Debian is a great Linux distribution with a focus on security, privacy and resilience against virus attacks, which makes it a top choice for important infrastructure like servers and other IT infrastructure. This utility makes security updates, periodic additions to the security software that helps safeguard against vulnerabilities that can be taken advantage of by bad actors like hackers. As such, it’s important to know how to apply updates on Debian, including how to check for and install updates, and ways to reduce risk during the process. This article will teach just that.
How to Apply Updates on Debian
Before you begin, you’ll need to open the Terminal interface on your Debian system, which can be done one of three ways.
- By searching Terminal in the application launcher search bar ;
- By manually finding and opening it in the list of installed applications ;
- By using the alt+ f2 shortcut to open the run command window and inputting the command gnome-terminal.
The default terminal app in Debian is Gnome Terminal. Once you have this open, you can follow the step-by-step guide below explaining how to apply updates on Debian for security.
Step 1
Ensure you know your Debian version, which can be checked using the command lsb_release -a in the Terminal. This will display all the details concerning your Debian distribution, which should be noted in case its needed later.
Step 2
You should be able to check for updates, which can be done by using the sudo apt update command in the Terminal. This will update the package index files and you’ll be able to proceed from here.
Step 3
Next, you can use the Terminal to list available updates for the system, making use of the command sudo apt list –upgradable. This gives a list of all available updates as well as details about them.
Step 4
Now, use the command sudo apt upgrade to update the all the applicable packages to their latest versions, which will also include security updates. You can usually end things here. You might be prompted to confirm your choice before you do, which you can safely accept.
Alternatively,
- You can make use of the following commands t specifically focus on security upgrades within Debian.
grep security /etc/apt/sources.list | tee /etc/apt/security.sources.listsudo apt-get updatesudo apt-get upgrade -o Dir::Etc::SourceList=/etc/apt/security.sources.list
- There’s also a package that allows your Debian security updates to be done automatically using the following command.
sudo apt install unattended-upgrades
If you’re new to the use of command line interfaces or commands in general, copying and pasting the commands in the appropriate window can help avoid mistakes.
Tips and Tricks for Better Security
There are many tools that can be used to further assist with shoring up vulnerabilities in Debian, with two notable picks being:
- Nessus, a vulnerability scanning tool that can detect remote vulnerabilities ;
- Nagios, which works well for continuously monitoring servers.
As a bonus mention, while the unattended-upgrades command is useful for staying up to date, you might want the extra assurance of a tool like Prometheus, which monitors updates amongst several other features.
With the question of how to apply updates on Debian out of the way, you can also increase safety by making use of some best practices including:
- Constantly checking for updates ;
- Staying informed on Debian security updates and the vulnerabilities they address ;
- Having a backup plan in case of a security failure ;
- Ensuring uniformity across all interconnected systems.
With that, you have everything you need to keep your Debian system security up to date, so work smart and stay safe.
