Guidance on security awareness and Ubuntu Pro support
Applies to: ✔️ Windows VMs ✔️ Linux VMs ✔️ On-premises environment ✔️ Azure Arc-enabled servers.
This article provides the details on security vulnerabilities and Ubuntu Pro support in Azure Update Manager.
If you are using an Ubuntu 18.04 LTS image, you should take necessary steps against security vulnerabilities as the operating system reached the end of its standard support in May 2023. As Canonical has stopped publishing new security or critical updates after May 2023, the risk of systems and data to potential security threats is high. Without software updates, you may experience performance issues or compatibility issues whenever a new hardware or software is released.
You can either upgrade to Ubuntu Pro or migrate to a newer version of LTS to avoid any future disruption to the patching mechanisms. When you upgrade to Ubuntu Pro, you can avoid any security or performance issues.
Ubuntu Pro on Azure Update Manager
Azure Update Manager assesses both Azure and Arc-enabled VMs to indicate any action. AUM helps to identify Ubuntu instances that don't have the available security updates and allows an upgrade to Ubuntu Pro from the Azure portal. For example, an Ubuntu server 18.04 LTS instance on Azure Update Manager has information about upgrading to Ubuntu Pro.
You can continue to use the Azure Update Manager capabilities to remain secure after migrating to a supported model from Canonical.
Note
- Ubuntu Pro will provide the support on 18.04 LTS from Canonical until 2028 through Expanded Security Maintenance (ESM). You can also upgrade to Ubuntu Pro from Azure Marketplace as well.
- Ubuntu offers 20.04 LTS and 22.04 LTS as a migration from 18.04 LTS. Learn more.
Next steps
-- Learn about the supported regions for Azure VMs and Arc-enabled servers.
- Learn on the Update sources, types managed by Azure Update Manger.
- Know more on supported OS and system requirements for machines managed by Azure Update Manager.
- Learn on Automatic VM guest patching.
- Learn more on unsupported OS and Custom VM images.
- Learn more on how to configure Windows Update settings to work with Azure Update Manager.
- Learn about Extended Security Updates (ESU) using Azure Update Manager.