1. Ubuntu Security Notices
  2. USN-8121-1

USN-8121-1: Linux kernel (AWS FIPS) vulnerability

Publication date

24 March 2026

Overview

The system could be made to run programs as an administrator.

Releases

Packages

  • linux-aws-fips - Linux kernel for Amazon Web Services (AWS) systems with FIPS

Details

Qualys discovered that several vulnerabilities existed in the AppArmor
Linux kernel Security Module (LSM). An unprivileged local attacker could
use these issues to load, replace, and remove arbitrary AppArmor profiles
causing denial of service, exposure of sensitive information (kernel
memory), local privilege escalation, or possibly escape a container.
(LP: #2143853)

Qualys discovered that several vulnerabilities existed in the AppArmor
Linux kernel Security Module (LSM). An unprivileged local attacker could
use these issues to load, replace, and remove arbitrary AppArmor profiles
causing denial of service, exposure of sensitive information (kernel
memory), local privilege escalation, or possibly escape a container.
(LP: #2143853)

Update instructions

After a standard system update you need to reboot your computer to make all the necessary changes.

Learn more about how to get the fixes.

ATTENTION: Due to an unavoidable ABI change the kernel updates have been given a new version number, which requires you to recompile and reinstall all third party kernel modules you might have installed. Unless you manually uninstalled the standard kernel metapackages (e.g. linux-generic, linux-generic-lts-RELEASE, linux-virtual, linux-powerpc), a standard system upgrade will automatically perform this as well.

The problem can be corrected by updating your system to the following package versions:

Ubuntu Release Package Version
20.04 LTS focal linux-image-5.4.0-1156-aws-fips –  5.4.0-1156.166+fips1  
linux-image-aws-fips –  5.4.0.1156.103  
linux-image-aws-fips-5.4 –  5.4.0.1156.103  

Reduce your security exposure

Ubuntu Pro provides ten-year security coverage to 25,000+ packages in Main and Universe repositories, and it is free for up to five machines.

Get Ubuntu Pro

References

Have additional questions?

Talk to a member of the team ›