DNF Automatic No security updates needed, but 123 updates available

Rocky Linux Help & Support
1

Hi,

I am using rocky8.10 and configured to pull security updates through dnf. I see nd flog is printing “Automatic No security updates needed, but 123 updates available”, I am bit confused why dnf is not installing those security patches/updates as it see there are some updates available? I am missing anything?

systemctl list-timers --all | grep dnf-automaticWed 2026-01-14 06:55:23 UTC  12h left      Tue 2026-01-13 06:05:26 UTC  12h ago   dnf-automatic.timer          dnf-automatic.service

dnf.log

grep "security updates" /var/log/dnf.*
/var/log/dnf.log:2025-12-30T06:45:58+0000 WARNING No security updates needed, but 123 updates available
/var/log/dnf.log:2025-12-31T06:04:58+0000 WARNING No security updates needed, but 123 updates available
/var/log/dnf.log:2026-01-01T06:16:35+0000 WARNING No security updates needed, but 123 updates available
/var/log/dnf.log:2026-01-02T06:48:58+0000 WARNING No security updates needed, but 123 updates available
/var/log/dnf.log:2026-01-03T06:51:31+0000 WARNING No security updates needed, but 123 updates available
/var/log/dnf.log:2026-01-04T06:23:33+0000 WARNING No security updates needed, but 123 updates available
/var/log/dnf.log:2026-01-05T06:27:59+0000 WARNING No security updates needed, but 123 updates available
/var/log/dnf.log:2026-01-06T06:34:59+0000 WARNING No security updates needed, but 123 updates available
/var/log/dnf.log:2026-01-07T06:02:00+0000 WARNING No security updates needed, but 123 updates available
/var/log/dnf.log:2026-01-08T06:20:08+0000 WARNING No security updates needed, but 123 updates available
/var/log/dnf.log:2026-01-09T06:34:26+0000 WARNING No security updates needed, but 124 updates available
/var/log/dnf.log:2026-01-11T06:27:36+0000 WARNING No security updates needed, but 123 updates available
/var/log/dnf.log:2026-01-12T06:37:00+0000 WARNING No security updates needed, but 123 updates available
/var/log/dnf.log:2026-01-13T06:05:34+0000 WARNING No security updates needed, but 123 updates available
/var/log/dnf.log.1:2025-12-09T06:32:06+0000 WARNING No security updates needed, but 105 updates available
/var/log/dnf.log.1:2025-12-10T06:17:57+0000 WARNING No security updates needed, but 105 updates available
2

Not all updates are security updates. Not all updates are tagged as security updates in the errata though there has been work to correct a lot of this.

IMO: You are recommended to update your system fully using dnf update. I would not fully rely on the security only updates feature of dnf.

1 Like
3

OK. Thank you. But dnf updateinfo list security should only list security right ? and if your automatic config only enable security it should only look for security updates?

4

should only list available updates that have been correctly marked as security

It is way easier and safer to run dnf up – auto or manual is up to you.