Ubuntu Look

A weakness has been discovered in the random number generator used by OpenSSL on Debian and Ubuntu systems. As a result of this weakness, certain encryption keys are much more common than they should be, such that an attacker could guess the key through a brute-force attack given minimal knowledge of the system.

This particularly affects the use of encryption keys in OpenSSH. This vulnerability only affects operating systems which (like Ubuntu) are based on Debian. However, other systems can be indirectly affected if weak keys are imported into them.

We consider this an extremely serious vulnerability, and urge all users to act immediately to secure their systems. The following Ubuntu releases are affected: Ubuntu 7.04 Ubuntu 7.10 Ubuntu 8.04 LTS

This advisory also applies to the corresponding versions of Kubuntu, Edubuntu, and Xubuntu.

ISOs available already on ubuntu.com and mirrors will not be updated with the new packages, but using the Update Manager to get security updates will replace the impacted packages. Users should then regenerate new keys.

ShipIt has stopped mailing CDs.

The 8.04.1 point release, expected in July, will include the updated packages.

Please see usn-612-2 for the latest information regarding updating your system and taking appropriate protective measures.

Ubuntu Fridge

We’re very pleased to announce the results of the Launchpad Logo Contest!
(See https://help.launchpad.net/logo)

The number and quality of submissions took all of us by surprise. We are
immensely pleased with the results and are in awe at what the community
has done. We had so many interesting designs that it was very difficult for
us to declare a single winner. Read the rest of this entry »

The Ubuntu Muslim Edition team is proud to announce the final version of UbuntuME 8.04. It includes an installable live Desktop CD, a second CD with additional softwares (OpenOffice, Arabic language packs, Quran recitations etc.), an installable DVD (with more Quran recitations), and a script to convert standard Ubuntu installations to UbuntuME.
Read the rest of this entry »

Have you ever wished your computer had the balls to tell you to STFU? Have you every wished it T4LK3D L1K3 7H1S? Have you ever dreamt of saying STFU every time you tell people about your HOT new distro? Have you ever dreamt of having sex with a rodent?

Yeah, yeah. Haven’t we all?

Read more at An Amazing Mind

Mark Shuttleworth, head of Canonical and founder of the Ubuntu project, has called on other Linux developers to synchronize releases of new versions of their distros.

He also pledged to deliver the next Long Term Support (LTS) release of Ubuntu, version 10.4, in April 2010 - unless, of course, Red Hat, Novell and Debian decide to co-operate on a synchronized release at a different time.

Read more at Reg Developer

A weakness has been discovered in the random number generator used by OpenSSL on Debian and Ubuntu systems. As a result of this weakness, certain encryption keys are much more common than they should be, such that an attacker could guess the key through a brute-force attack given minimal knowledge of the system.

This particularly affects the use of encryption keys in OpenSSH. This vulnerability only affects operating systems which (like Ubuntu) are based on Debian. However, other systems can be indirectly affected if weak keys are imported into them.

We consider this an extremely serious vulnerability, and urge all users to act immediately to secure their systems. The following Ubuntu releases are affected: Ubuntu 7.04 Ubuntu 7.10 Ubuntu 8.04 LTS

This advisory also applies to the corresponding versions of Kubuntu, Edubuntu, and Xubuntu.

Please see usn-612-2 for the latest information regarding updating your system and taking appropriate protective measures. More information will be released within 48 hours.

I got lots of emails from people asking me what are my favourite apps to install after I get a new Linux box up and running, so here they are:

1. Emesene - has support for MSN Plus nickname decoding, unlike Pidgin.

Read more at Internetling

After many sleepless nights and a lot of work I am delighted to announce that the first release candidate for Linux Mint 5 Elyssa was released and that it is now available for download. A lot of changes and improvements were made since Daryna so make sure to read the “What’s new in Elyssa” section of the Release Notes.

Links: Release Notes & Download mirrors

Please report bugs here in the forums: http://www.linuxmint.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=0&t=12393

I would like to thank the team for the hard work put into this, Exploder for his responsiveness and for all the testing he’s done over the week-end and Jernau, the artist who signed 100% of the artwork used in this released. Many thanks also to Carlos who’s still working on improving various parts of the website and to Kronophage who is rapidly adding applications to the Software Portal.

Have fun with the first ISO of Elyssa and don’t hesitate to send us comments and feedback.

The Good:

It’s fast.

Hardy Heron is a fast, exceptionally stable operating system. It is a significant step up from Windows XP and better than Vista when it comes to efficiently using resources, and frankly, ease of use.

I’ve noticed that Hardy runs faster than its predecessor, 7.10 “Gutsy Gibbon.” Firefox 3, which is the default web browser, is a major improvement to the solid Firefox 2.

It’s more stable.

There seems to be an improvement in the suspend-to-ram and suspend-to-disk (hibernate) functionality, however there are still bugs. This is an area Canonical, the developer behind Ubuntu, is well aware of and I’m hoping they’ll get sorted out in the next few releases.

Read more at The Tribune Bits

Welcome to the Ubuntu Weekly Newsletter, Issue 90 for the weeks May
4th - May 10th, 2008. In this issue we cover: Ubuntu Brainstorm
Growing, Ubuntu Finland receives award from Finland’s Minister of
Communications, Ubuntu Featured on Italian TV, submit questions for
Launchpad podcast, Forums News and Interviews, Ubuntu UK Podcast
Episode 5, and much more.

=== UWN Translations ===

* Note to translators and our readers: We are trying a new way of
linking to our translations pages. Please follow the link below for
the information you need.

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UbuntuWeeklyNewsletter/Translations

== In This Issue ==

* Ubuntu Brainstorm Keeps Growing
* Newly Approved Member
* Ubuntu Finland Receives Award from Government
* Ubuntu Featured on Italian TV
* Submit Questions for Launchpad Podcast
* Ubuntu Stats
* Ubuntu Forum News
* In The Press and Blogosphere
* In Other News
* Upcoming Meetings & Events
* Updates & Security
Read the rest of this entry »