Problem
A broken host package manager is both a maintenance problem and a security tell. When apt is wedged (or has been silently hooked so it reports 0 pending while the host is demonstrably behind), the host looks best-maintained precisely when it is least healthy — and nothing on the host flags it. PMSS has no periodic apt-health signal today.
Scope of THIS issue (one task)
A lightweight periodic apt-health canary — a /scripts/cron/ check on a longer cadence (~every 2 weeks), staggered by hostname-hash like the other PMSS crons, logging to /var/log/pmss/, surfacing only on a problem:
apt-get update / apt-get -s upgrade exits non-zero, or
- reports
0 upgradable while the host is measurably behind (e.g. installed kernel/base older than the suite's current), or
- dpkg is in a broken/half-configured state
Reporting discipline
Clean = silent (log + exit). Only a problem surfaces. Generic maintenance signal, low cadence, low noise.
Definition of done
- check implemented + tested against a healthy host and a wedged-apt fixture
root.cron wired with hostname-hash stagger, ~2-week cadence
- ADR only if the reviewer judges it a significant enough behaviour change; otherwise ships via normal update
Context
Companion to the host security self-scan (#955) — same cron harness, different concern (maintenance, not IOC). Kept separate per one-issue-one-task.
Tier-3 declared at filing: --why needs-fleet-coordination — GH#631 tier gate. Declared fix size: 80 lines vs 25-line body — size gate (operator directive 2026-07-29). Owner: etc/seedbox/config/root.cron in MagnaCapax/PMSS — owner gate.
Problem
A broken host package manager is both a maintenance problem and a security tell. When
aptis wedged (or has been silently hooked so it reports0 pendingwhile the host is demonstrably behind), the host looks best-maintained precisely when it is least healthy — and nothing on the host flags it. PMSS has no periodic apt-health signal today.Scope of THIS issue (one task)
A lightweight periodic apt-health canary — a
/scripts/cron/check on a longer cadence (~every 2 weeks), staggered by hostname-hash like the other PMSS crons, logging to/var/log/pmss/, surfacing only on a problem:apt-get update/apt-get -s upgradeexits non-zero, or0 upgradablewhile the host is measurably behind (e.g. installed kernel/base older than the suite's current), orReporting discipline
Clean = silent (log + exit). Only a problem surfaces. Generic maintenance signal, low cadence, low noise.
Definition of done
root.cronwired with hostname-hash stagger, ~2-week cadenceContext
Companion to the host security self-scan (#955) — same cron harness, different concern (maintenance, not IOC). Kept separate per one-issue-one-task.
Tier-3 declared at filing:
--why needs-fleet-coordination— GH#631 tier gate. Declared fix size:80lines vs 25-line body — size gate (operator directive 2026-07-29). Owner:etc/seedbox/config/root.cronin MagnaCapax/PMSS — owner gate.