Short answer
Ubuntu 24.04 ships PHP 8.3, Ubuntu 22.04 ships PHP 8.1, Debian 12 ships PHP 8.2 and Debian 11 ships PHP 7.4. These distributions patch their own PHP packages without changing PHP's version number, so check the distribution's security tracker for the PHP2Shell fix, not the version alone.
| Release | Default PHP | Security support |
|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | PHP 8.3 | Standard security maintenance runs until May 2029, and Ubuntu Pro extends it to May 2034. |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | PHP 8.1 | Standard security maintenance runs until May 2027, and Ubuntu Pro extends it to May 2032. |
| Debian 12 | PHP 8.2 | Debian's Long Term Support team covers it from June 11, 2026 to June 30, 2028. |
| Debian 11 | PHP 7.4 | Debian's free Long Term Support for it ended on August 31, 2026. |
Sources
Checked against these sources on October 22, 2026. PHP Scanner is a free tool from Catch Digital and is not affiliated with the PHP project.