The AlmaLinux OS Foundation has officially launched AlmaLinux OS 9.3, the latest stable version of this free alternative to the Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.3 operating system. Referred to as “Shamrock Pampas Cat,” this release focuses on enhancing flexibility, reliability, security in hybrid environments, and simplifying automation and system management, ensuring improved security and compliance.
Key features of AlmaLinux OS 9.3 include updates to the Web Console, streamlining management tasks, and introducing the ability for users to configure health check actions for Podman containers and vsock devices in virtual machines. Application Streams have been updated, providing developers with increased flexibility and customization options.
In terms of hybrid cloud innovation, AlmaLinux OS 9.3 offers enhanced flexibility, stability, and reliability. It is powered by Linux kernel 5.14.0-362.8.1.el9_3, sourced from the upstream Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.3 operating system.
The toolchain has been refreshed, featuring components such as GCC 11.4.1 as the default system compiler, along with GCC 13, LLVM 16.0.6, Rust 1.71.1, Go 1.20.10, Keylime 7.3.0, Node.js 20, Redis 7, Apache 2.4.57, Grafana 9.2.10, PCP 6.0.5, Valgrind 3.21, SystemTap 4.9, elfutils 0.189, OpenSCAP 1.3.8, SEtools 4.4.3, and pcsc-lite-ccid 1.5.2.
From a security perspective, AlmaLinux OS 9.3 enhances support for the Extended Master Secret (EMS) extension (RFC 7627), a requirement of the FIPS-140-3 standard for all TLS 1.2 connections. The SCAP Security Guide has been updated to version 0.1.69, introducing three new SCAP profiles aligned with the CCN-STIC-610A22 guide and ANSSI profiles 2.0.
AlmaLinux 9.3 is available for download from the official website, supporting x86_64 (64-bit), AArch64 (ARM64), PPC64le (PowerPC 64-bit Little Endian), and s390x (IBM System z) architectures. Live images featuring GNOME, KDE Plasma, Xfce, and MATE desktops, as well as Cloud and Container images, are also available for download.
