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AWS linux documentation change

Service: linux · 2026-03-25 · Documentation low

File: linux/al2023/ug/compare-with-al1-kernel.md

Summary

Updated kernel configuration comparison table to add AL2023/6.18 kernel versions for both aarch64 and x86_64 architectures, and updated some configuration values (notably CONFIG_PPP changed from 'n' to 'm' for AL2023 versions, and CONFIG_EXT3_FS and CONFIG_PANIC_ON_OOPS_VALUE show N/A for 6.18)

Security assessment

This change documents kernel configuration differences between AL1 and newer AL2023 kernels. While it includes security-related kernel configurations (like CONFIG_SECURITY_DMESG_RESTRICT, CONFIG_FORTIFY_SOURCE, CONFIG_SLAB_FREELIST_HARDENED), the change itself is a routine documentation update to add newer kernel versions. There's no evidence of addressing a specific security vulnerability - it's simply extending the comparison table. The change does document security features present in different kernel versions, which helps users understand security hardening differences.

Diff

diff --git a/linux/al2023/ug/compare-with-al1-kernel.md b/linux/al2023/ug/compare-with-al1-kernel.md
index 353ec6497..02d27f654 100644
--- a//linux/al2023/ug/compare-with-al1-kernel.md
+++ b//linux/al2023/ug/compare-with-al1-kernel.md
@@ -17,29 +17,29 @@ There have been several changes in the file systems that the kernel in AL1 will
-`CONFIG` option | AL1/4.14/x86_64 | AL2023/6.1/aarch64 | AL2023/6.1/x86_64 | AL2023/6.12/aarch64 | AL2023/6.12/x86_64  
----|---|---|---|---|---  
-[CONFIG_AFS_FS](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_AFS_FS) |  `m` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
-[CONFIG_AF_RXRPC](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_AF_RXRPC) |  `m` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
-[CONFIG_BSD_DISKLABEL](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_BSD_DISKLABEL) |  `y` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
-[CONFIG_CRAMFS](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_CRAMFS) |  `m` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
-[CONFIG_CRAMFS_BLOCKDEV](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_CRAMFS_BLOCKDEV) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A  
-[CONFIG_DM_CLONE](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_DM_CLONE) | N/A |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
-[CONFIG_DM_ERA](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_DM_ERA) |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
-[CONFIG_DM_INTEGRITY](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_DM_INTEGRITY) |  `m` |  `m` |  `m` |  `m` |  `m`  
-[CONFIG_DM_LOG_WRITES](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_DM_LOG_WRITES) |  `n` |  `m` |  `m` |  `m` |  `m`  
-[CONFIG_DM_SWITCH](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_DM_SWITCH) |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
-[CONFIG_DM_VERITY](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_DM_VERITY) |  `n` |  `m` |  `m` |  `m` |  `m`  
-[CONFIG_ECRYPT_FS](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_ECRYPT_FS) |  `m` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
-[CONFIG_EXFAT_FS](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_EXFAT_FS) | N/A |  `m` |  `m` |  `m` |  `m`  
-[CONFIG_EXT2_FS](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_EXT2_FS) |  `m` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
-[CONFIG_EXT3_FS](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_EXT3_FS) |  `m` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
-[CONFIG_GFS2_FS](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_GFS2_FS) |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
-[CONFIG_HFSPLUS_FS](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_HFSPLUS_FS) |  `m` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
-[CONFIG_HFS_FS](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_HFS_FS) |  `m` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
-[CONFIG_JFS_FS](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_JFS_FS) |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
-[CONFIG_LDM_PARTITION](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_LDM_PARTITION) |  `y` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
-[CONFIG_MAC_PARTITION](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_MAC_PARTITION) |  `y` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
-[CONFIG_NFS_V2](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_NFS_V2) |  `m` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
-[CONFIG_NTFS_FS](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_NTFS_FS) |  `m` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
-[CONFIG_ROMFS_FS](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_ROMFS_FS) |  `m` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
-[CONFIG_SOLARIS_X86_PARTITION](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_SOLARIS_X86_PARTITION) |  `y` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
-[CONFIG_SQUASHFS_ZSTD](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_SQUASHFS_ZSTD) |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
-[CONFIG_SUN_PARTITION](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_SUN_PARTITION) |  `y` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+`CONFIG` option | AL1/4.14/x86_64 | AL2023/6.1/aarch64 | AL2023/6.1/x86_64 | AL2023/6.12/aarch64 | AL2023/6.12/x86_64 | AL2023/6.18/aarch64 | AL2023/6.18/x86_64  
+---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---  
+[CONFIG_AFS_FS](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_AFS_FS) |  `m` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+[CONFIG_AF_RXRPC](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_AF_RXRPC) |  `m` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+[CONFIG_BSD_DISKLABEL](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_BSD_DISKLABEL) |  `y` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+[CONFIG_CRAMFS](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_CRAMFS) |  `m` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+[CONFIG_CRAMFS_BLOCKDEV](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_CRAMFS_BLOCKDEV) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A  
+[CONFIG_DM_CLONE](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_DM_CLONE) | N/A |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+[CONFIG_DM_ERA](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_DM_ERA) |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+[CONFIG_DM_INTEGRITY](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_DM_INTEGRITY) |  `m` |  `m` |  `m` |  `m` |  `m` |  `m` |  `m`  
+[CONFIG_DM_LOG_WRITES](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_DM_LOG_WRITES) |  `n` |  `m` |  `m` |  `m` |  `m` |  `m` |  `m`  
+[CONFIG_DM_SWITCH](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_DM_SWITCH) |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+[CONFIG_DM_VERITY](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_DM_VERITY) |  `n` |  `m` |  `m` |  `m` |  `m` |  `m` |  `m`  
+[CONFIG_ECRYPT_FS](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_ECRYPT_FS) |  `m` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+[CONFIG_EXFAT_FS](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_EXFAT_FS) | N/A |  `m` |  `m` |  `m` |  `m` |  `m` |  `m`  
+[CONFIG_EXT2_FS](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_EXT2_FS) |  `m` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+[CONFIG_EXT3_FS](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_EXT3_FS) |  `m` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` | N/A | N/A  
+[CONFIG_GFS2_FS](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_GFS2_FS) |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+[CONFIG_HFSPLUS_FS](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_HFSPLUS_FS) |  `m` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+[CONFIG_HFS_FS](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_HFS_FS) |  `m` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+[CONFIG_JFS_FS](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_JFS_FS) |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+[CONFIG_LDM_PARTITION](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_LDM_PARTITION) |  `y` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+[CONFIG_MAC_PARTITION](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_MAC_PARTITION) |  `y` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+[CONFIG_NFS_V2](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_NFS_V2) |  `m` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+[CONFIG_NTFS_FS](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_NTFS_FS) |  `m` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+[CONFIG_ROMFS_FS](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_ROMFS_FS) |  `m` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+[CONFIG_SOLARIS_X86_PARTITION](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_SOLARIS_X86_PARTITION) |  `y` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+[CONFIG_SQUASHFS_ZSTD](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_SQUASHFS_ZSTD) |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
+[CONFIG_SUN_PARTITION](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_SUN_PARTITION) |  `y` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
@@ -49,19 +49,19 @@ There have been several changes in the file systems that the kernel in AL1 will
-`CONFIG` option | AL1/4.14/x86_64 | AL2023/6.1/aarch64 | AL2023/6.1/x86_64 | AL2023/6.12/aarch64 | AL2023/6.12/x86_64  
----|---|---|---|---|---  
-[CONFIG_BUG_ON_DATA_CORRUPTION](./kernel-hardening.html#CONFIG_BUG_ON_DATA_CORRUPTION) |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
-[CONFIG_DEFAULT_MMAP_MIN_ADDR](./kernel-hardening.html#CONFIG_DEFAULT_MMAP_MIN_ADDR) |  `4096` |  `65536` |  `65536` |  `65536` |  `65536`  
-[CONFIG_DEVMEM](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_DEVMEM) |  `y` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
-[CONFIG_DEVPORT](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_DEVPORT) |  `y` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
-[CONFIG_FORTIFY_SOURCE](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_FORTIFY_SOURCE) |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
-[CONFIG_HARDENED_USERCOPY_FALLBACK](./kernel-hardening.html#CONFIG_HARDENED_USERCOPY_FALLBACK) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A  
-[CONFIG_INIT_ON_ALLOC_DEFAULT_ON](./kernel-hardening.html#CONFIG_INIT_ON_ALLOC_DEFAULT_ON) | N/A |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
-[CONFIG_INIT_ON_FREE_DEFAULT_ON](./kernel-hardening.html#CONFIG_INIT_ON_FREE_DEFAULT_ON) | N/A |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
-[CONFIG_IOMMU_DEFAULT_DMA_STRICT](./kernel-hardening.html#CONFIG_IOMMU_DEFAULT_DMA_STRICT) | N/A |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
-[CONFIG_LDISC_AUTOLOAD](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_LDISC_AUTOLOAD) |  `y` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
-[CONFIG_SCHED_CORE](./kernel-hardening.html#CONFIG_SCHED_CORE) | N/A | N/A |  `y` | N/A |  `y`  
-[CONFIG_SCHED_STACK_END_CHECK](./kernel-hardening.html#CONFIG_SCHED_STACK_END_CHECK) |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
-[CONFIG_SECURITY_DMESG_RESTRICT](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_SECURITY_DMESG_RESTRICT) |  `n` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
-[CONFIG_SECURITY_SELINUX_DISABLE](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_SECURITY_SELINUX_DISABLE) |  `y` |  `n` |  `n` | N/A | N/A  
-[CONFIG_SHUFFLE_PAGE_ALLOCATOR](./kernel-hardening.html#CONFIG_SHUFFLE_PAGE_ALLOCATOR) | N/A |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
-[CONFIG_SLAB_FREELIST_HARDENED](./kernel-hardening.html#CONFIG_SLAB_FREELIST_HARDENED) |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
-[CONFIG_SLAB_FREELIST_RANDOM](./kernel-hardening.html#CONFIG_SLAB_FREELIST_RANDOM) |  `n` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
+`CONFIG` option | AL1/4.14/x86_64 | AL2023/6.1/aarch64 | AL2023/6.1/x86_64 | AL2023/6.12/aarch64 | AL2023/6.12/x86_64 | AL2023/6.18/aarch64 | AL2023/6.18/x86_64  
+---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---  
+[CONFIG_BUG_ON_DATA_CORRUPTION](./kernel-hardening.html#CONFIG_BUG_ON_DATA_CORRUPTION) |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
+[CONFIG_DEFAULT_MMAP_MIN_ADDR](./kernel-hardening.html#CONFIG_DEFAULT_MMAP_MIN_ADDR) |  `4096` |  `65536` |  `65536` |  `65536` |  `65536` |  `65536` |  `65536`  
+[CONFIG_DEVMEM](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_DEVMEM) |  `y` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+[CONFIG_DEVPORT](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_DEVPORT) |  `y` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+[CONFIG_FORTIFY_SOURCE](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_FORTIFY_SOURCE) |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
+[CONFIG_HARDENED_USERCOPY_FALLBACK](./kernel-hardening.html#CONFIG_HARDENED_USERCOPY_FALLBACK) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A  
+[CONFIG_INIT_ON_ALLOC_DEFAULT_ON](./kernel-hardening.html#CONFIG_INIT_ON_ALLOC_DEFAULT_ON) | N/A |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+[CONFIG_INIT_ON_FREE_DEFAULT_ON](./kernel-hardening.html#CONFIG_INIT_ON_FREE_DEFAULT_ON) | N/A |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+[CONFIG_IOMMU_DEFAULT_DMA_STRICT](./kernel-hardening.html#CONFIG_IOMMU_DEFAULT_DMA_STRICT) | N/A |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+[CONFIG_LDISC_AUTOLOAD](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_LDISC_AUTOLOAD) |  `y` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+[CONFIG_SCHED_CORE](./kernel-hardening.html#CONFIG_SCHED_CORE) | N/A | N/A |  `y` | N/A |  `y` | N/A |  `y`  
+[CONFIG_SCHED_STACK_END_CHECK](./kernel-hardening.html#CONFIG_SCHED_STACK_END_CHECK) |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
+[CONFIG_SECURITY_DMESG_RESTRICT](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_SECURITY_DMESG_RESTRICT) |  `n` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
+[CONFIG_SECURITY_SELINUX_DISABLE](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_SECURITY_SELINUX_DISABLE) |  `y` |  `n` |  `n` | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A  
+[CONFIG_SHUFFLE_PAGE_ALLOCATOR](./kernel-hardening.html#CONFIG_SHUFFLE_PAGE_ALLOCATOR) | N/A |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
+[CONFIG_SLAB_FREELIST_HARDENED](./kernel-hardening.html#CONFIG_SLAB_FREELIST_HARDENED) |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
+[CONFIG_SLAB_FREELIST_RANDOM](./kernel-hardening.html#CONFIG_SLAB_FREELIST_RANDOM) |  `n` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
@@ -71,9 +71,9 @@ There have been several changes in the file systems that the kernel in AL1 will
-`CONFIG` option | AL1/4.14/x86_64 | AL2023/6.1/aarch64 | AL2023/6.1/x86_64 | AL2023/6.12/aarch64 | AL2023/6.12/x86_64  
----|---|---|---|---|---  
-[CONFIG_HZ](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_HZ) |  `250` |  `100` |  `100` |  `100` |  `100`  
-[CONFIG_NR_CPUS](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_NR_CPUS) |  `8192` |  `4096` |  `8192` |  `4096` |  `8192`  
-[CONFIG_PANIC_ON_OOPS](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_PANIC_ON_OOPS) |  `n` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
-[CONFIG_PANIC_ON_OOPS_VALUE](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_PANIC_ON_OOPS_VALUE) |  `0` |  `1` |  `1` |  `1` |  `1`  
-[CONFIG_PPP](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_PPP) |  `m` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
-[CONFIG_SLIP](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_SLIP) |  `m` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
-[CONFIG_XEN_PV](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_XEN_PV) |  `y` | N/A |  `n` | N/A |  `n`  
+`CONFIG` option | AL1/4.14/x86_64 | AL2023/6.1/aarch64 | AL2023/6.1/x86_64 | AL2023/6.12/aarch64 | AL2023/6.12/x86_64 | AL2023/6.18/aarch64 | AL2023/6.18/x86_64  
+---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---  
+[CONFIG_HZ](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_HZ) |  `250` |  `100` |  `100` |  `100` |  `100` |  `100` |  `100`  
+[CONFIG_NR_CPUS](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_NR_CPUS) |  `8192` |  `4096` |  `8192` |  `4096` |  `8192` |  `4096` |  `8192`  
+[CONFIG_PANIC_ON_OOPS](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_PANIC_ON_OOPS) |  `n` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y` |  `y`  
+[CONFIG_PANIC_ON_OOPS_VALUE](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_PANIC_ON_OOPS_VALUE) |  `0` |  `1` |  `1` |  `1` |  `1` | N/A | N/A  
+[CONFIG_PPP](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_PPP) |  `m` |  `m` |  `m` |  `m` |  `m` |  `m` |  `m`  
+[CONFIG_SLIP](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_SLIP) |  `m` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n` |  `n`  
+[CONFIG_XEN_PV](./compare-with-al2-kernel.html#CONFIG_XEN_PV) |  `y` | N/A |  `n` | N/A |  `n` | N/A |  `n`