Ubuntu 20.04 LTS is nearing the tip of its unique five-year help cycle. Should you nonetheless have a PC, digital machine, or server working that model, it is time to get up to date.
Canonical, the developer of Ubuntu, has simply revealed an essential reminder that the usual five-year help window for this standard Lengthy-Time period Assist (LTS) launch of Ubuntu 20.04 is closing. Because of this the free model of Ubuntu 20.04 LTS will stop receiving essential safety updates, probably exposing computer systems working the OS to vulnerabilities. Now that this five-year interval has ended, any newly found vulnerabilities won’t be patched, and malicious actors would possibly start concentrating on and poking round computer systems with this older working system.
Ubuntu 20.04 LTS was first introduced on the tail finish of 2019 and rolled out in April 2020. We’re in 2025, so 5 years have now come and gone. Should you occur to run Ubuntu 20.04 LTS in your private pc, you’ll be able to both do a recent set up of a more moderen model of Ubuntu. The newest LTS model is Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, and it’ll final you all the best way as much as 2029, so that you’d nonetheless have a strong 4 years left of updates in your pc in addition to an total extra fashionable working system. You can too do an in-place improve as a substitute, however there are a number of the explanation why you would possibly desire a recent deployment. For one, apps and packages put in from third-party repositories (outdoors of Ubuntu’s official “Principal” and “Universe” repositories) is probably not upgraded mechanically and would possibly require guide reinstallation or configuration.
Some setups would possibly require extra time emigrate or have functions which can be troublesome to improve. For one, these deployed in enterprise contexts. For these, you would possibly wish to contemplate Ubuntu Professional as a substitute. It is a paid subscription service that extends the safety upkeep of Ubuntu 20.04 LTS for an extra 5 years, offering protection till at the least 2030. Ubuntu Professional nonetheless must be deployed to your system by both a recent set up or an in-place improve, however it’s simpler than deploying a brand-new model. Should you’re in some way nonetheless on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS by 2030, you will get an additional two years with one other subscription. You may get updates up till 2032, however it would most likely be expensive.
Supply: Canonical