Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Computing
  3. Guides

How to update Ubuntu to plug the Heartbleed OpenSSL flaw

By

The Heartbleed OpenSSL bug is unlike virtually any Internet security threat you’ve probably ever heard of. It’s not a virus that’s specific to one operating system or type of device. Since it revolves around a flaw in the method of encryption used by many of the world’s websites, it affects almost everyone who uses the Internet, including people who operate servers that run Ubuntu Linux, the free, open-source operating system.

MORE: Which websites are affected by the Heartbleed OpenSSL encryption bug?

Recommended Videos

Fortunately, with the help of a few commands, you can check whether the version of Ubuntu you’re using is vulnerable to the Heartbleed bug, and also update Ubuntu to ensure that the vulnerability is sealed and patched. It’s important to note that multiple versions of Ubuntu are affected, including Ubuntu 12.04 LTS, Ubuntu 12.10, and Ubuntu 13.10, so it’s imperative that you ensure that the version you run is safe — or update to one that is. Here’s how, according to ansoncheunghk.info.

  1. First, run this command: # sudo openssl version -a. What’s important here is the line that starts with “built on,” which gives you a date for the version of Ubuntu you’re running on your server. If you’re using a version dated before April 7, it is vulnerable to the Heartbleed bug. If it’s dated on or after April 7, you’re in the clear. Here’s what to do if you aren’t, like the the version pictured below, which is dated June 4, 2013.
ubuntu command 1
Image used with permission by copyright holder

           2. Run this command: # sudo apt-get dist-upgrade. This will patch your version of Ubuntu with the latest security update.

ubuntu command 2
Image used with permission by copyright holder

              3. Then restart your Ubuntu server using this command: # sudo reboot. Once reboot is complete, use the same command you used in Step 1 to verify that your Ubuntu install is dated for April 7 or later by checking the line that begins with “built on.”

ubuntu command 3
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Do you have any other tips for how to make Ubuntu safe from the Heartbleed bug? If so, please share them in the comments below.

Related: 
The 8 best TVs for gaming in 2025, as vetted by our experts

MORE: How to check if a website is vulnerable to the Heartbleed bug

Image credit: http://www.themebin.com

Body image credits: http://www.ansoncheunghk.info

Konrad Krawczyk
Konrad Krawczyk
Computing Editor
Konrad covers desktops, laptops, tablets, sports tech and subjects in between for Digital Trends. Prior to joining DT, he…
Topics

Editors’ Recommendations

AMD’s RDNA 4 may surprise us in more ways than one
AMD RX 7800 XT and RX 7700 XT graphics cards.

Thanks to all the leaks, I thought I knew what to expect with AMD's upcoming RDNA 4. It turns out I may have been wrong on more than one account.

The latest leaks reveal that AMD's upcoming best graphics card may not be called the RX 8800 XT, as most leakers predicted, but will instead be referred to as the  RX 9070 XT. In addition, the first leaked benchmark of the GPU gives us a glimpse into the kind of performance we can expect, which could turn out to be a bit of a letdown.

Read more
This futuristic mechanical keyboard will set you back an eye-watering $1,600
Hands typing on The Icebreaker keyboard.

I've complained plenty about how some of the best gaming keyboards are too expensive, from the Razer Black Widow V4 75% to the Wooting 80HE, but nothing comes remotely close to The Icebreaker. Announced nearly a year ago by Serene Industries, The Icebreaker is unlike any keyboard I've ever seen -- and it's priced accordingly at $1,600. Plus shipping, of course.

What could justify such an extravagant price? Aluminum, it turns out. The keyboard is constructed of one single block of 6061 aluminum in what Serene Industries calls an "unorthodox wedge form." As if that wasn't enough metal, the keycaps are also made of aluminum, and Serene says they include "about 800" micro-perforations that allow the LED backlight of the keyboard to shine through.

Read more
Google one-ups Microsoft by making chats easier to transfer
Google Spaces in Google Chat on a MacBook.

In a recent blog post, Google announced that it is making it easier for admins to migrate from Microsoft Teams to Google Chat to reduce downtime. Admins can easily do this within the Google Chat migration menu and connect to opposing Microsoft accounts to transfer Teams data.

Google gave step-by-step instructions for admins on how to transfer the messages. Admins need to connect to their Microsoft account and upload a CSV of the Teams from where they transfer the messages. From there, it requires just entering a starting date for messages to be migrated from Teams and clicking Star migration. Once it's complete, it'll make the migrated space, messages, and conversation data available to Google Workspace users.

Read more