With the last of the major GCC 8 build issues of the DragonFlyBSD code-base resolved, this BSD operating system has switched to using this latest stable release of the GNU Compiler Collection by default.
This is a big default change for DragonFlyBSD as up to now its default compiler was using the several year old GCC 5. With the default move to GCC 8 comes many optimizations, particularly for newer Intel and AMD CPU microarchitectures. This is especially good news for AMD Zen "znver1" CPU users. There is also support for newer C/C++ language features and many other enhancements as we've covered over the past few years.
The FreeBSD Security Advisory FreeBSD-SA-25:06.xz addresses a use-after-free vulnerability in the multi-threaded xz decoder. This issue, identified as CVE-2025-31115, affects FreeBSD 13.5 and 14.2. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability using a crafted .xz file to crash the decoder or execute arbitrary code. There is no workaround, but systems not using multi-threaded xz decoding are unaffected. Users are advised to upgrade their systems to a supported FreeBSD stable or release branch dated after the correction date. Binary patches and source code patches are available for updating vulnerable systems.
The FreeBSD Errata Notice FreeBSD-EN-25:11.ena addresses a critical issue with the ena(4) driver used in Amazon EC2 instances. The driver's failure to initialize a stack variable can lead to device resets and kernel panics on Nitro v4 or newer instances. This problem arises when using 128-byte wide LLQ entries, either through sysctl settings or ENA Express feature activation. The notice provides workarounds, such as forcing LLQ width to 256, and solutions, including system updates via binary patches or source code patches. The correction has been implemented in various FreeBSD branches, with specific commit hashes and revisions detailed for stable and release branches.
FreeBSD released an errata notice addressing a bug in ZFS encryption. The issue causes corruption in ZFS replication streams from encrypted datasets, leading to spurious checksum errors and pool export failures. The problem affects all supported FreeBSD versions. Users are advised to upgrade their systems to a supported FreeBSD stable or release branch dated after the correction date. The notice provides instructions for updating via binary patch or source code patch, with a reboot required after the upgrade.
The FreeBSD Errata Notice addresses a critical issue in dynamically-loaded C++ libraries that crash at exit due to uncalled destructors. This problem affects FreeBSD versions 13.5 and 14.2, causing crashes when programs exit after libraries have been unloaded. The notice provides no workaround but offers solutions via binary or source code patches. Users are advised to update their systems and restart affected services or reboot. The issue is corrected in specific stable and release branches, with detailed instructions for applying patches and verifying updates.
This guide explains how to install FreeBSD on hosting providers that do not officially support it using mfsBSD. The process involves booting the server in rescue mode, downloading the mfsBSD image, and writing it to the server's disk using the dd command. After rebooting, users can connect via SSH, change the root password, and proceed with the standard FreeBSD installation. The guide highlights the benefits of FreeBSD, such as service isolation in jails and ZFS snapshots, and addresses the limitations imposed by providers that only support Linux distributions. The author emphasizes the importance of avoiding IT monocultures and provides a practical solution for those seeking to use FreeBSD.
The HardenedBSD June 2025 status report covers updates from both May and June 2025, focusing on pkgbase and build infrastructure improvements. Key developments include experimental pkgbase repos for HardenedBSD, which are not yet recommended for production use, and research on descriptor randomization for enhanced security. Notable changes in the src tree involve updates to hbsd-update, RTLD fixes, and netlink support for userland. In the ports tree, various ports were updated and fixed, including emulators/virtualbox-ose and databases/redis. The report also highlights the need for donations to support infrastructure upgrades, particularly for a new HVAC unit to cool the server room, with an estimated cost of $7,000 - $9,000 USD.
As of July 1st, 2025, FreeBSD 13.4 has reached its end-of-life and will no longer receive support from the FreeBSD Security Team. Users are strongly advised to upgrade to a newer release. Currently supported branches include stable/14, releng/14.3, releng/14.2, stable/13, and releng/13.5, with their respective end-of-life dates listed.
The blog post discusses the author's experience with setting up Jekyll, a static website generator, on FreeBSD. The author encountered compatibility issues with Ruby 3.3 and decided to use Ruby 3.2 instead. The post provides a step-by-step guide on how to install and configure Ruby 3.2, including setting the default version in /etc/make.conf and installing bundler from ports. The author also encountered issues with upgrading Jekyll and provides a workaround. The post concludes with the author expressing their frustration with Ruby and their desire to switch to a more modern static site generator.
Errata patches for the X11 server and kernel pledge(2) have been released for OpenBSD versions 7.6 and 7.7. Binary updates are available for amd64, arm64, and i386 platforms via the syspatch utility. Source code patches can be found on the respective errata pages for each version. This update aims to enhance system security and stability. Users are encouraged to apply the patches promptly to maintain optimal system performance.
The Valuable News weekly series provides a summary of news and articles related to UNIX/BSD/Linux systems. This edition includes updates on FreeBSD, such as its porting to Apple MacBook, the release of FreeBSD 14.3, and various security projects. Notable mentions include the XLibre project, GIMP 3.1.2 release, and discussions on Wayland and X11. Additionally, there are insights into hardware developments like the Libreboot ThinkPad T480 and Dell OptiPlex 3050 Micro.
John Baldwin, a long-time FreeBSD community member, has been elected to the FreeBSD Foundation Board. With a history dating back to his undergraduate years, Baldwin has contributed significantly to FreeBSD's development and community. His roles have included serving on core teams, release engineering, and the srcmgr team, as well as chairing the FreeBSD Journal's editorial board. Baldwin aims to strengthen the bond between the developer community and the Foundation, bringing his extensive experience and unique perspective to the board. His election is expected to enhance the Foundation's support for the FreeBSD Project.
The FreeBSD Foundation has announced that applications for travel grants to attend EuroBSDCon 2025 are now open. These grants are designed to assist FreeBSD developers and advocates with travel expenses for conferences related to FreeBSD development. The deadline for applications is August 5, 2025. Additionally, the Foundation offers travel grants for other technical events, provided that attendance benefits the FreeBSD Project and Community. Applications for these grants must be submitted at least seven weeks prior to the event.