Linux kernel removes amateur radio protocols due to AI-generated bug reports

Maintainers of the Linux kernel have opted to eliminate the amateur radio protocol implementations (AX.25, NET/ROM, ROSE) along with all related hamradio device drivers from the kernel tree. This choice stemmed from a surge of AI-generated security bug reports that inundated the maintainers, with no volunteers to address the issues. The code had been a persistent source of bugs and syzbot reports. Reactions from the community varied: some users reminisced about the protocols, which have been part of the kernel since the 1990s due to Alan Cox, while others discussed AI's impact on kernel security. Proposals included requiring root access for driver loading, creating an agents.md policy file for AI tools, and rewriting drivers in Rust. Nonetheless, worries about maintenance challenges and the potential for new technical debts were voiced. Users can now turn to userspace alternatives like direwolf for similar capabilities.