Supported distributions & maintained kernels

Every Linux distribution KernelCare patches, grouped by family and lifecycle status. Each distro expands to a maintained-kernels table — one row per OS version with its full name, architecture, supported-kernel count and status. Find your distro and see exactly which versions are actively patched.

Patches

How coverage works

The lifecycle behind each status

Coverage is predictable by design. A branch only changes state against published criteria, with advance notice, and there is always a path to ask for it back.

Actively patched Active

Full KernelCare for every in-scope CVE, on a schedule with an SLA. The default state for a distribution we onboard and keep supporting.

Actively patched via ELS ELS

The vendor has stopped, and we have not. Extended Lifecycle Support keeps a distribution — or a specific minor, as ESU — receiving patches on the same schedule as any other supported branch, under its own subscription.

Paused Paused

No new patches, but existing patches remain installable and the branch stays in the active tree — so patching can resume cheaply if the situation changes.

Retired Discontinued

No new patches; existing patches remain installable, but the branch leaves the active tree — signaling no plan to resume. Triggered by a Legacy classification.

What makes a branch Legacy

Upstream vendor stopped updates and no update in 12 months, or
Updates exist but are subscription-only (ELS / ESM), the upstream longterm kernel is EOL, and no close code analog is still updated, or
For mainline-based kernels, the upstream stable / longterm branch is no longer supported.

Notice, cadence & asking for coverage back

📢 6-month notice

At least six months’ warning before any branch moves from Active to Paused or Discontinued.

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🗓️ Quarterly batch

Lifecycle changes are batched and announced at most once per quarter to avoid surprise churn.

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🔁 Pushback path

Rely on a paused or retired branch? Ask your Account Manager — the bar to extend or resume is intentionally low.

Check your kernel

Not sure if your kernel is covered? Run this on the server to check whether it’s supported:

On older systems without python3, use python.

$curl -s -L https://kernelcare.com/checker | python3