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Automatic security updates on Ubuntu Server

Configure unattended-upgrades so security patches install automatically without manual intervention -- reduces the window a known vulnerability stays unpatched on a server nobody logs into daily.

Target: Ubuntu 22.04 LTS / 24.04 LTSSecurityMaintenanceOfficial homepage ↗Official docs ↗
This guide is synthesized from Automatic security updates on Ubuntu Server's own official documentation, linked above — always cross-check exact package/version names there before running these commands on a production server, since distro and project versions move over time.

  1. 1Install unattended-upgrades

    sudo apt update
    sudo apt install unattended-upgrades apt-listchanges

  2. 2Enable it

    Choose "Yes" on the prompt -- this enables the daily systemd timer that applies updates.

    sudo dpkg-reconfigure --priority=low unattended-upgrades

  3. 3Review what gets auto-updated

    cat /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/50unattended-upgrades

    By default only the -security repository is included. Uncomment additional origins in this file only if you specifically want full unattended upgrades, not just security patches.

  4. 4Verify it's actually running

    sudo unattended-upgrade --dry-run --debug