We have many Linux distributions tailored for 32-bit systems.
So, why do I want to discourage the use of 32-bit and upgrade to 64-bit Linux?
There are several reasons, one of the biggest reasons has drawn a lot of attention this week.
32-bit: Old Electronic Waste Hardware?
That’s right, unlike other operating systems, Linux distributions allow you to repurpose old hardware.
You can turn an old machine into a media server, storage server, and more.
Here, I am not trying to give you ideas on how to contribute more electronic waste. It is always good to make the most of your hardware for as long as possible without replacing it.
However, the reasons for not using a 32-bit system may be more compelling than ever. The key issues are in security and maintenance.
Enhancing Security with 64-Bit Linux
In 2018, the dangerous processor security issue known as the Spectre vulnerability sparked heated discussions. Although Intel and AMD have patched this vulnerability, the situation is not optimistic.
Unfortunately, a new vulnerability called Retbleed, which is a variant of Spectre, is affecting Intel and AMD chips.
You can see the situation in the video shared by the researchers who discovered it below.
Therefore, we naturally need appropriate measures to address the fix for this new security vulnerability.
The shocking thing is. The 64-bit Linux kernel has received fixes to protect the relevant Intel/AMD processors. However, as reported by Phoronix, the 32-bit Linux kernel remains vulnerable to the Retbleed vulnerability.
Intel’s Pawan Gupta responded to these concerns in the kernel mailing list, mentioning:
Intel does not know who else is using 32-bit mode in production on CPUs from the Skylake generation. So this shouldn’t be a problem.
Additionally, very little effort is seen in maintaining 32-bit systems. So, this should not come as a surprise.
Therefore, if you use your system for any tasks that may be affected by security issues, you should avoid the 32-bit kernel.
Of course, if you have a completely offline environment, it can be considered an exception. So, you can do that, but it is not recommended.
Don’t Care About Security Issues?
Even if you think it doesn’t matter to miss critical security fixes like Retbleed, the 32-bit systems will face more troubles in 2022.
Software maintainers will eventually abandon updates for tools and Linux distributions on 32-bit systems.
Therefore, your 32-bit Linux system may soon no longer have actively maintained programs.
Thus, now is a good time to make the switch (and upgrade).
Are you still using 32-bit Linux? What are your thoughts on this? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
via: https://news.itsfoss.com/64-bit-linux/
Author: Ankush Das Topic: lujun9972 Translators: lkxed, wxy Proofread: wxy
This article is originally compiled by LCTT and honorably presented by Linux China
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