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Learn how to acquire and apply vendor patches to your operating system and applications.
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Use an available secure system to download patches to apply to a new Unix installation.
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Verify software with PGP signatures. Make sure you obtain the author's PGP key from a trusted source (or multiple independent sources).
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Check the MD5 checksum of downloaded software.
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Read mailing lists that publish general security announcements.
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Read mailing lists devoted to your vendors ' products.
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Consider when and how you will back out a patch that doesn't work.