Qubes OS 4.2.0 released

Version 4.2.0 of the Qubes OS distribution has been released; changes include a switch to Xfce for the Fedora and Debian templates, a number of rewritten graphical applications, PipeWire support, and more. See the release notes for details. (Qubes OS was last covered here in 2021).

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From:		Andrew David Wong <adw-aAmZIGRXKFlg9hUCZPvPmw-AT-public.gmane.org>
To:		qubes-announce <qubes-announce-/JYPxA39Uh5TLH3MbocFFw-AT-public.gmane.org>, qubes-devel <qubes-devel-/JYPxA39Uh5TLH3MbocFFw-AT-public.gmane.org>, qubes-users <qubes-users-/JYPxA39Uh5TLH3MbocFFw-AT-public.gmane.org>
Subject:		Qubes OS 4.2.0 has been released!
Date:		Mon, 18 Dec 2023 17:12:58 -0800
Message-ID:		<2188aeef-3a2a-4cb2-bd10-04ee792fa952@qubes-os.org>
Archive-link:		Article

Dear Qubes Community,

Qubes OS 4.2.0 brings a host of new features, major improvements, and numerous bug fixes. The ISO
and associated [verification files](https://www.qubes-os.org/security/verifying-signatures/) are
available on the [downloads](https://www.qubes-os.org/downloads/) page.

## What's new in Qubes OS 4.2.0?

- Dom0 upgraded to Fedora 37 ([#6982](https://github.com/QubesOS/qubes-issues/issues/6982))
- Xen upgraded to version 4.17
- Default Debian template upgraded to Debian 12
- Default Fedora and Debian templates use Xfce instead of GNOME
([#7784](https://github.com/QubesOS/qubes-issues/issues/7784))
- SELinux support in Fedora templates
([#4239](https://github.com/QubesOS/qubes-issues/issues/4239))
- Several GUI applications rewritten, including:
  - Applications Menu (also available as preview in R4.1)
([#6665](https://github.com/QubesOS/qubes-issues/issues/6665)),
([#5677](https://github.com/QubesOS/qubes-issues/issues/5677))
  - Qubes Global Settings ([#6898](https://github.com/QubesOS/qubes-issues/issues/6898))
  - Create New Qube
  - Qubes Update ([#7443](https://github.com/QubesOS/qubes-issues/issues/7443))
- Unified `grub.cfg` location for both UEFI and legacy boot
([#7985](https://github.com/QubesOS/qubes-issues/issues/7985))
- PipeWire support ([#6358](https://github.com/QubesOS/qubes-issues/issues/6358))
- fwupd integration for firmware updates
([#4855](https://github.com/QubesOS/qubes-issues/issues/4855))
- Optional automatic clipboard clearing
([#3415](https://github.com/QubesOS/qubes-issues/issues/3415))
- Official packages built using Qubes Builder v2
([#6486](https://github.com/QubesOS/qubes-issues/issues/6486))
- Split GPG management in Qubes Global Settings
- Qrexec services use new qrexec policy format by default (but old format is still supported)
([#8000](https://github.com/QubesOS/qubes-issues/issues/8000))

For further details, see the [Qubes 4.2 release
notes](https://www.qubes-os.org/doc/releases/4.2/release-notes/) and the [full list of issues
completed for Qubes
4.2](https://github.com/QubesOS/qubes-issues/issues?q=is%3Aiss...+).

## Known issues in Qubes OS 4.2.0

DomU firewalls have completely switched to nftables. Users should add their custom rules to the
`custom-input` and `custom-forward` chains. (For more information, see issues
[#5031](https://github.com/QubesOS/qubes-issues/issues/5031) and
[#6062](https://github.com/QubesOS/qubes-issues/issues/6062).)

Also see the [full list of open bug reports affecting Qubes
4.2](https://github.com/QubesOS/qubes-issues/issues?q=is%3Aiss...).

We strongly recommend [updating Qubes OS](https://www.qubes-os.org/doc/how-to-update/) immediately
after installation in order to apply all available bug fixes.

## How to get Qubes OS 4.2.0

- If you don't have Qubes OS installed, or if you're currently on Qubes 4.0 or earlier, follow the
[installation guide](https://www.qubes-os.org/doc/installation-guide/).
- If you're currently on Qubes 4.1, learn [how to upgrade to Qubes
4.2](https://www.qubes-os.org/doc/upgrade/4.2/).
- If you're currently on a Qubes 4.2 release candidate (RC), [update
normally](https://www.qubes-os.org/doc/how-to-update/).

In all cases, we strongly recommend [making a full
backup](https://www.qubes-os.org/doc/how-to-back-up-restore-and-m...) beforehand.

## Reminder: new release signing key for Qubes 4.2

As a reminder, we published the following special announcement in [Qubes Canary
032](https://www.qubes-os.org/news/2022/09/14/canary-032/) on 2022-09-14:

> We plan to create a new Release Signing Key (RSK) for Qubes OS 4.2. Normally, we have only one
RSK for each major release. However, for the 4.2 release, we will be using Qubes Builder version 2,
which is a complete rewrite of the Qubes Builder. Out of an abundance of caution, we would like to
isolate the build processes of the current stable 4.1 release and the upcoming 4.2 release from
each other at the cryptographic level in order to minimize the risk of a vulnerability in one
affecting the other. We are including this notice as a canary special announcement since
introducing a new RSK for a minor release is an exception to our usual RSK management policy.

As always, we encourage you to
[authenticate](https://www.qubes-os.org/security/pack/#how-to-obtain-and...) this canary
by [verifying its PGP signatures](https://www.qubes-os.org/security/verifying-signatures/).
Specific instructions are also included in the [canary
announcement](https://www.qubes-os.org/news/2022/09/14/canary-032/).

As with all Qubes signing keys, we also encourage you to
[authenticate](https://www.qubes-os.org/security/verifying-signatures/#h...) the new Qubes OS Release 4.2 Signing Key, which is available in the [Qubes Security Pack (qubes-secpack)](https://www.qubes-os.org/security/pack/) as well as on the [downloads](https://www.qubes-os.org/downloads/) page under the Qubes OS 4.2.0-rc5 ISO.

## Support for older releases

In accordance with our [release support
policy](https://www.qubes-os.org/doc/supported-releases/#qubes-os), Qubes 4.1 will remain supported
for six months after the release of Qubes 4.2, until 2024-06-18. After that, Qubes 4.1 will no
longer receive security updates or bug fixes.

[Whonix templates](https://www.whonix.org/wiki/Qubes) are created and supported by our partner, the
[Whonix Project](https://www.whonix.org/). The Whonix Project has set its own support policy for
Whonix templates in Qubes. For more information, see [Qubes-Whonix version support
policy](https://www.whonix.org/wiki/About#Qubes_Hosts).

## Thank you to our partners, donors, contributors, and testers!

This release would not be possible without generous support from our
[partners](https://www.qubes-os.org/partners/) and [donors](https://www.qubes-os.org/donate/), as
well as [contributions](https://www.qubes-os.org/doc/contributing/) from our active community
members, especially [bug reports](https://www.qubes-os.org/doc/issue-tracking/) from our
[testers](https://www.qubes-os.org/doc/testing/). We are eternally grateful to our excellent
community for making the Qubes OS Project a great example of open-source collaboration.


This announcement is also available on the Qubes website:
https://www.qubes-os.org/news/2023/12/18/qubes-os-4-2-0-h...

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