Oracle Linux 8 introduces two notable features in the latest release. Firstly, the Red Hat Compatible Kernel (RHCK) now supports Automatic Indirect Branch Restricted Speculation (AutoIBRS) configurations on AMD processors, enhancing security and performance for the Spectre v2 CPU vulnerability. Additionally, the Intel Quick Assist Technology (QAT) Kernel Driver is updated to version 6.2, bringing bug fixes and added functionality for specific hardware accelerator devices. Secondly, in the realm of compilers and development toolsets, various tools, including Valgrind, SystemTap, and GCC Toolset, have been updated. Notably, changes to C++ aim to improve startup performance, but users must ensure the correct libstdc++.so version is used at runtime. Other enhancements include Node.js 20 support, Python tarfile extraction security features, and updates to Perl's HTTP::Tiny module. Furthermore, infrastructure services now enable Postfix to handle SRV lookups, enhancing mail configuration and fault resilience. Networking improvements include an update to the iproute package. On the security front, the SCAP Security Guide aligns with ANSSI-BP-028 version 2.0 guidelines, and OpenSCAP, opencryptoki, and fapolicyd receive updates with added capabilities. Lastly, the sos utility is updated to version 4.6, featuring improvements in log collection, password removal, and support for Pacemaker cluster nodes. Cloud environment enhancements include cloud-init integration with NetworkManager, offering an alternative method for network configuration using keyfiles.
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