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Never update anything

blog.kronis.dev

21–30 of 288 posts

Re: Never update anything

#21

If the software you are using auto-updates and you lose business or esteem of peers -- it's YOUR fault. Allowing most software companies to update anything on an running functioning work-related machine that you use to make $$, is ASKING FOR IT. WHEN it breaks something that is your fault for being so stupid. I update software in most cases by installing it on another machine/device and then once it is confirmed to w…

[deleted]

Re: Never update anything

#22

If the software you are using auto-updates and you lose business or esteem of peers -- it's YOUR fault. Allowing most software companies to update anything on an running functioning work-related machine that you use to make $$, is ASKING FOR IT. WHEN it breaks something that is your fault for being so stupid. I update software in most cases by installing it on another machine/device and then once it is confirmed to w…

If you're running software maintained by someone else and you don't let them do that, and there's a security or major bug fix and you lose business or esteem of peers -- it's YOUR fault.

Ignoring upstream security fixes on a work-related machine that you use to make $$, is ASKING FOR IT. WHEN it breaks something that is your fault for being so stupid.

Neither of these extremisms are helpful. It's clearly more nuanced than any of this.

Re: Never update anything

#23
There’s something to be said for being on the oldest minor version that still receives patch releases (usually the LTS if there is such a thing). Unfortunately most FOSS libraries don’t have the luxury/resources to support parallel releases. So to get security fixes you need to keep somewhat up to date with other changes.

The worst place to be is having to fix a CVE in a hurry, but first having to upgrade your framework a few major versions including fixing some breaking API changes. I’d rather pay a small tax every month than have to risk those late nights.

Dependabot is great here, you can get updates for free, or at least preview if they are going to pass all your tests.

Re: Never update anything

#24
post #3

I'm not sure if this is a joke or not.

It is not a joke, just a very frustrated (clickbaity) hyperbole rant.

"My premise is that updates are a massive waste of time, most of the time. Obviously, someone will jump out and say that "Hey, if you don't update, your Windows XP installation will get added to a botnet in less than a week," and they'll also be right at the same time. "

So my understanding is, when compared to a academical, idealistic point of view, handling of updates is not optimal. Sure thing.

But in reality, you still must patch your WinXP system if you have no better alternative and the author likely agrees. And if you do have a shitty legacy java project that is still needed in production - you still have to patch it, if you have to use it in the wild.

Re: Never update anything

#25
post #12

As a red teamer/pentester, this is an attacker's dream. This has to be a joke.

Auto-updates are an attacker's dream too.

Also, this disclaimer in the very first sentence of the article:

> "Here's a fair warning: this article is reductio ad absurdum"

Re: Never update anything

#26

If the software you are using auto-updates and you lose business or esteem of peers -- it's YOUR fault. Allowing most software companies to update anything on an running functioning work-related machine that you use to make $$, is ASKING FOR IT. WHEN it breaks something that is your fault for being so stupid. I update software in most cases by installing it on another machine/device and then once it is confirmed to w…

Having two of everything is actually a pretty decent idea. Part of the fear of updating though is the time sink. Even if I attempt to update one mac laptop to the new version (of which I believe there is a new one just released, doesn’t seem long since I last updated…) knowing that I have a safe backup, I dread the thought of spending hours knowing something _should_ be working but is now broken. It can be infuriatin…

Having two servers with an unpatched CVE 10/10 vuln will get both pwned in short to no time.

Or just one, exposing your data in a ransom attack.

Dependency and update management is hard. Welcome to IT.

From my experience, extreme viewpoints and religions are convenient in the way they have answers to all hard questions in life that are simple, clear and wrong.

If you like simple and correct answers, you're usually better off choosing simple questions instead.

Re: Never update anything

#27
I've got some sympathy for this perspective.

It's frustrating when you update in order to get the latest security updates - and you get forced to do a bunch of pointless busywork because some asshole has made some arbitrary change like deciding that 'which' is deprecated now.

Re: Never update anything

#29

If the software you are using auto-updates and you lose business or esteem of peers -- it's YOUR fault. Allowing most software companies to update anything on an running functioning work-related machine that you use to make $$, is ASKING FOR IT. WHEN it breaks something that is your fault for being so stupid. I update software in most cases by installing it on another machine/device and then once it is confirmed to w…

If you're running software maintained by someone else and you don't let them do that, and there's a security or major bug fix and you lose business or esteem of peers -- it's YOUR fault. Ignoring upstream security fixes on a work-related machine that you use to make $$, is ASKING FOR IT. WHEN it breaks something that is your fault for being so stupid. Neither of these extremisms are helpful. It's clearly more nuanced…

Of course it is. Context matters. I was trying to keep with the spirit of the article: 'Here's a fair warning: this article is reductio ad absurdum, therefore you shouldn't take it as gospel. ' Usually though in my experience, if you also control the network, then most security updates can wait to be tested on a non-production machine. Also it helps to Never ever use Windows.

Re: Never update anything

#30
post #12

As a red teamer/pentester, this is an attacker's dream. This has to be a joke.

In general, of course. However, the article describes the ridiculousness of today's update mania. And there are actually systems that I don't update very often (my OpenBSD-based firewall) without losing any sleep over it. Unfortunately, such systems are very few in the real world.
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