The Linux 5.4 LTS kernel series has officially reached its end of life. After more than six years of continuous maintenance and over 300 point releases, this long-term support branch will no longer receive security or bug fixes from the upstream kernel project, which makes planning an upgrade urgent for anyone still running it.
The last update in the series is Linux 5.4.302, now marked as the final release. Kernel maintainer Greg Kroah-Hartman announced on the Linux kernel mailing list that Linux 5.4 is now officially EOL (End of Life).
“I’m announcing the release of the 5.4.302 kernel. This is the LAST 5.4.y release. It is now end-of-life and should not be used by anyone, anymore,” wrote Kroah-Hartman.
More Than 1,500 Known Vulnerabilities Left Unpatched
One of the most striking points in the announcement is the security risk of staying on 5.4. According to Kroah-Hartman, there are already 1,539 documented unfixed CVEs affecting this kernel branch, and that number will only increase as more vulnerabilities get assigned to old kernel bugs over time.
In practical terms, this means that running Linux 5.4 from now on implies accepting a growing security debt, unless your distribution vendor is backporting private patches—which is not guaranteed and rarely complete across all variants.
A Long Life Cycle That Started in 2019
Linux 5.4 was originally released on November 24, 2019, and selected as a long-term support (LTS) kernel. Since then, it has gone through a lengthy life cycle:
- More than six years of upstream support.
- Over 300 maintenance releases, ending with version 5.4.302.
Throughout this period, Linux 5.4 has underpinned many server distributions, enterprise systems and embedded devices, where stability and predictability often matter more than having the very latest features.
What Now? Recommended LTS Branches
If you are still running Linux 5.4, the message from upstream is clear: you should migrate. Current long-term support branches you can move to include:
- Linux 5.10 LTS
- Linux 5.15 LTS
- Linux 6.1 LTS
- Linux 6.6 LTS
- Linux 6.12 LTS, the newest LTS release
These kernel versions have support timelines that extend at least until December 2026 or December 2027, depending on the branch.
For modern hardware or environments that want to benefit from newer security features, performance improvements and hardware support, the natural choice is to target Linux 6.12 LTS (or the latest LTS made available by your distribution).
In systems with older hardware or very tight compatibility requirements, moving to 5.10 or 5.15 may be a more conservative path, while still staying on a supported, patched kernel.
The Next Likely LTS: Linux 6.18
Looking ahead, the next kernel expected to receive LTS status is Linux 6.18, as it is the last major kernel release of 2025. Greg Kroah-Hartman has repeatedly stated that the final stable kernel of the year typically becomes a new LTS branch.
This means that organisations standardising now on 6.12 or 6.6 will have another “6.x LTS” option in the near future, with an even longer runway for long-term deployments.
What Admins and Organisations Should Do Now
For system administrators, hosting providers, integrators and security teams, the end of life of Linux 5.4 is not just a technical footnote; it’s a clear action point:
- Inventory systems still running 5.4 (servers, appliances, embedded devices, old VMs, etc.).
- Plan and test migrations to a supported LTS kernel in staging or pre-production environments.
- Coordinate with your distribution vendor (Debian, Ubuntu, RHEL, SUSE, etc.) to understand their kernel roadmap and whether they provide extended support beyond upstream EOL.
- Check driver and application compatibility, especially on systems with very specific hardware or legacy software.
On modern desktop distributions, most users will already be on newer kernel branches. The real risk lies in “forgotten” production systems that nobody touches as long as they keep running, which is where old LTS kernels like 5.4 often linger.
Stability ≠ Staying Frozen Forever
The end of support for Linux 5.4 is also a reminder that stability doesn’t mean never updating. A kernel that has run smoothly for years can quietly become a major liability if its security maintenance stops but the system stays online and exposed.
With more than 1,500 known unpatched CVEs and no new upstream fixes coming, staying on 5.4 is now a conscious risk decision rather than a neutral one.
For most use cases, the conclusion is straightforward:
it’s time to say goodbye to Linux 5.4 and move to a modern LTS kernel branch.
