The Debian Project has released Debian 13.6 and Debian 12.15. These are point releases. A point release combines security updates and important bug fixes into refreshed installation images. It is not a new Debian release. Existing systems receive the same updates through the package manager, so there is no need to reinstall Debian.
Debian 13.6 is the sixth point release for Debian 13 "Trixie", the current stable release. It includes 120 security updates and 124 bug fixes across the distribution.
Debian 12.15 is the fifteenth and final point release for Debian 12 "Bookworm". Bookworm has now entered the Long Term Support (LTS) phase. For those unaware, LTS is an extended support period that continues to provide security updates after the regular support phase ends.
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Debian 13.6 Highlights
Most changes in Debian 13.6 focus on security updates and stability improvements. The Debian installer has also been rebuilt for Debian 13.6, so newly downloaded installation images already include the latest fixes.
One notable update affects fwupd. fwupd is a utility that updates firmware on supported hardware. Firmware is low-level software stored inside hardware devices. Version 2.0.20 adds support for updating UEFI Secure Boot databases. Secure Boot is a security feature that verifies trusted software during the boot process.
The Debian Project also notes that the Microsoft UEFI Secure Boot Certificate Authority (CA) from 2013 has expired. Systems that use Secure Boot should install any available firmware updates that update the Secure Boot CA, Key Exchange Key (KEK), and revocation database (DBX) before future bootloader updates. This helps prevent boot problems on affected systems.
Another change affects the geoip-database package. A GeoIP database maps IP addresses to geographic locations. Debian reverted this package to data from approximately December 2019 because newer GeoLite data is not compatible with the Debian Free Software Guidelines. Users who need newer GeoLite data should obtain it directly from MaxMind.
Security updates in Debian 13.6 also cover many widely used packages, including Chromium, Firefox ESR, Thunderbird, Apache, Nginx, Samba, OpenSSL, Redis, PostgreSQL, and the Linux kernel.
Debian 12 Enters Long Term Support
Debian 12.15 marks the end of regular stable maintenance for Bookworm. From now on, Bookworm will receive security updates through the Debian Long Term Support (LTS) project.
The LTS phase is scheduled to continue until June 30, 2028. It supports fewer hardware architectures and fewer packages than the regular stable release. Debian recommends upgrading to Debian 13 when practical.
How to Update
If you already run Debian 13 or Debian 12, update your package lists and install the latest packages:
sudo apt update
sudo apt full-upgrade
Reboot the system if the update installs a new Linux kernel or other components that require a restart.
Updated installation images are also available for new installations at https://www.debian.org/distrib/.
For complete package lists and additional details, see the official Debian 13.6 and Debian 12.15 release announcements.
How to Upgrade to Debian 13 Trixie from Debian 12 Bookworm
If you plan to upgrade from Debian 12 "Bookworm" to Debian 13 "Trixie", now is a good time to do so.
Debian 13 is the current stable release and will receive regular security updates and bug fixes. Debian 12 has now entered the Long Term Support (LTS) phase, where support continues but covers fewer packages and hardware architectures than the regular stable release.
To upgrade, follow our detailed guide below:
Before upgrading, review the official release notes and known issues to help ensure a smooth upgrade.
Resources:
