Automating System Updates with Unattended-Upgrades on Ubuntu

Maintaining an up-to-date system is crucial for security and stability. On Debian and Ubuntu systems, the unattended-upgrades package simplifies this process by automating the installation of security updates and essential package upgrades. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of installing, configuring, and managing unattended-upgrades to ensure your system remains secure with minimal manual intervention.

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To automate the installation and configuration of Unattended-Upgrades on Ubuntu 24.04 you can create a shell script that performs the following tasks:

1. Install the Unattended-Upgrades Package: Ensure the package is installed.
2. Enable Automatic Updates: Configure the system to perform daily package list updates and unattended upgrades.
3. Configure Unattended-Upgrades: Modify settings to include regular package updates and set up email notifications.

Here’s a script that accomplishes these steps:

#!/bin/bash

# Update package lists and install unattended-upgrades
sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y unattended-upgrades

# Enable automatic updates
sudo tee /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/20auto-upgrades > /dev/null 

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