LinuxQuestions.org - yum list-security or yum --security check-update

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- - yum list-security or yum --security check-update (https://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-security-4/yum-list-security-or-yum-security-check-update-4175636492/)

yum list-security or yum --security check-update

Trying to understand the difference between these two on Centos 6

Quote:

yum list-security

when run lists one package
and

Quote:

yum --security check-update

says "No packages needed for security; 70 packages available"
what is the difference between two and the reason the output differs?

also

Quote:

yum list-security security

just says updateinfo list done without listing any package

I think it's one of those what's in a name type questions, let me explain;

If I type the following command, I get this:

Code:

[root@jamespc ~]# yum list-security

Loaded plugins: fastestmirror, langpacks

Loading mirror speeds from cached hostfile

 * base: ftp.swin.edu.au

 * elrepo: ftp.nluug.nl

 * epel: mirror.optus.net

 * extras: ftp.swin.edu.au

 * ius: ius.mirror.digitalpacific.com.au

 * nux-dextop: li.nux.ro

 * updates: ftp.swin.edu.au

FEDORA-EPEL-2018-b0d388c572 bugfix      gparted-0.31.0-4.el7.1.x86_64

FEDORA-EPEL-2018-55d6f7236d enhancement inxi-3.0.17-1.el7.noarch

FEDORA-EPEL-2018-5c02844769 enhancement libmediainfo-18.05-1.el7.x86_64

FEDORA-EPEL-2018-5c02844769 enhancement mediainfo-gui-18.05-2.el7.x86_64

updateinfo list done

This lists the packages that are deemed "security" fixes for packages. That's it.
From yum's help:

Quote:

list List a package or groups of packages

But if I type the following command, I get this:

Code:

[root@jamespc ~]# yum --security check-update

 ... 

 --> VirtualBox-5.0-5.0.22_108108_el7-1.x86_64 from virtualbox excluded (updateinfo)

 --> VirtualBox-5.0-5.0.20_106931_el7-1.x86_64 from virtualbox excluded (updateinfo)

 --> VirtualBox-5.2-5.2.8_121009_el7-1.x86_64 from virtualbox excluded (updateinfo)

 --> VirtualBox-5.2-5.2.6_120293_el7-1.x86_64 from virtualbox excluded (updateinfo)

 --> VirtualBox-5.2-5.2.4_119785_el7-1.x86_64 from virtualbox excluded (updateinfo)

 --> VirtualBox-5.2-5.2.2_119230_el7-1.x86_64 from virtualbox excluded (updateinfo)

 --> VirtualBox-5.2-5.2.14_123301_el7-1.x86_64 from virtualbox excluded (updateinfo)

 --> VirtualBox-5.2-5.2.12_122591_el7-1.x86_64 from virtualbox excluded (updateinfo)

 --> VirtualBox-5.1-5.1.18_114002_el7-1.x86_64 from virtualbox excluded (updateinfo)

 --> VirtualBox-5.1-5.1.28_117968_el7-1.x86_64 from virtualbox excluded (updateinfo)

 --> VirtualBox-5.1-5.1.16_113841_el7-1.x86_64 from virtualbox excluded (updateinfo)

 --> VirtualBox-5.1-5.1.2_108956_el7-1.x86_64 from virtualbox excluded (updateinfo)

No packages needed for security; 15 packages available

This lists "security relevant packages", key word there is "update".
From yum's help again:

Quote:

--security Include security relevant packages, in updates

I'm not sure "yum list-security security" is a valid yum command, but I could be wrong...

Thanks for that
when you say keyword is "update" in yum --security check-update
than isn't FEDORA-EPEL-2018-b0d388c572 bugfix gparted-0.31.0-4.el7.1.x86_64 a security related update? still not understanding why the output of both differs

Hopefully I make more sense this time; The "yum list-security" command just lists the packages that have "security fixes" available for them. While the "yum --security check-update" command lists the package "updates" that are "security relevant" - there maybe a number of "security" related "updates" for the same package(s). Notice my second command output that lists the same package, BUT different versions of that same package.

Does that make sense?

thanks reading more into it I see references that in centos due to copyright issues the security flags are not set on packages in repos
I have ran the same commands on RHEL
and the output of yum list-security security and yum --security check-update lists same programs in output

yum list-security security - list the individual version updates with their RHSA numbers, whereas yum --security check-update just lists the latest version of the package

e.g. for kernel-firware I get following from yum list-security security

Quote:

RHSA-2018:0008 Important/Sec. kernel-firmware-2.6.32-696.18.7.el6.noarch
RHSA-2018:0169 Important/Sec. kernel-firmware-2.6.32-696.20.1.el6.noarch
RHSA-2018:0512 Important/Sec. kernel-firmware-2.6.32-696.23.1.el6.noarch
RHSA-2018:1319 Important/Sec. kernel-firmware-2.6.32-696.28.1.el6.noarch
RHSA-2018:1651 Important/Sec. kernel-firmware-2.6.32-696.30.1.el6.noarch
RHSA-2018:1854 Important/Sec. kernel-firmware-2.6.32-754.el6.noarch
RHSA-2018:2164 Important/Sec. kernel-firmware-2.6.32-754.2.1.el6.noarch
RHSA-2018:2390 Important/Sec. kernel-firmware-2.6.32-754.3.5.el6.noarch

and yum --security check-update just lists

Quote:

kernel-firmware.noarch 2.6.32-754.3.5.el6 rhel-6-server-rpm