SIGNALInfrastructure Software·Jul 2, 2026, 9:17 PMSignal65Short term

Fedora 45 Considering x86_64 Shadow Stack Usage By Default

Source: Phoronix

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Fedora 45 Considering x86_64 Shadow Stack Usage By Default

A change proposal under consideration for Fedora Linux 45 would enable x86_64 Shadow Stack usage by default in the name of better security on modern Intel and AMD systems...

Why this matters
Why now

The continuous evolution of operating systems and hardware security features drives the adoption of advanced protections to counter increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.

Why it’s important

This move enhances security by default for a widely used Linux distribution, reducing attack surfaces and protecting systems that rely on open-source software.

What changes

Fedora 45 users on compatible x86_64 systems will automatically benefit from shadow stack protection, making exploiting certain types of vulnerabilities more difficult.

Winners
  • · Fedora Linux users
  • · Intel
  • · AMD
  • · Cybersecurity sector
Losers
  • · Cyber attackers
  • · Exploit developers
Second-order effects
Direct

Fedora 45 gains enhanced protection against return-oriented programming (ROP) and jump-oriented programming (JOP) attacks.

Second

Other Linux distributions and potentially other operating systems may accelerate their adoption of similar shadow stack mechanisms.

Third

The increased baseline security of open-source systems could incrementally reduce the overall success rate of financially motivated cyber-attacks targeting server infrastructure.

Editorial confidence: 90 / 100 · Structural impact: 40 / 100
Original report

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