Source: H-Online.com

Greg Kroah-Hartman has released five new stable Linux kernels, correcting minor errors of their predecessors and including improvements which are unlikely to generate new errors. As so often with kernel versions in the stable series, it remains undisclosed if the new versions contain changes which fix security vulnerabilities, although the number of changes and some of the descriptions of those changes certainly suggest that all the new versions contain security fixes. As usual, Kroah Hartman advised in the release emails, that "All users of the 2.6.27 kernel series are very strongly encouraged to upgrade to the new version"; in other release emails, he advises users "should upgrade".

Linux 2.6.27.48 differs by only 25 patches from previous patch sets, which is significantly less than the patches in 2.6.32.16 (150 patches), 2.6.33.6 (165) or 2.6.34.1 (201). There were only five patches in the 2.6.31.4 with these being mostly security updates. This version will though, be the last of the 2.6.31 series and users are advised to switch to a 2.6.32 kernel which will be maintained for several years. The 2.6.33 series will follow 2.6.31 soon, as after 2.6.33.6, there will only be one more stable kernel based on 2.6.33. The new .32 and .34 kernels will also probably be replaced with newer versions soon because Greg Kroah-Hartman has announced he has a number of other patches ready for integration.