The Update Conundrum
the.unknown-universe.co.uk
How a “kept back” Proxmox kernel left my home lab exposed to CVE‑2026‑31431 — why I now check upgradable packages and use apt full‑upgrade.

I’ve been running my home lab since 2021 and honestly thought my update routine was solid: apt update && apt upgrade, reboot, job done.

Turns out I was wrong. I was checking CVE‑2026‑31431 (Copy Fail) this morning and realised that despite my “successful” updates, I was still running a vulnerable kernel from March.

I’ve had to rethink how I handle host updates. If you’re relying on a standard upgrade and a reboot to keep Proxmox or Debian hosts safe, you might want to check if yours is lying to you as well.

  • ShortN0te@lemmy.ml
    273·
    3 days ago

    When a kernel update requires a change in dependencies, something Proxmox kernels do frequently, apt just quietly “keeps back” the package. It doesn’t fail, it doesn’t break the system, and it doesn’t trigger a rollback. It just waits for me to notice.

    This should save a click for hopefully everyone.

    Yes obviously, if you do not update the packages then they do not get updated.

    If you do not read the output of a command then you will not notuce that.

    • paris@lemmy.blahaj.zone
      183·
      3 days ago

      The standard upgrade command has this behavior though, which is unexpected to people like me and the author. You need a specific flag to tell apt to actually upgrade everything which is not the behavior I expected.

        • pinball_wizard@lemmy.zip
          12·
          1 day ago

          Lol.

          Let’s not defend this behavior by apt.

          I’ll die on many “linux is fine for just about everyone” hills.

          Getting apt to actually really honestly - I mean it this time - update everything - isn’t for everyone.

          Some of us just wait for our hardware to break down, and then reinstall the OS, fresh, instead.

          • ShortN0te@lemmy.ml
            21·
            1 day ago

            Nothing of what you said is on topic. I never said linux is for everyone and so on…

            First, its about server administration. Second, I am neither saying that this behavior is good or bad.

            I am saying that the behavior is clearly stated in the output. Or what else does “packages were held back” mean.

            Blaming ignorance in reading the output prompt on the tools is really childish.

            • pinball_wizard@lemmy.zip
              1·
              21 hours ago

              I didn’t mean to put words in your mouth, but your replies are exhausting. Lighten up.

              Apt could use some usability improvements, specifically around doing full upgrades. This isn’t a controversial take.

              Googling apt full upgrade CLI leads to various articles, all of which have a series of commands that are named orthogonally to this fairly common use case, and must be run in order, and sometimes repeated.

              There’s good reasons it is the way it is, and it can certainly be improved.

              • ShortN0te@lemmy.ml
                1·
                19 hours ago

                I didn’t mean to put words in your mouth, but your replies are exhausting. Lighten up.

                I think you got my point. Not sure why you feel the need to try to discuss another discuasion topic with me.

                Apt could use some usability improvements, specifically around doing full upgrades. This isn’t a controversial take.

                No its not. And again, I never said apt is good or perfect or bad.

                Googling apt full upgrade CLI leads to various articles, all of which have a series of commands that are named orthogonally to this fairly common use case, and must be run in order, and sometimes repeated.

                I am fully aware, it is not like i ever had to dig down and resolve dependency hell.

                There’s good reasons it is the way it is, and it can certainly be improved.

                But it is something different if you say that tools could be made better, than writing a whole article with a click bait title on “How i ignored the output of my package manager”.