Skip to main content
  1. Blog
  2. Article

Canonical
on 10 January 2014

Ubuntu scores highest in UK Gov security assessment


UK government security arm CESG has published a report of its assessment on the security of all ‘End User Device’ operating systems.

Its assessment compared 11 desktop and mobile operating systems across 12 categories including: VPN, disk encryption, and authentication. These criteria are roughly equivalent to a standard set of enterprise security best practices, and Ubuntu 12.04 LTS came out on top – the only operating system that passed nine requirements without any “Significant Risks”.

This article summarises the report, addressing the specific remarks raised in the assessment, and examines why Ubuntu is such a secure OS for government and enterprise use. UK Gov Report Summary

Related posts


Miha Purg
15 May 2026

Finding the blind spot: How Canonical hunts logic flaws with AI

AI Article

AI is accelerating and improving how security engineers find and fix vulnerabilities. A new tool developed and used at Canonical, called Redhound, has already uncovered three critical logic vunerabilites, paving the way for a more secure software landscape. ...


Luci Stanescu
14 May 2026

Fragnesia Linux kernel local privilege escalation vulnerability mitigations

Ubuntu Article

A local privilege escalation (LPE) vulnerability affecting the Linux kernel has been publicly disclosed on May 13, 2026. The vulnerability does not have a CVE ID published, but is referred to as “Fragnesia.”  The vulnerability affects multiple Linux distributions, including all Ubuntu releases. The affected components are the Linux kernel ...


Bertrand Boisseau
13 May 2026

Rethinking BYOD security: protecting data without trusting devices

Ubuntu Article

BYOD (bring your own device) has always looked better on paper than it does in real life. The promise is clear: let people use the gadgets they already own. Less friction, lower costs, and more freedom. But when security and privacy are non-negotiable, the conversation around BYOD usually ends quickly. Not because BYOD is a ...