Tag Archives: PSU

How to find latest oracle database patchset

It is sometimes a bit of a hassle, to have the latest patch name or number on hand, when you need them. Ok, you may search on My Oracle Support and save it as custom search. But it may happen that the search is inaccurate and the required patch is not found. A much easier way is to use the Oracle Metalink Notes, which have been available for a while. These MOS Notes are updated regularly with the latest patch information. My favorite is definitely the Quick Reference to Patch Numbers for Database PSU, SPU(CPU), Bundle Patches and Patchsets [1454618.1]. But there are more interesting MOS notes.

Which Patch’s are available?

MOS notes about patches, patch sets, PSU, SRU and bundle patches :

  • Introduction to Oracle Recommended Patches [756388.1]
    This MOS notes is the main entry to the Oracle recommended patches. It includes further links to Oracle Database, Oracle Enterprise Manager, Oracle Fusion Middleware and other products.
  • Oracle Recommended Patches — Oracle Database [756671.1]
    This notes includes the links for the latest recommended patches of Oracle Databases on Unix and Linux since Oracle 10.2.0.3
  • Oracle Database, Networking and Grid Agent Patches for Microsoft Platforms [161549.1]
    As the name says, this note contains further links for recommended patches of Oracle Databases on Microsoft Windows
  • Quick Reference to Patch Numbers for Database PSU, SPU(CPU), Bundle Patches and Patchsets [1454618.1]
    This MOS note is some kind of a master note for any PSU, CPU, Bundle Patches and Patchset. Here you’ll find any patch number without struggling yourself first through all the Oracle recommendations 🙂
  • Release Schedule of Current Database Releases [742060.1]
    On this MOS Note you do not really find any patch numbers or names but you’ll find the release schedules of upcoming patch set. Ok you do not see an exact date. But at least the quarter of the year.

Which Patch has been installed?

The easies way to list the installed patches in the current ORACLE_HOME is to use the patch utility.

List of installed patches:

$ORACLE_HOME/OPatch/opatch lsinventory

Grep on the patch description:

$ORACLE_HOME/OPatch/opatch lsinventory|grep "Patch description"
Patch description:  "Database Patch Set Update : 11.2.0.3.7 (16619892)"

A more verbose list on the installed patches:

$ORACLE_HOME/OPatch/opatch lsinventory -details

Which Patch has been applied?

The table REGISTRY$HISTORY does contain information on applied patches respectively PSU, SRU or CPU. SinceSince I use this query regularly during the tests of the Critical Patch Update, I have it packed in a handy script ( cpui.sql). 

set linesize 200 pagesize 200
col action_time for a28
col version for a10
col comments for a35
col action for a25
col namespace for a12
select * from registry$history;

Oracle CPU / PSU Pre-Release Announcement Januar 2012

Oracle has recently published the Pre-Release Announcement for the CPU Patch. This Critical Patch Update contains 78 new security vulnerability fixes for several Oracle products. 2 of these fixes are just for the Oracle Database Server, but none of them is for client-only installations. The maximum CVSS base score for pure Oracle Server vulnerabilities is 5.5, which seams to be not critical. But on the other hand Oracle mention that 1 of this 2 fixes can may be remotely exploitable without authentication. If this is true, I would expect a higher CVSS rating. We will see it next week in detailed. Nevertheless the following Database Server Products are affected.

  • Core RDBMS
  • Listener

So far the Database Server Patch’s are planned for Oracle Database 11g Release 2 (11.2.0.2,11.2.0.3), Oracle Database 11g Release (11.2.0.7), Oracle Database 10g Release 2 (10.2.0.3, 10.2.0.4, 10.2.0.5) and Oracle Database 10g Release 1 (10.1.0.5). It looks like that the first CPU in 2012 is as well the first one for 11.2.0.3.

The official release for the CPU / PSU is planned for next week 17 Januar 2012. More details about the patch will follow soon on the Oracle Security Pages:

Oracle CPU / PSU Pre-Release Announcement October 2011

Oracle has recently published the Pre-Release Announcement for the CPU Patch. This Critical Patch Update contains 56 new security vulnerability fixes for several Oracle products. 4 of these fixes are just for the Oracle Database Server, but none of them is for client-only installations. The maximum CVSS base score for pure Oracle Server vulnerabilities is 6.5, which is high but not critical. The following Database Server Products are affected.

  • Application Express
  • Core RDBMS
  • Database Vault
  • Oracle Text

So far the Database Server Patch’s are planned for Oracle Database 11g Release 2 (11.2.0.2), Oracle Database 11g Release (11.2.0.7), Oracle Database 10g Release 2 (10.2.0.3, 10.2.0.4, 10.2.0.5) and Oracle Database 10g Release 1 (10.1.0.5). There seems to be no CPU patch for 11.2.0.3.

The official release for the CPU / PSU is planned for next week 18 October 2011. More details about the patch will follow soon on the Oracle Security Pages: