Linux 7.4 to add slab_tiny boot option, close inotify side channel

Linux 7.4 will replace CONFIG_SLUB_TINY with a slab_tiny boot option, letting one kernel image serve both 64 MB boards and 4 GB modules. A sheaves patch boosts the mmap1 microbenchmark by 24.2%. Researchers showed inotify leaks keystroke and authentication timing; a partial fix is already in longterm branches.

• slab_tiny replaces CONFIG_SLUB_TINY in Linux 7.4, chosen at boot time
• Sheaves patch lifts mmap1 throughput 24.2%, from 27.8M to 34.5M ops
• inotify leaks keystroke and auth timing without file read access
• Linux 7.3 at rc5 with final release expected 18 October; 7.1 is EOL