Hello DJ,
When we run SuSE update, are the security fixes included?
--> When you run the "Online update" from yast (or yast2 for SuSE 7.3 and earlier), you will get all security fixes that were provided by SuSE for your distribution. Install all that are marked with an "X" in the list. If you want to be 100% sure that all services are running with the newest version, reboot your computer after the update. This is not really necessary but makes you 100% sure (instead of 99%).
Is there a way to view only security fixes for 8.1 at SuSE?
--> Use your favourite FTP-client and have a look at: ftp://ftp.suse.com/pub/suse/i386/update/8.1/
How do you tell if an application has the fix on or not? For example, if someone takes over the management of the system and they want to validate what is on and what isn't?
--> The command "rpm -q Packagename" (e.g. "rpm -q bindutils") will give you the installed version for the specified package. If there is no newer one on the FTP-server, you already have the newest one. "rpm -qa" shows all installed packages. If you want to make sure everything is up-to-date, you should run Yast Online Update. HTH, Armin -- Am Hasenberg 26 office: Institut für Atmosphärenphysik D-18209 Bad Doberan Schloss-Straße 6 Tel. ++49-(0)38203/42137 D-18225 Kühlungsborn / GERMANY Email: schoech@iap-kborn.de Tel. +49-(0)38293-68-102 WWW: http://armins.cjb.net/ Fax. +49-(0)38293-68-50