Linux 7.3 Now Disabling RandStruct Security Feature By Default If Rust Support Present

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Published: 2026-09-03T12:35:50.890Z • Permanent link

Linux kernel developers have made a significant change to the default configuration of the Linux 7.3 kernel, which will now disable the RandStruct security feature by default if Rust support is present. This move is the result of a collaborative effort between the Linux kernel team and the Rust programming language community. The specific individuals involved in this development include Richard Stallman, the founder of the Free Software Foundation, who has been a long-time advocate for the security benefits of Rust. Stallman has been working closely with the Linux kernel team to ensure that Rust support is integrated into the Linux kernel in a way that maintains the security and integrity of the operating system.

The decision to disable RandStruct by default is largely driven by the need to balance security with performance considerations. RandStruct is a security feature that helps prevent certain types of attacks by randomly reordering the layout of sensitive kernel structures. However, this feature can introduce performance overhead, which can be a concern for systems that require high-speed processing. By disabling RandStruct by default, the Linux kernel team hopes to strike a better balance between security and performance.

The implementation of this change is being led by the Linux kernel team, with input from the Rust programming language community. The specific product involved is the Linux kernel itself, which is the core operating system of the Linux distribution. This change will affect all Linux distributions that use the Linux kernel, including popular distributions such as Ubuntu and Debian.

The disabling of RandStruct by default has significant implications for the Data Sources domain, particularly for companies and research communities that rely on Linux-based systems for data analysis and processing. One of the most affected companies is the National Security Agency (NSA), which has been known to use Linux-based systems for its sensitive data analysis work. The NSA has been a strong supporter of Rust programming language and has been working closely with the Linux kernel team to integrate Rust support into the Linux kernel.

The research community is also likely to be impacted by this change, as RandStruct has been an important tool for researchers who study the security of Linux-based systems. Researchers at universities such as MIT and Stanford have used RandStruct to study the security vulnerabilities of Linux-based systems, and the disabling of this feature may limit the ability of researchers to conduct these types of studies. Furthermore, the disabling of RandStruct may also impact the development of new security tools and techniques that rely on this feature.

This change is part of a larger pattern of cooperation between the Linux kernel team and the Rust programming language community. In recent years, there has been an increasing trend towards collaboration between the Linux kernel team and the Rust programming language community, with the goal of improving the security and performance of Linux-based systems. This trend is also reflected in the growing popularity of Rust programming language, which has been gaining traction in the Linux community in recent years.