Linux Kernel 6.14 RC6 Released

Linus Torvalds has released Linux Kernel 6.14 Release Candidate 6 (RC6), reporting no significant issues and keeping the release on track. The most notable change in this update addresses an AMD microcode signing issue, while the rest of the updates consist of minor fixes across multiple subsystems.

Table of Contents

• Linux Kernel 6.14 RC6 Highlights
  • AMD Microcode Fixes
  • Architecture-Specific Changes
    • x86 Updates
    • Arm64 and LoongArch
• Subsystem Fixes and Enhancements
  • Graphics and Display
  • Networking
  • Storage and Filesystems
  • USB and Peripheral Support
  • Virtualization and Kernel Security
• Filesystem and Memory Management
• Try Kernel 6.14-rc6

Linux Kernel 6.14 RC6 Highlights

AMD Microcode Fixes

A major focus of this release candidate is the resolution of an AMD microcode signing problem. Several updates in the x86/microcode subsystem ensure that only SHA256-checksummed patches are loaded, adding an extra layer of security and validation.

Architecture-Specific Changes

x86 Updates

• Improvements in handling CPUID leaf 0x2 output validation.
• Fixes in microcode loading, including the removal of unused functions and better patch level detection.
• Refinements in speculation mitigation mechanisms.

Arm64 and LoongArch

• KVM updates for Arm64, ensuring proper initialization of SCTLR_EL1.
• Multiple LoongArch kernel virtualization fixes, including improvements in guest CSR register handling and AVEC interrupt checking.
• LoongArch-specific bug fixes in memory management and NUMA configuration.

Subsystem Fixes and Enhancements

Graphics and Display

• Various fixes for AMD GPU drivers, including KFD queue NULL pointer dereference prevention.
• Improvements in Intel and Imagination Technologies DRM drivers, particularly in timestamp accuracy and fence handling.
• Nouveau driver update to enable firmware caching for better performance.

Networking

• Fixes in Wi-Fi drivers, including mac80211 and iwlwifi, addressing issues related to TX queue cleanup, debugfs directory removal, and sparse warnings.
• Enhancements in DSA (Distributed Switch Architecture) drivers for MediaTek and Realtek chipsets.
• Patch to correct ownership handling in UDP segmentation offload (GSO).

Storage and Filesystems

• Bug fixes in XFS, including buffer readahead decoupling and buffer accounting improvements.
• Adjustments in Btrfs to resolve chunk map leaks and zoned storage issues.
• NVMe-TCP driver fixes for sporadic response drops and potential memory corruption.
• Enhancements in exFAT to prevent soft lockups and improve file write handling.

USB and Peripheral Support

• Fixes in USB Type-C UCSI drivers to prevent NULL pointer dereferences.
• Resolution of interrupt handling issues in Renesas USB host controllers.
• HID driver updates for various peripherals, including Apple, Nintendo, and Intel devices.

Virtualization and Kernel Security

• Several KVM fixes for x86 and Arm64, focusing on debug control registers, event injection, and virtual machine run state handling.
• SEV-Guest improvements, optimizing request data allocation.
• Fixes in userfaultfd to avoid blocking on large folios with raised reference counts.

Filesystem and Memory Management

• Fixes in memory-hotplug and swap mechanisms, ensuring stable migration and recovery.
• Adjustments in userfaultfd behavior to prevent unexpected page table entry unmapping.
• Refinements in pipe buffer logic to fix race conditions and improve performance.

Try Kernel 6.14-rc6

Developers and testers are encouraged to review the shortlog for more details and report any regressions to ensure a smooth release process.

If you want to test this release, you can download the Kernel 6.14-rc6 from the Kernel.org website or the Linus Torvalds's git tree.

Linux Kernel 6.14 RC6 is a minor release. The majority of updates include security patches, performance improvements, and bug fixes across different subsystems.

With no major roadblocks, the release schedule remains on track. The next few weeks will focus on stabilizing the kernel further before the final release.

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