What is Patch Cut-off Date?

Patch cut-off date is a feature that allows you to set a time in the past, after which no patches will be applied to the system. This is useful for ensuring that the state of the system is deterministic and reproducible. It guarantees that no changes will be made after a certain date.

The use of patch cut-off date is recommended only for systems that require a high level of predictability, as using it might expose the system to security vulnerabilities due to the lack of the latest patches.

Availability

This feature is available only for users with a paid Ubuntu Pro subscription connected to Canonical’s hosted Livepatch service.

What if I already have a patch applied?

If you already have a patch applied and its release date is after the cut-off date to fully remove the changes from your system, you will need to reboot the machine.

If you set a cut-off date and the release date of the patch is before the cut-off date, you are not required to take any action. The patch will remain applied.