diff --git a/salt/common/tools/sbin/so-common b/salt/common/tools/sbin/so-common
index 812c1bb10..4e6580ae1 100755
--- a/salt/common/tools/sbin/so-common
+++ b/salt/common/tools/sbin/so-common
@@ -291,6 +291,20 @@ download_and_verify() {
 	fi
 }
 
+# check if container with name is running and optionally stop it
+docker_check_running() {
+    # show running containers, only names
+    if docker ps --format '{{.Names}}' | grep -q "^so-${1}$"; then
+        if [[ "$2" == "--stop" ]]; then
+            docker stop "so-${1}"
+        fi
+
+        return 0
+    else
+        return 1
+    fi
+}
+
 elastic_license() {
 
 read -r -d '' message <<- EOM
diff --git a/salt/common/tools/sbin/so-kernel-upgrade b/salt/common/tools/sbin/so-kernel-upgrade
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..46d471051
--- /dev/null
+++ b/salt/common/tools/sbin/so-kernel-upgrade
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+#
+# Copyright Security Onion Solutions LLC and/or licensed to Security Onion Solutions LLC under one
+# or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License 2.0 as shown at
+# https://securityonion.net/license; you may not use this file except in compliance with the
+# Elastic License 2.0.
+#
+# so-kernel-upgrade — switch the boot default to the installed UEK8 (6.x) kernel.
+#
+# Security Onion is moving off the EL9 stock kernel / UEK7 (5.x) onto UEK8 (6.x).
+# Installing the kernel-uek-core package adds a UEK8 boot entry but does NOT make it the
+# default: kernel-install/grubby only auto-promote a new kernel within the running
+# kernel's flavor lineage, and we're crossing from a 5.x kernel to the new 6.x UEK flavor.
+# So even with UPDATEDEFAULT=yes and DEFAULTKERNEL=kernel-uek-core the box keeps booting
+# the old kernel. This tool finds the newest installed 6.x UEK kernel and makes it the
+# GRUB default via grubby so the next boot comes up on UEK8.
+#
+# Idempotent: if the UEK8 kernel is already the default it does nothing. It only sets the
+# boot default; it does NOT reboot — the admin reboots the node on their own schedule.
+
+log() { echo "[so-kernel-upgrade] $*"; }
+
+[ "$(id -u)" -eq 0 ] || { log "must run as root"; exit 1; }
+command -v grubby >/dev/null 2>&1 || { log "grubby not found"; exit 1; }
+
+# Newest installed UEK8 (6.x) kernel known to the bootloader. UEK8 vmlinuz paths look like
+# /boot/vmlinuz-6.12.0-203.76.7.5.el9uek.x86_64; the 5.x UEK7 and 5.14 RHCK won't match.
+target="$(grubby --info=ALL 2>/dev/null \
+    | sed -n 's/^kernel="\(.*\)"$/\1/p' \
+    | grep -E '/vmlinuz-6\.[0-9]+.*uek' \
+    | sort -V | tail -1)"
+
+if [ -z "$target" ]; then
+    log "no installed 6.x UEK (UEK8) kernel found — confirm the kernel repo is assigned and"
+    log "'dnf update' has installed kernel-uek-core. Nothing to do."
+    exit 0
+fi
+
+current="$(grubby --default-kernel 2>/dev/null)"
+if [ "$current" = "$target" ]; then
+    log "UEK8 kernel is already the boot default: $target"
+    exit 0
+fi
+
+log "current default kernel: ${current:-unknown}"
+log "switching boot default to UEK8 kernel: $target"
+grubby --set-default="$target" || { log "ERROR: grubby --set-default failed for $target"; exit 1; }
+
+# Verify the change actually took before claiming success.
+now="$(grubby --default-kernel 2>/dev/null)"
+if [ "$now" != "$target" ]; then
+    log "ERROR: default kernel is still '${now:-unknown}' after set-default"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+log "boot default is now $target"
+log "REBOOT REQUIRED to start using the UEK8 kernel (currently running $(uname -r))."
diff --git a/salt/common/tools/sbin/so-restart b/salt/common/tools/sbin/so-restart
index 7345078b8..14747d134 100755
--- a/salt/common/tools/sbin/so-restart
+++ b/salt/common/tools/sbin/so-restart
@@ -5,27 +5,41 @@
 # https://securityonion.net/license; you may not use this file except in compliance with the
 # Elastic License 2.0.
 
-
-
-# Usage: so-restart  kibana | playbook 
-
 . /usr/sbin/so-common
 
-if [ $# -ge 1 ]; then
+usage() {
+    echo "Usage: $0 <component> [args]"
+    echo ""
+    echo "Supported args:"
+    echo "  --force | -f          Force stop all Salt jobs before starting component."
+    echo ""
+    echo "Examples:"
+    echo "  $0 kibana             Restart Kibana"
+    echo "  $0 kibana --force     Force stop all Salt jobs before restarting Kibana"
+    exit 1
+}
 
-        echo $banner
-        printf "Restarting $1...\n\nThis could take a while if another Salt job is running. \nRun this command with --force to stop all Salt jobs before proceeding.\n"
-        echo $banner
-
-        if [ "$2" = "--force" ]; then
-                printf "\nForce-stopping all Salt jobs before proceeding\n\n"
-                salt-call saltutil.kill_all_jobs
-        fi
-
-        case $1 in
-                "elastic-fleet") docker stop so-elastic-fleet && docker rm so-elastic-fleet && salt-call state.apply elasticfleet queue=True;;
-                *)  docker stop so-$1 ; docker rm so-$1 ; salt-call state.apply $1 queue=True;;
-        esac
-else
-        echo -e "\nPlease provide an argument by running like so-restart $component, or by using the component-specific script.\nEx. so-restart logstash, or so-logstash-restart\n"
+if [[ $# -lt 1 ]]; then
+    usage
 fi
+
+#shellcheck disable=SC2154
+echo "$banner"
+printf "Restarting %s...\n\nThis could take a while if another Salt job is running. \nRun this command with --force to stop all Salt jobs before proceeding.\n" "$1"
+echo "$banner"
+if [[ "$2" = "--force" ]] || [[ "$2" = "-f" ]]; then
+    printf "\nForce-stopping all Salt jobs before proceeding\n\n"
+    salt-call saltutil.kill_all_jobs
+fi
+case $1 in
+    "elastic-fleet"|"elasticfleet")
+        docker_check_running "elastic-fleet" "--stop"
+        docker rm "so-elastic-fleet" 2> /dev/null
+        salt-call state.apply elasticfleet queue=True
+        ;;
+    *)
+        docker_check_running "$1" "--stop"
+        docker rm "so-${1}" 2> /dev/null
+        salt-call state.apply "$1" queue=True
+        ;;
+esac
diff --git a/salt/common/tools/sbin/so-start b/salt/common/tools/sbin/so-start
index 1a312a94d..a5c66ffe7 100755
--- a/salt/common/tools/sbin/so-start
+++ b/salt/common/tools/sbin/so-start
@@ -5,27 +5,54 @@
 # https://securityonion.net/license; you may not use this file except in compliance with the
 # Elastic License 2.0.
 
-
-
-# Usage: so-start  all | kibana | playbook 
-
+# shellcheck disable=SC1091
 . /usr/sbin/so-common
 
-if [ $# -ge 1 ]; then
-	echo $banner
-	printf "Starting $1...\n\nThis could take a while if another Salt job is running. \nRun this command with --force to stop all Salt jobs before proceeding.\n"
-	echo $banner
+usage() {
+    echo "Usage: $0 <component> [args]"
+    echo ""
+    echo "Supported args:"
+    echo "  --force | -f          Force stop all Salt jobs before starting component."
+    echo ""
+    echo "Examples:"
+    echo "  $0 kibana             Start Kibana"
+    echo "  $0 kibana --force     Force stop all Salt jobs before starting Kibana"
+    exit 1
+}
 
-	if [ "$2" = "--force" ]; then
-   		printf "\nForce-stopping all Salt jobs before proceeding\n\n"
-   		salt-call saltutil.kill_all_jobs
-	fi
-
-	case $1 in
-   		"all") salt-call state.highstate queue=True;;
-   		"elastic-fleet") if docker ps | grep -q so-$1; then printf "\n$1 is already running!\n\n"; else docker rm so-$1 >/dev/null 2>&1 ; salt-call state.apply elasticfleet queue=True; fi ;; 
-   		*) if docker ps | grep -E -q '^so-$1$'; then printf "\n$1 is already running\n\n"; else docker rm so-$1 >/dev/null 2>&1 ; salt-call state.apply $1 queue=True; fi ;; 
-	esac
-else
-	echo -e "\nPlease provide an argument by running like so-start $component, or by using the component-specific script.\nEx. so-start logstash, or so-logstash-start\n"	
+if [[ $# -lt 1 ]]; then
+    usage
 fi
+
+#shellcheck disable=SC2154
+echo "$banner"
+printf "Starting %s...\n\nThis could take a while if another Salt job is running. \nRun this command with --force to stop all Salt jobs before proceeding.\n" "$1"
+echo "$banner"
+if [[ "$2" = "--force" ]] || [[ "$2" == "-f" ]]; then
+	printf "\nForce-stopping all Salt jobs before proceeding\n\n"
+	salt-call saltutil.kill_all_jobs
+fi
+
+case "$1" in
+    "all")
+        salt-call state.highstate queue=True
+        ;;
+   	"elastic-fleet"|"elasticfleet")
+        if docker_check_running "elastic-fleet"; then
+            printf "\nso-%s is already running!\n\n" "elastic-fleet"
+            /usr/sbin/so-status
+        else
+            docker rm "so-elastic-fleet" 2> /dev/null
+            salt-call state.apply elasticfleet queue=True
+        fi
+        ;;
+   	*)
+        if docker_check_running "$1"; then
+            printf "\nso-%s is already running\n\n" "$1"
+            /usr/sbin/so-status
+        else
+            docker rm "so-${1}" 2> /dev/null
+            salt-call state.apply "$1" queue=True
+        fi
+        ;;
+esac
diff --git a/salt/common/tools/sbin/so-stop b/salt/common/tools/sbin/so-stop
index 32e24f83a..d036a7b63 100755
--- a/salt/common/tools/sbin/so-stop
+++ b/salt/common/tools/sbin/so-stop
@@ -5,21 +5,33 @@
 # https://securityonion.net/license; you may not use this file except in compliance with the
 # Elastic License 2.0.
 
-
-
-# Usage: so-stop kibana | playbook | thehive
-
+# shellcheck disable=SC1091
 . /usr/sbin/so-common
 
-if [ $# -ge 1 ]; then
-	echo $banner
-	printf "Stopping $1...\n"
-	echo $banner
+usage() {
+    echo "Usage: $0 <component>"
+    echo ""
+    echo "Examples:"
+    echo "  $0 kibana             Stop Kibana"
+    exit 1
+}
 
-	case $1 in
-    		*) docker stop so-$1 ; docker rm so-$1 ;;
-	esac
-else
-	echo -e "\nPlease provide an argument by running like so-stop $component, or by using the component-specific script.\nEx. so-stop logstash, or so-logstash-stop\n"	
+if [[ $# -lt 1 ]]; then
+    usage
 fi
 
+
+#shellcheck disable=SC2154
+echo "$banner"
+printf "Stopping %s...\n" "$1"
+echo "$banner"
+case $1 in
+	"elasticfleet"|"elastic-fleet")
+        docker_check_running "elastic-fleet" "--stop"
+        docker rm "so-elastic-fleet" 2> /dev/null
+        ;;
+    *)
+        docker_check_running "$1" "--stop"
+        docker rm "so-${1}" 2> /dev/null
+    ;;
+esac
diff --git a/salt/elasticsearch/files/ingest/zeek.ssl b/salt/elasticsearch/files/ingest/zeek.ssl
index 0bd6fedb2..80a7b12da 100644
--- a/salt/elasticsearch/files/ingest/zeek.ssl
+++ b/salt/elasticsearch/files/ingest/zeek.ssl
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
     { "remove":   { "field": ["host"],     "ignore_failure": true } },
     { "json":             { "field": "message",                 "target_field": "message2",             "ignore_failure": true  } },
     { "rename":         { "field": "message2.version",          "target_field": "ssl.version",          "ignore_missing": true  } },
+    { "set":      { "description": "Set transport for the community_id processor", "if": "ctx.ssl?.version == null || !ctx.ssl.version.startsWith('DTLS')", "field": "network.transport", "value": "tcp", "ignore_failure": true } },
     { "rename":         { "field": "message2.cipher",           "target_field": "ssl.cipher",           "ignore_missing": true  } },
     { "rename":         { "field": "message2.curve",            "target_field": "ssl.curve",            "ignore_missing": true  } },
     { "rename":         { "field": "message2.server_name",      "target_field": "ssl.server_name",              "ignore_missing": true  } },
diff --git a/salt/manager/files/mirror-kernel.txt b/salt/manager/files/mirror-kernel.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1d9ce75d2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/salt/manager/files/mirror-kernel.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+https://repo.securityonion.net/file/so-repo/prod/3/oracle/9-uek8
+https://repo-alt.securityonion.net/prod/3/oracle/9-uek8
diff --git a/salt/manager/files/repodownload.conf b/salt/manager/files/repodownload.conf
index 3c156a9db..67ae4b121 100644
--- a/salt/manager/files/repodownload.conf
+++ b/salt/manager/files/repodownload.conf
@@ -10,4 +10,9 @@ keepcache=0
 name=Security Onion Repo repo
 mirrorlist=file:///opt/so/conf/reposync/mirror.txt
 enabled=1
-gpgcheck=1
\ No newline at end of file
+gpgcheck=1
+[securityonionkernel]
+name=Security Onion Repo repo
+mirrorlist=file:///opt/so/conf/reposync/mirror-kernel.txt
+enabled=1
+gpgcheck=1
diff --git a/salt/manager/init.sls b/salt/manager/init.sls
index ef2428492..a74d16ff2 100644
--- a/salt/manager/init.sls
+++ b/salt/manager/init.sls
@@ -87,6 +87,28 @@ repo_dir:
       - group
     - show_changes: False
 
+kernelrepo_dir:
+  file.directory:
+    - name: /nsm/kernelrepo
+    - user: socore
+    - group: socore
+    - recurse:
+      - user
+      - group
+    - show_changes: False
+
+# Ensure /nsm/kernelrepo is always a valid (if empty) repo before it is ever assigned to
+# a client. Without repodata/repomd.xml an enabled file:///nsm/kernelrepo repo makes every
+# dnf operation fail; so-repo-sync only populates it after the highstate, so seed an empty
+# repo here. Only runs when repodata is missing, so it won't clobber a synced repo.
+kernelrepo_init_empty:
+  cmd.run:
+    - name: createrepo /nsm/kernelrepo
+    - unless: 'test -e /nsm/kernelrepo/repodata/repomd.xml'
+    - require:
+      - file: kernelrepo_dir
+      - pkg: install_createrepo
+
 manager_sbin:
   file.recurse:
     - name: /usr/sbin
@@ -123,6 +145,13 @@ so-repo-mirrorlist:
     - user: socore
     - group: socore
 
+so-repo-kernel-mirrorlist:
+  file.managed:
+    - name: /opt/so/conf/reposync/mirror-kernel.txt
+    - source: salt://manager/files/mirror-kernel.txt
+    - user: socore
+    - group: socore
+
 so-repo-sync:
   {%     if MANAGERMERGED.reposync.enabled %}
   cron.present:
diff --git a/salt/manager/tools/sbin/so-repo-sync b/salt/manager/tools/sbin/so-repo-sync
index a0393a36b..6c1b9d509 100755
--- a/salt/manager/tools/sbin/so-repo-sync
+++ b/salt/manager/tools/sbin/so-repo-sync
@@ -10,5 +10,16 @@ NOROOT=1
 set -e
 
 curl --retry 5 --retry-delay 60 -A "reposync/$(sync_options)" https://sigs.securityonion.net/checkup --output /tmp/checkup
+
 dnf reposync --norepopath -g --delete -m -c /opt/so/conf/reposync/repodownload.conf --repoid=securityonionsync --download-metadata -p /nsm/repo/
 createrepo /nsm/repo
+
+# The kernel repo section is deployed to repodownload.conf by the manager highstate, which
+# runs AFTER this script during soup. On the first upgrade to a kernel-aware version the
+# on-disk config still predates the section, so guard on its presence to avoid dnf's
+# "Unknown repo: 'securityonionkernel'" aborting the sync (set -e). The next sync after the
+# highstate deploys the section will pick it up.
+if grep -q '^\[securityonionkernel\]' /opt/so/conf/reposync/repodownload.conf; then
+  dnf reposync --norepopath -g --delete -m -c /opt/so/conf/reposync/repodownload.conf --repoid=securityonionkernel --download-metadata -p /nsm/kernelrepo/
+  createrepo /nsm/kernelrepo
+fi
diff --git a/salt/nginx/enabled.sls b/salt/nginx/enabled.sls
index c50ad8f8f..3fa99eae2 100644
--- a/salt/nginx/enabled.sls
+++ b/salt/nginx/enabled.sls
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ so-nginx:
       - /opt/so/conf/navigator/layers/:/opt/socore/html/navigator/assets/so:ro
       - /opt/so/conf/navigator/config.json:/opt/socore/html/navigator/assets/config.json:ro
       - /nsm/repo:/opt/socore/html/repo:ro
+      - /nsm/kernelrepo:/opt/socore/html/kernelrepo:ro
       - /nsm/rules:/nsm/rules:ro
       {%   if NGINXMERGED.external_suricata %}
       - /opt/so/rules/nids/suri:/surirules:ro
diff --git a/salt/nginx/etc/nginx.conf b/salt/nginx/etc/nginx.conf
index 8150265f5..b7a70da2b 100644
--- a/salt/nginx/etc/nginx.conf
+++ b/salt/nginx/etc/nginx.conf
@@ -323,6 +323,16 @@ http {
 			autoindex_localtime on;
 		}
 
+		location /kernelrepo/ {
+			allow all;
+			sendfile on;
+			sendfile_max_chunk 1m;
+			autoindex on;
+			autoindex_exact_size off;
+			autoindex_format html;
+			autoindex_localtime on;
+		}
+
 		location /influxdb/ {
 			auth_request          /auth/sessions/whoami;
 			rewrite               /influxdb/api/(.*) /api/$1 break;
diff --git a/salt/repo/client/oracle.sls b/salt/repo/client/oracle.sls
index 70f529830..bf0a02751 100644
--- a/salt/repo/client/oracle.sls
+++ b/salt/repo/client/oracle.sls
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@
 {% from 'repo/client/map.jinja' import REPOPATH with context %}
 {% from 'vars/globals.map.jinja' import GLOBALS %}
 
+{% import_yaml 'salt/minion.defaults.yaml' as saltversion %}
+{% set saltversion = saltversion.salt.minion.version %}
+{% set INSTALLEDSALTVERSION = grains.saltversion %}
+
 {% set role = grains.id.split('_') | last %}
 {% set MANAGER = salt['grains.get']('master') %}
 {% if grains['os'] == 'OEL' %}
@@ -57,6 +61,32 @@ so_repo:
     - enabled: 1
     - gpgcheck: 1
 
+# Only assign the kernel repo once this node's running salt matches the version this
+# SO release ships. During a soup the grid is mid-salt-upgrade; gating here keeps the
+# UEK8 kernel repo (and the kernel update it enables) from activating until the node is
+# fully on the target salt, the same way other states defer across the upgrade window.
+{% if saltversion | string == INSTALLEDSALTVERSION | string %}
+so_kernel_repo:
+  pkgrepo.managed:
+    - name: securityonionkernel
+    - humanname: Security Onion Kernel Repo
+  {% if GLOBALS.is_manager %}
+    - baseurl: file:///nsm/kernelrepo/
+  {% else %}
+    - baseurl: https://{{ GLOBALS.repo_host }}/kernelrepo
+  {% endif %}
+    - enabled: 1
+    - gpgcheck: 1
+    # Supplementary kernel repo: tolerate it being empty/unreachable (e.g. before the
+    # manager has populated /nsm/kernelrepo) so a missing repomd.xml can't make every
+    # dnf/pkg operation on the grid fail.
+    - skip_if_unavailable: 1
+    # Only assign the kernel repo once physical NIC names are pinned by MAC, so the
+    # UEK8 kernel update can't renumber interfaces SO binds by name (see pin_nic_names
+    # in salt/common/init.sls, which drops this marker via /usr/sbin/so-nic-pin).
+    - onlyif: 'test -e /opt/so/state/nic_names_pinned'
+{% endif %}
+
 {% endif %}
   
 # TODO: Add a pillar entry for custom repos
diff --git a/setup/so-functions b/setup/so-functions
index 8859aef97..8ac53fd95 100755
--- a/setup/so-functions
+++ b/setup/so-functions
@@ -886,6 +886,7 @@ create_repo() {
 	title "Create the repo directory"
 	logCmd "dnf -y install yum-utils createrepo_c"
 	logCmd "createrepo /nsm/repo"
+	logCmd "createrepo /nsm/kernelrepo"
 }
 
 
@@ -1812,6 +1813,16 @@ securityonion_repo() {
 			echo "mirrorlist=file:///etc/yum/mirror.txt" >> /etc/yum.repos.d/securityonion.repo
 			echo "enabled=1" >> /etc/yum.repos.d/securityonion.repo
 			echo "gpgcheck=1" >> /etc/yum.repos.d/securityonion.repo
+			echo "https://repo.securityonion.net/file/so-repo/prod/3/oracle/9-uek8" > /etc/yum/mirror-kernel.txt
+			echo "https://so-repo-east.s3.us-east-005.backblazeb2.com/prod/3/oracle/9-uek8" >> /etc/yum/mirror-kernel.txt
+			echo "[securityonionkernel]" > /etc/yum.repos.d/securityonionkernel.repo
+			echo "name=Security Onion Kernel Repo repo" >> /etc/yum.repos.d/securityonionkernel.repo
+			echo "mirrorlist=file:///etc/yum/mirror-kernel.txt" >> /etc/yum.repos.d/securityonionkernel.repo
+			echo "enabled=1" >> /etc/yum.repos.d/securityonionkernel.repo
+			echo "gpgcheck=1" >> /etc/yum.repos.d/securityonionkernel.repo
+			# Supplementary kernel repo: tolerate it being empty/unreachable so a missing
+			# repomd.xml can't make every dnf operation fail before the repo is populated.
+			echo "skip_if_unavailable=1" >> /etc/yum.repos.d/securityonionkernel.repo
 			logCmd "dnf repolist"
 		else
 			echo "[securityonion]" > /etc/yum.repos.d/securityonion.repo
@@ -1820,6 +1831,13 @@ securityonion_repo() {
 			echo "enabled=1" >> /etc/yum.repos.d/securityonion.repo
 			echo "gpgcheck=1" >> /etc/yum.repos.d/securityonion.repo
 			echo "sslverify=0" >> /etc/yum.repos.d/securityonion.repo
+			echo "[securityonionkernel]" > /etc/yum.repos.d/securityonionkernel.repo
+			echo "name=Security Onion Kernel Repo" >> /etc/yum.repos.d/securityonionkernel.repo
+			echo "baseurl=https://$MSRV/kernelrepo" >> /etc/yum.repos.d/securityonionkernel.repo
+			echo "enabled=1" >> /etc/yum.repos.d/securityonionkernel.repo
+			echo "gpgcheck=1" >> /etc/yum.repos.d/securityonionkernel.repo
+			echo "sslverify=0" >> /etc/yum.repos.d/securityonionkernel.repo
+			echo "skip_if_unavailable=1" >> /etc/yum.repos.d/securityonionkernel.repo
 			logCmd "dnf repolist"
 		fi
 	elif [[ ! $waitforstate ]]; then
@@ -1829,12 +1847,25 @@ securityonion_repo() {
 		echo "enabled=1" >> /etc/yum.repos.d/securityonion.repo
 		echo "gpgcheck=1" >> /etc/yum.repos.d/securityonion.repo
 		echo "sslverify=0" >> /etc/yum.repos.d/securityonion.repo
+		echo "[securityonionkernel]" > /etc/yum.repos.d/securityonionkernel.repo
+		echo "name=Security Onion Kernel Repo" >> /etc/yum.repos.d/securityonionkernel.repo
+		echo "baseurl=https://$MSRV/kernelrepo" >> /etc/yum.repos.d/securityonionkernel.repo
+		echo "enabled=1" >> /etc/yum.repos.d/securityonionkernel.repo
+		echo "gpgcheck=1" >> /etc/yum.repos.d/securityonionkernel.repo
+		echo "sslverify=0" >> /etc/yum.repos.d/securityonionkernel.repo
+		echo "skip_if_unavailable=1" >> /etc/yum.repos.d/securityonionkernel.repo
 	elif [[ $waitforstate ]]; then
 		echo "[securityonion]" > /etc/yum.repos.d/securityonion.repo
 		echo "name=Security Onion Repo" >> /etc/yum.repos.d/securityonion.repo
 		echo "baseurl=file:///nsm/repo/" >> /etc/yum.repos.d/securityonion.repo
 		echo "enabled=1" >> /etc/yum.repos.d/securityonion.repo
 		echo "gpgcheck=1" >> /etc/yum.repos.d/securityonion.repo
+		echo "[securityonionkernel]" > /etc/yum.repos.d/securityonionkernel.repo
+		echo "name=Security Onion Kernel Repo" >> /etc/yum.repos.d/securityonionkernel.repo
+		echo "baseurl=file:///nsm/kernelrepo/" >> /etc/yum.repos.d/securityonionkernel.repo
+		echo "enabled=1" >> /etc/yum.repos.d/securityonionkernel.repo
+		echo "gpgcheck=1" >> /etc/yum.repos.d/securityonionkernel.repo
+		echo "skip_if_unavailable=1" >> /etc/yum.repos.d/securityonionkernel.repo
 	fi
 	logCmd "dnf repolist all"
 	if [[ $waitforstate ]]; then
@@ -1850,9 +1881,12 @@ repo_sync_local() {
 	# Sync the repo from the SO repo locally.
 	info "Adding Repo Download Configuration"
 	mkdir -p /nsm/repo
+	mkdir -p /nsm/kernelrepo
 	mkdir -p /opt/so/conf/reposync/cache
 	echo "https://repo.securityonion.net/file/so-repo/prod/3/oracle/9" > /opt/so/conf/reposync/mirror.txt
 	echo "https://repo-alt.securityonion.net/prod/3/oracle/9" >> /opt/so/conf/reposync/mirror.txt
+	echo "https://repo.securityonion.net/file/so-repo/prod/3/oracle/9-uek8" > /opt/so/conf/reposync/mirror-kernel.txt
+	echo "https://repo-alt.securityonion.net/prod/3/oracle/9-uek8" >> /opt/so/conf/reposync/mirror-kernel.txt
 	echo "[main]" > /opt/so/conf/reposync/repodownload.conf
 	echo "gpgcheck=1" >> /opt/so/conf/reposync/repodownload.conf
 	echo "installonly_limit=3" >> /opt/so/conf/reposync/repodownload.conf
@@ -1866,12 +1900,18 @@ repo_sync_local() {
 	echo "mirrorlist=file:///opt/so/conf/reposync/mirror.txt" >> /opt/so/conf/reposync/repodownload.conf
 	echo "enabled=1" >> /opt/so/conf/reposync/repodownload.conf
 	echo "gpgcheck=1" >> /opt/so/conf/reposync/repodownload.conf
+	echo "[securityonionkernel]" >> /opt/so/conf/reposync/repodownload.conf
+	echo "name=Security Onion Kernel Repo repo" >> /opt/so/conf/reposync/repodownload.conf
+	echo "mirrorlist=file:///opt/so/conf/reposync/mirror-kernel.txt" >> /opt/so/conf/reposync/repodownload.conf
+	echo "enabled=1" >> /opt/so/conf/reposync/repodownload.conf
+	echo "gpgcheck=1" >> /opt/so/conf/reposync/repodownload.conf
 
 	logCmd "dnf repolist"
 
 	if [[ ! $is_airgap ]]; then
 		curl --retry 5 --retry-delay 60 -A "netinstall/$SOVERSION/$OS/$(uname -r)/1" https://sigs.securityonion.net/checkup --output /tmp/install
 		retry 5 60 "dnf reposync --norepopath -g --delete -m -c /opt/so/conf/reposync/repodownload.conf --repoid=securityonionsync --download-metadata -p /nsm/repo/" >> "$setup_log" 2>&1 || fail_setup
+		retry 5 60 "dnf reposync --norepopath -g --delete -m -c /opt/so/conf/reposync/repodownload.conf --repoid=securityonionkernel --download-metadata -p /nsm/kernelrepo/" >> "$setup_log" 2>&1 || fail_setup
 		# After the download is complete run createrepo
 		create_repo
 	fi
@@ -2228,6 +2268,13 @@ update_sudoers_for_testing() {
 }
 
 update_packages() {
+	# Pin physical NIC names by MAC BEFORE pulling packages, so the UEK8 kernel that
+	# the update below installs can't renumber the interfaces SO binds by name. Doing
+	# it here (instead of waiting for the common highstate) also drops the
+	# /opt/so/state/nic_names_pinned marker that gates the kernel repo, so the kernel
+	# repo is assigned on the very first highstate and the kernel isn't downgraded and
+	# then re-upgraded. Run-once: so-nic-pin no-ops if the marker already exists.
+	logCmd "bash ../salt/common/tools/sbin/so-nic-pin"
 	logCmd "dnf repolist"
 	logCmd "dnf -y update --allowerasing --exclude=salt*,docker*,containerd*"
 	RMREPOFILES=("oracle-linux-ol9.repo" "uek-ol9.repo" "virt-ol9.repo")