overflow fixes into the Ceph client, BPF map handling, and the networking stack. While 7.3.4 sits in pure maintenance mode with mainline already on 7.4-rc2, both updates remain available to download from kernel.org.
