Linux News Roundup — Latest Kernel, Security & Hardware Updates

🐧 Linux News Roundup — Latest Kernel, Security & Hardware Updates

Curated headlines: TUXEDO, Linus Torvalds, Linux VMs in malware campaigns, Kaspersky Linux antivirus, and Linux Kernel 6.18 updates.

Updated:

Nov 24, 2025

This roundup covers the latest developments across Linux kernel engineering, hardware compatibility on ARM platforms, security incidents involving virtualized Linux environments, and commercial Linux security products. Scan the highlights below or read full sections for context and recommended actions.

TUXEDO cancels Snapdragon X1 Elite Linux laptop — ARM compatibility concerns.
Linus Torvalds emphasizes stability over risky features.
Russian threat actors leveraging Alpine Linux VMs for malware deployment.
Kaspersky launches a paid Linux antivirus product.
Linux Kernel 6.18 continues with several rc updates, targeting stability and hardware fixes.

Source: Tom’s Hardware

🚫 TUXEDO Cancels Snapdragon X1 Elite Linux Laptop

What happened: TUXEDO Computers canceled the Snapdragon X1 Elite Linux laptop due to performance limitations and broader Linux compatibility issues with the Qualcomm CPU. This is a reminder that ARM-based laptop projects still face optimization gaps compared to traditional x86 platforms.

Why it matters: The cancellation affects Linux laptop buyers and vendors exploring ARM hardware for power-efficiency gains. Expect further vendor caution until ARM driver and firmware ecosystems mature.

Source: PC Gamer

🧭 Linus Torvalds: “I like boring” — Stability Over Risky Features

At a recent summit, Linus Torvalds reinforced his preference for conservative, stable kernel changes. The approach prioritizes long-term reliability and wide compatibility over short-lived, high-risk features that can break user deployments.

Source: TechRadar

⚠️ Russian Hackers Use Linux VMs on Windows to Deploy Malware

Security researchers identified campaigns where threat actors instrument Alpine Linux virtual machines on Windows hosts to stage and deliver custom malware. Virtualized Linux environments can be abused to obfuscate malicious tooling or bypass Windows-centered defenses.

Recommendation: Harden VM platforms, enable VM visibility and logging, and treat virtualized Linux instances as part of your threat model.

Source: TechRadar

🛡️ Kaspersky Releases a Commercial Linux Antivirus

Kaspersky launched a paid Linux antivirus solution with modern detection capabilities and a tiered subscription model. This indicates growing vendor interest in securing desktop and server Linux environments, especially where Linux coexists with other OSes.

Sources: Phoronix, Ostechnix, LWN, Cybersecurity News

🧬 Linux Kernel 6.18 — Release Candidates (rc1 → rc7) Progress

The Linux 6.18 development cycle has proceeded through multiple release candidates with a focus on hardware enablement, performance fixes, and stability:

rc7: Late hardware improvements and bug fixes.
rc6: Important ARM64 performance regression resolved.
rc5 & rc4: Described as small, stable, and normal in progress.
rc1: Initial driver and subsystem updates kicked off the cycle.

This trend reflects a steady, conservative kernel engineering cadence aimed at predictable releases and broad platform compatibility.

Summary

🔎 Final Thoughts

Linux remains dynamic across multiple domains: kernel engineering, hardware support for ARM platforms, security research and countermeasures, and expanding commercial tooling. Bookmark this roundup for quick context and check vendor advisories and kernel changelogs for deeper technical details.

Today’s news stories