# Checking FreeBSD Update Necessity, like Windows update...



## repcsi (Jan 25, 2015)

Hello,

I was thinking how should I know when to update my ports and src repos. I use svn and I found out that you can check with `svn info <repo>` both the local and remote side to see the revision number. After ports tree updates `pkg version` can show what is going on with the port versions, so that is ok.
But how should I know when there is a security related update in the src repo, or something that makes world building necessary or strongly recommended.
Now I think I should check the community site for this info but I'm always open for new ideas and maybe someone can help me!

How do you do this kind of stuff with FreeBSD? I've been a user since the older CVS times, but this thing just lately came bugging me.

I don't know if freebsd-update(8) can do something like this, but it never was my favorite tool, usually I compile my kernel(and world) with PF and other stuff as well...

Thanks!


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## ljboiler (Jan 25, 2015)

One could/should always check the FreeBSD Security Advisories page, where announcements about any vulnerabilities are posted.


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## Terry_Kennedy (Jan 25, 2015)

ljboiler said:


> One could/should always check the FreeBSD Security Advisories page, where announcements about any vulnerabilities are posted.


You can also subscribe to freebsd-security-notifications@ which will deliver the advisories to your email inbox as they happen.


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## junovitch@ (Jan 25, 2015)

If you are on RELEASE then a `freebsd-update cron` entry will tell you when an update is necessary.  That is assuming you are reading your mails from the server.  If you are on STABLE, then signing up for the security notifications email list would be the way to go.  STABLE is a supported branch so any security notice would have the relevant SVN commit in for when the fix was made.


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