Avoid dnf update

MEDIUM

Avoid 'dnf update' in Dockerfiles. Use specific base image versions for reproducible builds.

Rule Information

Language
Docker
Category
Best Practice
Author
Shivasurya
Shivasurya
Last Updated
2026-03-22
Tags
dockerdockerfilednfpackage-managerfedorarhelupdatereproducibilitybest-practiceanti-pattern
CWE References

Interactive Playground

Experiment with the vulnerable code and security rule below. Edit the code to see how the rule detects different vulnerability patterns.

pathfinder scan --ruleset docker/DOCKER-BP-009 --project .
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rule.py
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About This Rule

Understanding the vulnerability and how it is detected

Detects use of 'dnf update' in Dockerfiles. Running system updates in Docker builds creates unpredictable, non-reproducible images and can introduce breaking changes or security vulnerabilities.

How to Fix

Recommended remediation steps

  • 1Review your Dockerfile to address the avoid dnf update issue
  • 2Follow Docker official best practices for image building
  • 3Use docker build --check to validate Dockerfile syntax and best practices

References

External resources and documentation

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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Avoid dnf update

Avoid 'dnf update' in Dockerfiles. Use specific base image versions for reproducible builds.
Review the secure code example in the playground above and apply the recommended pattern to your Dockerfile or docker-compose.yml.

New feature

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The Avoid dnf update rule runs in CI and posts inline review comments on the exact lines — no dashboard, no SARIF viewer.

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