Ubuntu 16.04 uses three major kernel lines: 4.4.0 (as a base until the end of life) and 4.8.0 and 4.10.0, and with the release of 18.04, 4.15.0. coming. With automatic software upgrade, only line 4.4.0 is updated a long time ago, but it does not handle (yet) Specter & Meltdown syndrome ... Which kernel should I use and where to get it? ....
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refer wiki.ubuntu.com/SecurityTeam/KnowledgeBase/SpectreAndMeltdown -- Ubuntu 16.04 LTS kernel 4.4.0 does have meltdown & spectre mitigation, as changes are backported to supported kernels. Unless you've done something with updates (or moved to say a 16.10(4.8)/17.04(4.10) or other EOL kernel) you'll be protected– guivercFeb 26, 2018 at 10:38
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2 Answers
Ubuntu 16.04 LTS kernel 4.4 does have Meltdown & Spectre mitigation, as changes are backported to supported kernels.
Unless you've done something with updates, or moved to say an EOL 16.10 (kernel 4.8) or 17.04 (kernel 4.10) or other EOL kernel, you'll be protected.
please refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/SecurityTeam/KnowledgeBase/SpectreAndMeltdown
The Ubuntu desktop, Ubuntu Server and Ubuntu community flavour 16.04.4 iso files, which are getting ready to be released within a few days (scheduled for March 1 2018), come with the kernel 4.13.0-36 (belonging to the same kernel series as Ubuntu 17.10.1) which are modified to squash the Meltdown & Spectre bugs.
The iso files of the original 16.04 and the first point release 16.04.1 install systems that stay within the xenial kernel, the 4.4 series. This kernel series has also been modified to squash the Meltdown & Spectre bugs, but you must update to a current kernel.
The 4.4 linux kernel series is now at 4.4.0-116, and the bugs were squashed a few versions back. It appeared via the repository maybe at 4.4.0-112, I am not sure, but the first bug-fixed version for 16.04 was linux-image-4.4.0-108-generic according to
Linux Kernel Updates for Ubuntu ( Posted on: 01/10/2018 08:23 AM)
