Short Bytes: Focusing on stability and security fronts, the OpenBSD team has released OpenBSD 6.0. This release has turned on W^X by default for the base system and added an EFI+ bootloader mechanism for the newer ARM devices. OpenBSD 6.0 also brings a long list of improvements to each sub-project.
New features in OpenBSD 6.0:
The new OpenBSD release brings along multiple security fixes and improved support for drivers and hardware. In its effort to push better security, OpenBSD team has turned W^X–write or execute–on by default for the base system. Now, due to added executable space protection, attackers can’t load their own code into system memory and harm it.
“Binaries can only violate W^X if they’re marked with PT_OPENBSD_WXNEEDED and their filesystem is mounted with the new wxallowed option,” according to OpenBSD 6.0 release notes.
OpenBSD 6.0 release comes with a long list of improvement to each sub-project, including OpenSSH, OpenSMTPD, OpenNTPD, OpenBGPD, LibreSSL. If you are interested in some particular changes, there are additions of IETF ChaCha20-Poly1305 in LibreSSL, fork+exec patterns in OpenSMTPD, hardened TLS constraints in OpenNTPD, and ProxyJump in OpenSSH. You can read the release page for a detailed set of changes and additions.
Improved support for newer ARM platforms:
Another big change in OpenBSD 6.0 comes in the form of improved hardware support. Thanks to the continued work being done in the ARM area, the newer ARM platforms will enjoy an EFI+ bootloader mechanism.
Apart from the ARM fans, this release will also be welcomed by internet addicts due to renovated network stack and better web browser responsiveness.
If you are an OpenBSD user, you might be knowing that with every new release, the older and unmaintained parts of this free operating system get removed. As a result, in this release, there isn’t any support for VAX hardware. Also, you can’t run Linux-only binaries anymore.
Download OpenBSD 6.0:
If you are interested in trying out OpenBSD 6.0, you can grab a CD-ROM or download it via HTTP/FTP. Here’s the link: OpenBSD 6.0
Interesting fact: OpenBSD 6.0 is the last version to be pressed on CD.
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