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Run uname -r to see the Linux kernel release currently running. To determine whether that kernel is affected by a CVE—and which update fixes it—you also need the distribution, release and kernel flavor. Check the distribution’s official CVE tracker or security advisory, apply its package-specific update, then check uname -r again after any required reboot. A kernel version string on its own is not a reliable security verdict.
Check the kernel that is running
Open a terminal and run:
uname -rThe output is the release of the kernel currently running. For a broader system-information line, use:
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uname -aThat extra information can help identify the system, but neither command tells you by itself whether a distribution’s kernel package includes a particular security fix. The uname manual describes the command and its output.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsIdentify the distribution, release and kernel flavor
Before searching for a CVE, establish which distribution supplied the kernel and which release and kernel variant are installed. Check the system’s release-identification information and the package-management context. These details matter because security notices and fixed packages can differ by release, architecture and kernel flavor.
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For example, Ubuntu’s Ubuntu Security Notices can be filtered by release and include distinct kernel variants such as GKE, FIPS and Raspberry Pi. A notice for one release or flavor should not be treated as a verdict for another.
Find the CVE in the distribution’s official tracker
Search using the exact CVE identifier in the security tracker for the distribution that provided your kernel. Use the vendor’s record to check the affected product and release, package status, fixed package or advisory, and any mitigation guidance.
- Ubuntu: Search Ubuntu Security Notices and confirm the notice covers your Ubuntu release and kernel flavor. Ubuntu says it issues a notice when an issue is fixed in an official Ubuntu package. Its release-specific OVAL data can help assess patch applicability and audit whether fixes have been applied; see Ubuntu OVAL data.
- Debian: Look up the CVE and package status in the Debian Security Tracker, checking the relevant Debian release.
- Red Hat: Check the Red Hat CVE database for product-specific status, then follow the related security advisory or erratum. Red Hat’s security bulletin index provides bulletins with update and diagnostic information.
Vendor status labels are not interchangeable. Read the definitions on the tracker you are using, and check the product, release and package named in that record.
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Why the kernel version alone can mislead
Distributions may backport a security fix to a package based on an older upstream kernel rather than moving the package to a newer upstream version. Red Hat documents this approach for its packages: comparing only an upstream version number can make a fixed package look vulnerable, or otherwise produce a wrong result. Check Red Hat’s backporting guidance alongside its CVE status and advisory.
Applicability can also depend on how a kernel is used and which parts of the source tree are present. The Linux kernel CVE process documentation explains that the kernel CVE team does not decide whether a CVE applies to an individual system. It tracks fixes by their original Git commits; automatic CVE assignment follows application of a fix to a stable kernel tree.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Apply the vendor’s fix and confirm the active kernel
- Read the advisory. Confirm the affected product and release, package or kernel flavor, fixed package or advisory identifier, and any mitigation or reboot instructions.
- Update through the distribution’s supported channel. Use the package update method documented for your distribution and deployment. There is no single update command that applies safely to every Linux distribution, release or kernel variant.
- Reboot if the advisory or your update process requires it. Follow your system’s maintenance and availability requirements.
- Check the active kernel again. Run
uname -r. This reports the kernel running now, which may differ from a newly installed kernel until the system has rebooted.
For fleet or compliance checks, Ubuntu’s release-specific OVAL data is designed to help evaluate patch applicability and audit applied fixes. In any environment, use the vendor’s package status and advisory rather than treating the output of uname -r as proof of CVE remediation.
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What to compare when checking more than one system
When a CVE affects several machines, compare the same fields for each system instead of comparing kernel strings alone:
- Distribution product, release and kernel flavor.
- CVE status and the fixed package or advisory for that release.
- Any available mitigation if a fix is pending.
- Whether the release is still supported.
- Whether the installed package includes a backported fix despite an older-looking upstream version.
Severity assessments can also differ between vendors because shipped versions, build choices and platforms differ. Interpret each vendor’s status and severity in its own product context rather than assuming labels are directly comparable. CVE records and supported-release information can change as new notices are published, so consult the live vendor record when making a current decision.
What information is needed for a specific CVE verdict?
To determine whether a particular machine is affected, provide the exact CVE identifier, distribution and release, kernel flavor, and relevant package or advisory status. A kernel release from uname -r is useful context, but it is not enough to establish whether a distribution package is vulnerable or fixed.
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