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Idea #7686: Prompt user to enable automatic security updates

Written by ffm246 the 27 Apr 08 at 04:18. Category: Security. Related project: Nothing/Others. Status: New
Rationale
We should prompt the user as part of the Ubiquity installer and ask him/her whether they wish to enable automatic security updates or not.

Currently, Ubuntu, and Linux in general, have few real viruses in the wild.

This will change with time, as all systems, no matter how well designed, cannot be made perfect.

When problems are found and fixed in Ubuntu's security, they are signed and released into the repositories.

Currently, the default is to not update automatically. This makes sense, as we shouldn't do such things without a user's permission. However, many users are not aware of security updates, and do not know that the update process can be automated, as the option is hidden away in Sys>Admin>SoftwareSources.

Prompting would allow the user to better protect himself, and the user would be able to choose from
* No automatic
* Download and notify
* Download and install

The system will not reboot without the users permission, no matter what the user chooses.

Non-security updates should _never_ be automated, and should require user intervention (this is the current behavior).

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Solution #1: Auto-generated solution of idea #7686
Written by ffm246 the 27 Apr 08 at 04:18.
Ubuntu Brainstorm was updated in January 2009. Since the idea #7686 was submitted before this update, its rationale and solution are not separated. Please vote accordingly, and if you have the necessary rights, please separate the rationale from the solution. Thanks!

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Ubuwu wrote on the 27 Apr 08 at 12:16
The default should be automatic, with no question in the installer.

Auzy wrote on the 27 Apr 08 at 14:45
hmm, not really.. Here in aus we have offpeak and onpeak downloads.

THe user should be able to select within which times it can download (which will help when we start using bittorrent APT).

We should NEVER force updates onto users by default. Users hate that kind of thing, because security updates can have bugs too. Users must choose

Auzy wrote on the 27 Apr 08 at 15:28
One example of a update that killed my system was the Xorg update and the famous S3 bug..

But the main issue, is I want my downloads to start at midnight, and stop at 12oclock PM. So that means resume/stop capabilities, which is what makes bittorrent so great

ffm246 wrote on the 27 Apr 08 at 16:56
@Ubuwu

We aren't Windows here.

Computers should not do things without your permission, we should not assume that we know what's best. Some users have download caps, and want to get their updates another way (apt-on-cd perhaps?).

We're trying to keep the user in control, but still keep the machines secure. While we can put in bold print that it is "Highly recommended" that automatic security updates be enabled, we should ask before we start doing things that some people might consider a security/privacy risk.

Rioting_Pacifist wrote on the 27 Apr 08 at 21:05
Do we get non security updates after a release?

ffm246 wrote on the 28 Apr 08 at 00:52
@Rioting_Pacifist

Yes, if you enable the backports repository.

zoubidoo wrote on the 30 Apr 08 at 12:49
I think prompting the user:

"Do you wish to allow automatic security updates (recommended)"

just after installation is an excellent idea.

+1


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