[linux-security] new check-rpms available

[Martin Siegert <siegert@sfu.ca>]

check-rpms is a script that checks the installed rpm packages on a RedHat
Linux box and lists those packages that need to be updated.

I have completely rewritten check-rpms. Here are a few high-lights of the
new version:

- check-rpms can now be used either with a NFS mounted distribution
  (such as the patched RedHat distributions on sphinx) or with a ftp
  server. The latter mode allows you to use check-rpms on your
  computer at home as well (or on any off-campus computer for that matter).

- check-rpms does version checking, i.e., it no longer assumes that the
  package in the mounted distribution or on the ftp server is newer.

- check-rpms is distributed as a rpm package. It includes a man page and
  a default configuration file. You probably want to change the defaults
  in the configuration file to suit your needs. E.g., for Canadian users
  it is probably a good idea to use

$FTPSERVER = "ftp.crc.ca";
$FTPUPDATES = "pub/systems/linux/redhat/ftp.redhat.com/linux/updates/6.2/en/os";

  as ftp servers.

- please read the man page

I would appreciate comments, suggestions, bug reports on check-rpms.

check-rpms is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but without
any warranty (GPL license). I did test it for more than a week and hopefully
found all of the more severe bugs. 

Cheers,
Martin

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Martin Siegert
Academic Computing Services                        phone: (604) 291-4691
Simon Fraser University                            fax:   (604) 291-4242
Burnaby, British Columbia                          email: siegert@sfu.ca
Canada  V5A 1S6
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