Canonical has unveiled the release of Ubuntu Core 24, a streamlined version of the Ubuntu distribution tailored for Internet of Things (IOT) devices, containers, consumer, and industrial equipment. Ubuntu Core 24 is delivered in the form of a single monolithic image of the core system, eliminating the need for separate DEB packages. The images for Ubuntu Core 24, aligned with the Ubuntu 24.04 package base, are available for X86_64 and ARM64 architectures with a promised 12-year support life cycle. (Source: Ubuntu Image Download)
Ubuntu Core serves as the foundation for adding extra components and applications in self-contained Snap formats. The components of Ubuntu Core, such as the core system, Linux kernel, and system superstructures, are packaged in Snap format and managed with Snapd tools. The snappy technology enables system imaging as a unified entity, offering atomic updates of Snap packets and the core system instead of incremental updates in DEB packages. This approach allows for easy rollback to the previous version in case of post-update issues, similar to Fedora Atomic, Chromeos, Endless, and OpenSUSE LEAP Micro.
To enhance security, each system component undergoes digital signature verification to prevent unauthorized modifications and installation of unverified Snap packets. Components packaged with Snap formats are isolated using Apparmor and SecCCPP, adding an extra layer of security in case of individual application compromise. By including only essential applications in the base system, the size of the system environment is minimized, reducing potential attack vectors and improving overall safety.
The base file system operates in read-only mode, and full disk encryption is supported for data security (source).