Quick Answer
Ubuntu 26.04 LTS (Resolute Raccoon) ships sudo-rs as the default sudo provider — a full Rust rewrite of the binary that handles privilege escalation on every Linux machine. For Terraform users building AMIs, cloud images, or container base layers, this is the most security-relevant change in an Ubuntu LTS release in years.
Why sudo-rs Matters for Infrastructure
sudo is the binary that runs as root on every Linux machine you manage. It’s been written in C since 1980. In the last few years it’s had CVEs that allowed local privilege escalation — Baron Samedit (CVE-2021-3156) being the memorable one, with 10 years of unpatched exposure across most Linux distros.
sudo-rs is a full rewrite in Rust:
- Same
/etc/sudoersconfig - Same interface
- Drop-in replacement
- Memory safety guarantees from Rust — specifically on the binary that handles privilege escalation
This isn’t experimental. It passed a full security audit in 2023. The sudo-rs team worked directly with the original sudo maintainer. Ubuntu 26.04 making it the default is the signal that it’s production-ready.
Validate sudo-rs in Your Base Images
# Check which sudo is installed
dpkg -l | grep sudo
# Should show: sudo-rs
# Verify binary
sudo --version
# sudo-rs version X.Y.Z
# Same sudoers config — no changes needed
cat /etc/sudoers
visudo # Works exactly the same
Terraform Provisioner Check
resource "aws_instance" "web" {
ami = data.aws_ami.ubuntu_2604.id
instance_type = "t3.micro"
provisioner "remote-exec" {
inline = [
# sudo-rs works identically — no script changes needed
"sudo apt-get update",
"sudo apt-get install -y nginx",
"sudo systemctl enable nginx",
]
}
}
Your existing sudo commands in user_data scripts, Ansible playbooks, and Terraform provisioners work unchanged. The interface is identical.
Install Terraform on Ubuntu 26.04
# Add HashiCorp GPG key
wget -O- https://apt.releases.hashicorp.com/gpg | \
sudo gpg --dearmor -o /usr/share/keyrings/hashicorp-archive-keyring.gpg
# Add the repository
echo "deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/hashicorp-archive-keyring.gpg] \
https://apt.releases.hashicorp.com $(lsb_release -cs) main" | \
sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/hashicorp.list
# Install
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install -y terraform
# Verify
terraform version
Alternative: Install with tfenv
git clone https://github.com/tfutils/tfenv.git ~/.tfenv
echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.tfenv/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc
tfenv install latest
tfenv use latest
terraform version
What’s New in Ubuntu 26.04 for DevOps
1. APT 3.2 — Transaction Log with Full Rollback
# Undo any package operation
apt history-rollback
# View transaction history
apt history
# Rollback a specific transaction
apt history-rollback <transaction-id>
For Terraform-managed infrastructure, this means you can safely roll back package installations in user_data scripts that fail mid-execution. Build your AMI, test it, and if a package update breaks something, roll it back without rebuilding from scratch.
Terraform + APT Rollback in Packer
# packer/ubuntu-2604.pkr.hcl
source "amazon-ebs" "ubuntu" {
ami_name = "hardened-ubuntu-2604-{{timestamp}}"
instance_type = "t3.medium"
region = "us-east-1"
source_ami_filter {
filters = {
name = "ubuntu/images/hvm-ssd-gp3/ubuntu-resolute-26.04-amd64-server-*"
virtualization-type = "hvm"
}
owners = ["099720109477"] # Canonical
most_recent = true
}
ssh_username = "ubuntu"
}
build {
sources = ["source.amazon-ebs.ubuntu"]
provisioner "shell" {
inline = [
# Update and harden
"sudo apt-get update",
"sudo apt-get upgrade -y",
# Verify sudo-rs is default
"dpkg -l | grep sudo-rs",
# Install packages with rollback safety
"sudo apt-get install -y nginx certbot python3-certbot-nginx",
# If something breaks:
# sudo apt history-rollback <id>
# Clean up
"sudo apt-get autoremove -y",
"sudo apt-get clean",
]
}
}
2. Kernel 7.0
- Intel TDX confidential computing on the host side
- Better hardware coverage across cloud instance types
- Relevant if you’re running Terraform-provisioned VMs that handle sensitive workloads
3. Wayland-Only (No X11)
X11 is fully removed — no more Xorg fallback session in GDM. This doesn’t affect headless servers (99% of Terraform-managed infrastructure), but matters if you provision developer workstations or bastion hosts with GUI access.
# If you need X11 apps on Ubuntu 26.04 (rare):
resource "aws_instance" "dev_workstation" {
# Use XWayland — most X11 apps work through it
user_data = <<-EOF
#!/bin/bash
sudo apt-get install -y xwayland
EOF
}
4. ROCm in Official Repos
# AMD GPU compute — now a one-liner
sudo apt install rocm
Previously required adding third-party repos, GPG keys, and pinning. If you’re provisioning GPU compute nodes for ML workloads with Terraform:
resource "aws_instance" "gpu_worker" {
ami = data.aws_ami.ubuntu_2604.id
instance_type = "g5.xlarge"
user_data = <<-EOF
#!/bin/bash
apt-get update
# NVIDIA drivers via ubuntu-drivers
ubuntu-drivers install
# Or for AMD GPUs:
# apt-get install -y rocm
EOF
}
5. Ptyxis Replaces GNOME Terminal
GPU-accelerated terminal (GTK4) with tabs that hold state. Only relevant for desktop provisioning — not servers.
Building Hardened Base Images with Terraform + Packer
If you’re building hardened base images, sudo-rs and APT rollback are the two things to validate first:
# Terraform data source to find your custom AMI
data "aws_ami" "hardened_ubuntu" {
most_recent = true
owners = ["self"]
filter {
name = "name"
values = ["hardened-ubuntu-2604-*"]
}
filter {
name = "tag:validated"
values = ["true"]
}
}
resource "aws_instance" "app" {
ami = data.aws_ami.hardened_ubuntu.id
instance_type = var.instance_type
}
Hardening Checklist for Ubuntu 26.04
| Check | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| sudo-rs is default | ✅ | Verify with dpkg -l | grep sudo-rs |
| APT rollback works | ✅ | Test with apt history-rollback |
| Unattended upgrades | Configure | sudo apt install unattended-upgrades |
| SSH hardened | Configure | Disable password auth, root login |
| Firewall | Configure | ufw enable + allow only needed ports |
| Kernel 7.0 features | ✅ | TDX available on supported hardware |
| No X11 on servers | ✅ | Wayland-only, but servers are headless |
Ubuntu 26.04 LTS Support Timeline
- Standard support: Until April 2031 (5 years)
- Ubuntu Pro: Until April 2036 (10 years)
- Codename: Resolute Raccoon
- Kernel: 7.0
- Previous LTS: Ubuntu 24.04 (Noble Numbat) — supported until 2029
Migration from Ubuntu 24.04
# Upgrade path
sudo do-release-upgrade
# In Terraform — update your AMI filter
data "aws_ami" "ubuntu" {
most_recent = true
owners = ["099720109477"]
filter {
name = "name"
values = ["ubuntu/images/hvm-ssd-gp3/ubuntu-resolute-26.04-amd64-server-*"]
# Was: ubuntu-noble-24.04
}
}
Related Articles
- Install Terraform on Linux
- Install Terraform on Debian
- Terraform Provisioners Guide
- Terraform Security Best Practices
- Terraform Glossary
Conclusion
Ubuntu 26.04 LTS is the first major distro to ship sudo-rs as the default — a Rust rewrite of the most privilege-sensitive binary on your system. Combined with APT 3.2’s transaction rollback, Kernel 7.0’s confidential computing support, and ROCm in official repos, it’s a meaningful upgrade for anyone building infrastructure with Terraform. If you’re creating hardened base images, validate sudo-rs and APT rollback first — those are the two changes that affect your security posture.
