Linux setup steps/cron-apt

From Nick Jenkins

Automatic daily downloading and email notification of pending security updates. source. Note: this step is probably only appropriate for a headless web server, and a laptop or desktop-system has synaptic, which provides a nicer interface to package updating. Install:

aptitude install cron-apt

Configure:

nano /etc/cron-apt/config

Change this line:

MAILON="always"

To test, can run with:

/usr/sbin/cron-apt

This will then automatically download any security updates each night, and send a daily email to root about what updates need to be applied. Then install apt-listchanges for a printout and emailed list of package changes when actually installing:

aptitude install apt-listchanges

Configure apt-listchanges to show information about what an update contains, before we actually install it:

dpkg-reconfigure apt-listchanges
Method for changes display: text
skip changes that have already been seen? No.
E-mail Address(es) which will receive changes: root
Changes displayed with apt: both
Prompt for confirmation after displaying changes? Yes
What would you like to do about listchanges.conf? Install the package maintainer's version

Then check the above configuration applied successfully:

cat /etc/apt/listchanges.conf

When ready to apply package updates, can then manually install the updates with:

aptitude update
aptitude upgrade

This won't apply any kernel updates, however. For these, need to do:

aptitude dist-upgrade

... and then "reboot". Note: a log of package upgrades, downloads, and installations is also kept locally, and can be viewed with:

less /var/log/aptitude