How to Set Up Automatic Updates on a Linux Server

Keeping your Linux server updated is essential for security, stability, and performance. Automating updates ensures that critical patches and security fixes are applied without manual intervention. This guide will walk you through setting up automatic updates on a Linux server using common distributions like Ubuntu, Debian, and CentOS.

Setting Up Automatic Updates on Ubuntu/Debian

Ubuntu and Debian use the unattended-upgrades package to manage automatic updates.

Step 1: Install Unattended Upgrades

sudo apt update && sudo apt install unattended-upgrades -y

Step 2: Enable Automatic Updates

sudo dpkg-reconfigure unattended-upgrades

Follow the on-screen prompts to enable automatic updates.

Step 3: Configure Update Preferences

Edit the configuration file:

sudo nano /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/50unattended-upgrades

Ensure the following lines are enabled:

Unattended-Upgrade::Allowed-Origins {
    "${distro_id}:${distro_codename}-security";
    "${distro_id}:${distro_codename}-updates";
};

Save and exit.

Step 4: Enable Periodic Updates

Edit the periodic updates file:

sudo nano /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/20auto-upgrades

Add or modify these lines:

APT::Periodic::Update-Package-Lists "1";
APT::Periodic::Unattended-Upgrade "1";

Save and exit.

Step 5: Verify Automatic Updates

You can check if updates are being installed by running:

cat /var/log/unattended-upgrades/unattended-upgrades.log

Setting Up Automatic Updates on CentOS/RHEL

CentOS and RHEL use dnf-automatic or yum-cron (for older versions) to manage updates.

Step 1: Install the Update Package

For CentOS 8 and RHEL 8:

sudo dnf install dnf-automatic -y

For CentOS 7 and older:

sudo yum install yum-cron -y

Step 2: Configure Automatic Updates

Edit the configuration file:

sudo nano /etc/dnf/automatic.conf  # For CentOS 8/RHEL 8
sudo nano /etc/yum/yum-cron.conf   # For CentOS 7 and older

Set the following parameters:

apply_updates = yes

Save and exit.

Step 3: Enable and Start the Service

sudo systemctl enable --now dnf-automatic.timer  # CentOS 8/RHEL 8
sudo systemctl enable --now yum-cron             # CentOS 7 and older

Step 4: Verify Automatic Updates

Check logs with:

tail -f /var/log/dnf.rpm.log   # CentOS 8/RHEL 8
tail -f /var/log/yum.log       # CentOS 7 and older

Conclusion

By enabling automatic updates, you can ensure your Linux server remains secure and up to date without manual intervention. However, for critical systems, consider using scheduled updates with testing to avoid potential disruptions.

How to Set Up Automatic Updates on a Linux Server (F.A.Q)