Canonical has issued a warning to users of Ubuntu 20.04 LTS. It said that anyone using it still should look to upgrade to Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, which is supported until 2029. For users who need to continue using that particular version of Ubuntu, there is also another option that will let you use it until April 2030.
The second option is Expanded Security Maintenance and it's available as part of the Ubuntu Pro subscription. While businesses with many machines will need to pay, individual users who want to enable ESM can do so on up to five machines by following the instructions on the Ubuntu Advantage website. Businesses also have the option to buy the Legacy Support add-on which extends support until April 2032.
It's important to note that Expanded Security Maintenance will stick to the stated expiration date and there won't be a repeat of what happened with Windows XP where support kept getting extended because businesses were not ready to upgrade. For this reason, customers who use Ubuntu should be looking to upgrade to the latest version as soon as possible.
In its statement, Canonical said:
"It is crucial to plan out your next steps. Running Ubuntu 20.04 without ESM would mean you no longer receive security updates after April 2025. Unpatched CVEs could expose your systems to security breaches.
For those in regulated industries like financial services, healthcare, or telecommunications, applying security patches on time is essential to meet compliance standards. If you’re using Ubuntu 20.04 LTS, it’s time to consider your next step: upgrade to the latest Ubuntu LTS or get ESM coverage through Ubuntu Pro until 2032."
Canonical provides instructions for upgrading Ubuntu Desktop and Ubuntu Server here and here, respectively. As the end-of-life deadline approaches (Q2 2024), we will likely hear from Canonical again urging people to upgrade.
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