freebsd security - Apr 2008 - openssldoesn't -overwrite-base again (was: FreeBSD-SA-08:05.openssh)

I'd like to thank the openssh-portable port maintainer/s for
preserving the -overwrite-base option. This eases our systems and
security update jobs measurably.

Unfortunately, openSSL has dropped the -overwrite-base option
(again), leaving us with two versions of openssl and some
confusion over A) which version of openssl a new port or upgrade
(i.e., openssh) will use, and B) how to update systems with
openssl-overwrite-base installed.

Is there a best practice/recommendation for updating
openssl-overwrite-base without having to maintain multiple
versions?

Roger Marquis
Roble Systems Consulting

Dirk Meyer wrote:
> The -overwrite-base option was only functional on FreeBSD 4.x
> With FreeBSD 5.x the libs are spread in /lib and /usr/lib, so
> even if the ports overwrite base libs, some tools still use the
> old (unpatched) libs from /lib.
Couldn't this be addressed simply by removing the old libs,
possibly replacing with symlinks, in coordination with the
standard/base?

We shouldn't need to worry about base applications linked to the
old libs anyhow, unless a base app is making unreasonable
expectations. Better to fix those bugs in base, IMO, than have
multiple versions of key libraries.

Roger Marquis