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AWS linux documentation change

Service: linux · 2025-04-03 · Documentation low

File: linux/al2023/ug/kernel-hardening.md

Summary

Added kernel configuration columns for AL2023/6.12/aarch64 and AL2023/6.12/x86_64 versions, updated architecture-specific config options

Security assessment

The changes document kernel hardening configurations across multiple versions/architectures. While these configurations relate to security features, there's no evidence of addressing a specific vulnerability.

Diff

diff --git a/linux/al2023/ug/kernel-hardening.md b/linux/al2023/ug/kernel-hardening.md
index b7b4e927d..b3aefb3c9 100644
--- a//linux/al2023/ug/kernel-hardening.md
+++ b//linux/al2023/ug/kernel-hardening.md
@@ -13,84 +13,84 @@ The 6.1 Linux kernel in AL2023 is configured and built with several hardening op
-`CONFIG` option | AL2023/6.1/aarch64 | AL2023/6.1/x86_64  
----|---|---  
-CONFIG_ACPI_CUSTOM_METHOD |  `n` |  `n`  
-CONFIG_BINFMT_MISC |  `m` |  `m`  
-CONFIG_BUG |  `y` |  `y`  
-CONFIG_BUG_ON_DATA_CORRUPTION |  `y` |  `y`  
-CONFIG_CFI_CLANG | N/A | N/A  
-CONFIG_CFI_PERMISSIVE | N/A | N/A  
-CONFIG_COMPAT |  `y` |  `y`  
-CONFIG_COMPAT_BRK |  `n` |  `n`  
-CONFIG_COMPAT_VDSO | N/A |  `n`  
-CONFIG_DEBUG_CREDENTIALS |  `n` |  `n`  
-CONFIG_DEBUG_LIST |  `y` |  `y`  
-CONFIG_DEBUG_NOTIFIERS |  `n` |  `n`  
-CONFIG_DEBUG_SG |  `n` |  `n`  
-CONFIG_DEBUG_VIRTUAL |  `n` |  `n`  
-CONFIG_DEBUG_WX |  `n` |  `n`  
-CONFIG_DEFAULT_MMAP_MIN_ADDR |  `65536` |  `65536`  
-[CONFIG_DEVKMEM](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_DEVKMEM) | N/A | N/A  
-[CONFIG_DEVMEM](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_DEVMEM) |  `n` |  `n`  
-CONFIG_EFI_DISABLE_PCI_DMA |  `n` |  `n`  
-[CONFIG_FORTIFY_SOURCE](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_FORTIFY_SOURCE) |  `y` |  `y`  
-CONFIG_HARDENED_USERCOPY |  `y` |  `y`  
-CONFIG_HARDENED_USERCOPY_FALLBACK | N/A | N/A  
-CONFIG_HARDENED_USERCOPY_PAGESPAN | N/A | N/A  
-CONFIG_HIBERNATION |  `y` |  `y`  
-CONFIG_HW_RANDOM_TPM | N/A | N/A  
-CONFIG_INET_DIAG |  `m` |  `m`  
-CONFIG_INIT_ON_ALLOC_DEFAULT_ON |  `n` |  `n`  
-CONFIG_INIT_ON_FREE_DEFAULT_ON |  `n` |  `n`  
-CONFIG_INIT_STACK_ALL_ZERO | N/A | N/A  
-CONFIG_IOMMU_DEFAULT_DMA_STRICT |  `n` |  `n`  
-CONFIG_IOMMU_SUPPORT |  `y` |  `y`  
-[CONFIG_IO_STRICT_DEVMEM](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_IO_STRICT_DEVMEM) | N/A | N/A  
-CONFIG_KEXEC |  `y` |  `y`  
-CONFIG_KFENCE |  `n` |  `n`  
-[CONFIG_LDISC_AUTOLOAD](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_LDISC_AUTOLOAD) |  `n` |  `n`  
-CONFIG_LEGACY_PTYS |  `n` |  `n`  
-CONFIG_LOCK_DOWN_KERNEL_FORCE_CONFIDENTIALITY |  `n` |  `n`  
-CONFIG_MODULES |  `y` |  `y`  
-CONFIG_MODULE_SIG |  `y` |  `y`  
-CONFIG_MODULE_SIG_ALL |  `y` |  `y`  
-CONFIG_MODULE_SIG_FORCE |  `n` |  `n`  
-CONFIG_MODULE_SIG_HASH |  `sha512` |  `sha512`  
-CONFIG_MODULE_SIG_KEY |  `certs/signing_key.pem` |  `certs/signing_key.pem`  
-CONFIG_MODULE_SIG_SHA512 |  `y` |  `y`  
-CONFIG_PAGE_POISONING |  `n` |  `n`  
-CONFIG_PAGE_POISONING_NO_SANITY | N/A | N/A  
-CONFIG_PAGE_POISONING_ZERO | N/A | N/A  
-[CONFIG_PANIC_ON_OOPS](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_PANIC_ON_OOPS) |  `y` |  `y`  
-CONFIG_PANIC_TIMEOUT |  `0` |  `0`  
-CONFIG_PROC_KCORE |  `y` |  `y`  
-CONFIG_RANDOMIZE_KSTACK_OFFSET_DEFAULT |  `n` |  `n`  
-CONFIG_RANDOM_TRUST_BOOTLOADER |  `y` |  `y`  
-CONFIG_RANDOM_TRUST_CPU |  `y` |  `y`  
-CONFIG_REFCOUNT_FULL | N/A | N/A  
-CONFIG_SCHED_CORE | N/A |  `y`  
-CONFIG_SCHED_STACK_END_CHECK |  `y` |  `y`  
-CONFIG_SECCOMP |  `y` |  `y`  
-CONFIG_SECCOMP_FILTER |  `y` |  `y`  
-CONFIG_SECURITY |  `y` |  `y`  
-[CONFIG_SECURITY_DMESG_RESTRICT](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_SECURITY_DMESG_RESTRICT) |  `y` |  `y`  
-CONFIG_SECURITY_LANDLOCK |  `n` |  `n`  
-CONFIG_SECURITY_LOCKDOWN_LSM |  `y` |  `y`  
-CONFIG_SECURITY_LOCKDOWN_LSM_EARLY |  `y` |  `y`  
-CONFIG_SECURITY_SELINUX_BOOTPARAM |  `y` |  `y`  
-CONFIG_SECURITY_SELINUX_DEVELOP |  `y` |  `y`  
-[CONFIG_SECURITY_SELINUX_DISABLE](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_SECURITY_SELINUX_DISABLE) |  `n` |  `n`  
-CONFIG_SECURITY_WRITABLE_HOOKS | N/A | N/A  
-CONFIG_SECURITY_YAMA |  `y` |  `y`  
-CONFIG_SHUFFLE_PAGE_ALLOCATOR |  `y` |  `y`  
-CONFIG_SLAB_FREELIST_HARDENED |  `y` |  `y`  
-CONFIG_SLAB_FREELIST_RANDOM |  `y` |  `y`  
-CONFIG_SLUB_DEBUG |  `y` |  `y`  
-CONFIG_STACKPROTECTOR |  `y` |  `y`  
-CONFIG_STACKPROTECTOR_STRONG |  `y` |  `y`  
-CONFIG_STATIC_USERMODEHELPER |  `n` |  `n`  
-[CONFIG_STRICT_DEVMEM](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_STRICT_DEVMEM) |  `n` |  `n`  
-CONFIG_STRICT_KERNEL_RWX |  `y` |  `y`  
-CONFIG_STRICT_MODULE_RWX |  `y` |  `y`  
-CONFIG_SYN_COOKIES |  `y` |  `y`  
-CONFIG_VMAP_STACK |  `y` |  `y`  
-CONFIG_WERROR |  `n` |  `n`  
-CONFIG_ZERO_CALL_USED_REGS |  `n` |  `n`  
+`CONFIG` option | AL2023/6.1/aarch64 | AL2023/6.1/x86_64 | AL2023/6.12/aarch64 | AL2023/6.12/x86_64  
+---|---|---|---|---  
+CONFIG_ACPI_CUSTOM_METHOD |  `n` |  `n` | N/A | N/A  
+CONFIG_BINFMT_MISC |  `m` |  `m` |  `m` |  `m`  
+CONFIG_BUG |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
+CONFIG_BUG_ON_DATA_CORRUPTION |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
+CONFIG_CFI_CLANG | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A  
+CONFIG_CFI_PERMISSIVE | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A  
+CONFIG_COMPAT |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
+CONFIG_COMPAT_BRK |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+CONFIG_COMPAT_VDSO | N/A |  `n` | N/A |  `n`  
+CONFIG_DEBUG_CREDENTIALS |  `n` |  `n` | N/A | N/A  
+CONFIG_DEBUG_LIST |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
+CONFIG_DEBUG_NOTIFIERS |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+CONFIG_DEBUG_SG |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+CONFIG_DEBUG_VIRTUAL |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+CONFIG_DEBUG_WX |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+CONFIG_DEFAULT_MMAP_MIN_ADDR |  `65536` |  `65536` |  `65536` |  `65536`  
+[CONFIG_DEVKMEM](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_DEVKMEM) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A  
+[CONFIG_DEVMEM](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_DEVMEM) |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+CONFIG_EFI_DISABLE_PCI_DMA |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+[CONFIG_FORTIFY_SOURCE](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_FORTIFY_SOURCE) |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
+CONFIG_HARDENED_USERCOPY |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
+CONFIG_HARDENED_USERCOPY_FALLBACK | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A  
+CONFIG_HARDENED_USERCOPY_PAGESPAN | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A  
+CONFIG_HIBERNATION |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
+CONFIG_HW_RANDOM_TPM | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A  
+CONFIG_INET_DIAG |  `m` |  `m` |  `m` |  `m`  
+CONFIG_INIT_ON_ALLOC_DEFAULT_ON |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+CONFIG_INIT_ON_FREE_DEFAULT_ON |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+CONFIG_INIT_STACK_ALL_ZERO | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A  
+CONFIG_IOMMU_DEFAULT_DMA_STRICT |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+CONFIG_IOMMU_SUPPORT |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
+[CONFIG_IO_STRICT_DEVMEM](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_IO_STRICT_DEVMEM) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A  
+CONFIG_KEXEC |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
+CONFIG_KFENCE |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+[CONFIG_LDISC_AUTOLOAD](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_LDISC_AUTOLOAD) |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+CONFIG_LEGACY_PTYS |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+CONFIG_LOCK_DOWN_KERNEL_FORCE_CONFIDENTIALITY |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+CONFIG_MODULES |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
+CONFIG_MODULE_SIG |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
+CONFIG_MODULE_SIG_ALL |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
+CONFIG_MODULE_SIG_FORCE |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+CONFIG_MODULE_SIG_HASH |  `sha512` |  `sha512` |  `sha512` |  `sha512`  
+CONFIG_MODULE_SIG_KEY |  `certs/signing_key.pem` |  `certs/signing_key.pem` |  `certs/signing_key.pem` |  `certs/signing_key.pem`  
+CONFIG_MODULE_SIG_SHA512 |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
+CONFIG_PAGE_POISONING |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+CONFIG_PAGE_POISONING_NO_SANITY | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A  
+CONFIG_PAGE_POISONING_ZERO | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A  
+[CONFIG_PANIC_ON_OOPS](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_PANIC_ON_OOPS) |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
+CONFIG_PANIC_TIMEOUT |  `0` |  `0` |  `0` |  `0`  
+CONFIG_PROC_KCORE |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
+CONFIG_RANDOMIZE_KSTACK_OFFSET_DEFAULT |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+CONFIG_RANDOM_TRUST_BOOTLOADER |  `y` |  `y` | N/A | N/A  
+CONFIG_RANDOM_TRUST_CPU |  `y` |  `y` | N/A | N/A  
+CONFIG_REFCOUNT_FULL | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A  
+CONFIG_SCHED_CORE | N/A |  `y` | N/A |  `y`  
+CONFIG_SCHED_STACK_END_CHECK |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
+CONFIG_SECCOMP |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
+CONFIG_SECCOMP_FILTER |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
+CONFIG_SECURITY |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
+[CONFIG_SECURITY_DMESG_RESTRICT](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_SECURITY_DMESG_RESTRICT) |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
+CONFIG_SECURITY_LANDLOCK |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+CONFIG_SECURITY_LOCKDOWN_LSM |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
+CONFIG_SECURITY_LOCKDOWN_LSM_EARLY |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
+CONFIG_SECURITY_SELINUX_BOOTPARAM |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
+CONFIG_SECURITY_SELINUX_DEVELOP |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
+[CONFIG_SECURITY_SELINUX_DISABLE](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_SECURITY_SELINUX_DISABLE) |  `n` |  `n` | N/A | N/A  
+CONFIG_SECURITY_WRITABLE_HOOKS | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A  
+CONFIG_SECURITY_YAMA |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
+CONFIG_SHUFFLE_PAGE_ALLOCATOR |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
+CONFIG_SLAB_FREELIST_HARDENED |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
+CONFIG_SLAB_FREELIST_RANDOM |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
+CONFIG_SLUB_DEBUG |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
+CONFIG_STACKPROTECTOR |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
+CONFIG_STACKPROTECTOR_STRONG |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
+CONFIG_STATIC_USERMODEHELPER |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+[CONFIG_STRICT_DEVMEM](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_STRICT_DEVMEM) |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+CONFIG_STRICT_KERNEL_RWX |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
+CONFIG_STRICT_MODULE_RWX |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
+CONFIG_SYN_COOKIES |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
+CONFIG_VMAP_STACK |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
+CONFIG_WERROR |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+CONFIG_ZERO_CALL_USED_REGS |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
@@ -286,17 +286,17 @@ The AL2023 kernel is built with GCC rather than clang, so the `CONFIG_CFI_CLANG`
-`CONFIG` option | AL2023/6.1/aarch64 | AL2023/6.1/x86_64  
----|---|---  
-CONFIG_AMD_IOMMU | N/A |  `y`  
-CONFIG_AMD_IOMMU_V2 | N/A |  `y`  
-CONFIG_IA32_EMULATION | N/A |  `y`  
-CONFIG_INTEL_IOMMU | N/A |  `y`  
-CONFIG_INTEL_IOMMU_DEFAULT_ON | N/A |  `n`  
-CONFIG_INTEL_IOMMU_SVM | N/A |  `n`  
-CONFIG_LEGACY_VSYSCALL_NONE | N/A |  `n`  
-CONFIG_MODIFY_LDT_SYSCALL | N/A |  `n`  
-CONFIG_PAGE_TABLE_ISOLATION | N/A |  `y`  
-CONFIG_RANDOMIZE_MEMORY | N/A |  `y`  
-CONFIG_X86_64 | N/A |  `y`  
-CONFIG_X86_MSR | N/A |  `y`  
-CONFIG_X86_VSYSCALL_EMULATION | N/A |  `y`  
-CONFIG_X86_X32 | N/A | N/A  
-CONFIG_X86_X32_ABI | N/A |  `n`  
+`CONFIG` option | AL2023/6.1/aarch64 | AL2023/6.1/x86_64 | AL2023/6.12/aarch64 | AL2023/6.12/x86_64  
+---|---|---|---|---  
+CONFIG_AMD_IOMMU | N/A |  `y` | N/A |  `y`  
+CONFIG_AMD_IOMMU_V2 | N/A |  `y` | N/A | N/A  
+CONFIG_IA32_EMULATION | N/A |  `y` | N/A |  `y`  
+CONFIG_INTEL_IOMMU | N/A |  `y` | N/A |  `y`  
+CONFIG_INTEL_IOMMU_DEFAULT_ON | N/A |  `n` | N/A |  `n`  
+CONFIG_INTEL_IOMMU_SVM | N/A |  `n` | N/A |  `n`  
+CONFIG_LEGACY_VSYSCALL_NONE | N/A |  `n` | N/A |  `n`