---
name: "check-support-status"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "debian-security-support"
version: "1:13+2026.01.04"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/check-support-status"
---

# check-support-status(1)

check installed packages for security support (debian-security-support)

## NAME

check-support-status - check installed packages for security support (debian-security-support)

## VERSION

Version 1:13+2026.01.04

## SYNOPSIS

Search for packages whose support is limited, has already ended or will end earlier than the distribution’s end of life:

```
    check-support-status
```

Search for packages with ended support from a custom list, reporting each package only once:

```
    check-support-status \
        --type ended \
        --status-db /path/to/status-db \
        --list /path/to/security-support-ended
```

## OPTIONS

- **--list** *FILE*

  Use the given file as the database of packages whose support ends at a particular date or that is limited by specific conditions. The file format is plain text in columns, separated by one or more whitespace characters.

  For --type earlyend:

  • source package name

  • last package version that will be supported

  • the date support will end

  • the rest (optional): details, and/or a URL for further information.

  For --type ended:

  • source package name

  • last package version that is supported

  • the date support was ended

  • the rest (optional): details, and/or a URL for further information.

  For --type limited:

  • source package name

  • the rest (optional): details, and/or a URL for further information.

  If no "--list" is provided, the script is run for limited and date-defined end of support, using the lists shipped in the package.

  By default, check-support-status evaluates the status of the packages according to the Debian version where it runs upon. This behavior can be modified using the DEBIAN\_VERSION environment variable, e.g.

  ```
  DEBIAN_VERSION=9 check-support-status
  ```

- **--no-heading**

  Skips printing a headline.

- **--status-db** *FILE*

  Use the given file to record alerts so each affected package is reported only once.

  Default: No records, any affected package will be reported every time.

- **--except** *PACKAGES*

  Do not alert for the given binary packages (comma-separated list).

  Default: Alert for all packages (no exceptions).

- **--type** *TYPE*

  One of the following:

  • "earlyend": Alert for packages whose support will end earlier than the distribution’s.

  • "ended": Alert for packages where security support has ended.

  • "limited": Alert for packages where security support is limited.

- **--version, --Version, -V**

  Show the version number and exit.

## BUGS

Installations with mixed distributions like half-stable, half-testing are not supported.

## AUTHOR

Christoph Biedl \<debian.axhn@manchmal.in-ulm.de\>

## COPYRIGHT & LICENSE

```
Copyright (C) 2014 Christoph Biedl <debian.axhn@manchmal.in-ulm.de>
This package is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
version 2 as published by the Free Software Foundation.
This package is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
GNU General Public License for more details.
You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
along with this program. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>
On Debian systems, the complete text of the GNU General Public
License version 2 can be found in
"/usr/share/common-licenses/GPL-2".
```