𝗟𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘅 𝗞𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝟲.𝟭𝟬

 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘅 𝗞𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝟲.𝟭𝟬 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱: 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗙𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀

Linus Torvalds has announced the release of Linux 6.10, marking the latest stable branch of the Linux kernel. This update introduces several notable features and enhancements, particularly in hardware support and system functionality.

  Major Highlights

 1. Memory Sealing with mseal()

   - A new `mseal()` system call has been introduced for memory sealing, enhancing memory management and security.

 2. Rust Support for RISC-V

   - Linux 6.10 expands its Rust language support to the RISC-V architecture, reflecting the ongoing integration of Rust within the kernel.

 3. Enhanced File System Compression

   - The EROFS file system now supports Zstandard compression, offering better performance and storage efficiency.

 4. Shadow Stack Support

   - The x32 subarchitecture receives shadow stack support, bolstering security measures against return-oriented programming attacks.

 5. TPM Bus Encryption

   - TPM bus encryption and integrity protection have been added, improving the security of Trusted Platform Module communications.

  6. PFCP Filter Setup

   - Initial support for setting up Packet Forwarding Control Protocol (PFCP) filters is now available.

 Additional Enhancements

 1. PowerPC BPF JIT Compiler

   - Kernel functions (kfuncs) support has been added to the PowerPC BPF JIT compiler, enhancing its performance and capabilities.

 2. User Space Tracing

   - Ring_buffer memory mappings enable mapping tracing ring buffers directly into user space, simplifying performance analysis and debugging.

 3. Netlink-Based NFS Control

   - A new netlink-based protocol allows more efficient control of NFS servers directly from the kernel.

 4. Landlock Enhancements

   - Landlock now supports applying security policies to `ioctl()` calls, further extending its capabilities.

 5. FUSE File System Integrity

   - Integrity protection support has been implemented for the FUSE file system, enhancing its reliability and security.

 6. BPF Wait Queues

   - Basic support for BPF wait queues (`bpf_wq`) has been introduced, allowing BPF programs to utilize kernel wait queues.

 7. Rust Time Handling

   - New Rust abstractions have been added for more efficient time handling within the kernel.

 8. AArch64 Write-Protect

   - The `userfaultfd()` write-protect feature is now supported for AArch64 (ARM64) systems, providing better memory management options.

  Noteworthy Subsystems and Performance Improvements

 1. NTSync Subsystem

   - A new ntsync subsystem provides Windows NT synchronization primitives for Linux/Wine gaming, improving compatibility and performance for gaming applications.

 2. BPF JIT for ARCv2

   - A BPF just-in-time compiler for 32-bit ARCv2 processors has been added, expanding support for different processor architectures.

 3. dm-crypt High Priority

   - A new high_priority option for the dm-crypt device-mapper allows setting high-priority work queues, potentially boosting performance on larger systems.

  Hardware Support

 1. Updated Rust

   - Rust support has been updated to version 1.78.0, ensuring compatibility with the latest Rust features.

 2. ARM Enhancements

   - ARM architecture now includes support for Clang CFI (Control-Flow Integrity) and LPAE privileged-access-never.

 3. OverlayFS Updates

   - The OverlayFS file system gains the ability to create temporary files using the `O_TMPFILE` option.

 4. New Boot Option

   - A new boot option, `init_mlocked_on_free`, ensures pages locked into RAM are zeroed out when freed, enhancing security.

 Expanded Hardware Compatibility

Linux 6.10 extends hardware compatibility with new drivers and updates for existing ones, including:

   - Radxa ROCK 3C development board

   - Intel Arrow Lake-H processors

   - Lenovo Thinkbook 13x Gen 4, 16P Gen 5, and 13X laptops

   - ASUS ROG 2024 laptops

   - Machenike G5 Pro game controller

 Performance Enhancements

Performance improvements in Linux 6.10 include:

   - Faster AES-XTS encryption on modern x86_64 CPUs

   - Zoned write plugging for improved performance on zoned devices

   - Improved send zero-copy performance with `io_uring`

   - Enhanced write performance for the OCFS2 file system

 Availability and Future Releases

Linux kernel 6.10 is available for download from Linus Torvalds' git tree or the kernel.org website. It will be a short-lived branch, supported for only a few months. The development focus will soon shift to Linux kernel 6.11, expected to be released in mid to late September 2024.