Questions[motd](ubuntu)

I'm attempting to get the MOTD to appear on login. Got an old box recently updated and running 18.04.4 LTS. The default MOTD scripts all exist in /etc/update-motd.d/, are set to +x and run successfully using run-parts.

sshd_config:

UsePAM yes
PrintMotd no

pam.d/sshd:

session    optional     pam_motd.so  motd=/run/motd.dynamic
session    optional     pam_motd.so noupdate

Also no sign of a .hushlogin file for the user.

When sshing into my machine, I see the following:

Welcome to Ubuntu 18.04.1 LTS (GNU/Linux 4.15.6-sound-29 x86_64)

 * Documentation:  https://help.ubuntu.com
 * Management:     https://landscape.canonical.com
 * Support:        https://ubuntu.com/advantage

 * Security certifications for Ubuntu!
   We now have FIPS, STIG, CC and a CIS Benchmark.

   - http://bit.ly/Security_Certification

 * Want to make a highly secure kiosk, smart display or touchscreen?
   Here's a step-by-step tutorial for a rainy weekend, or a startup.

   - https://bit.ly/secure-kiosk


 * Canonical Livepatch is available for installation.
   - Reduce system reboots and improve kernel security. Activate at:
     https://ubuntu.com/livepatch

0 packages can be updated.
0 updates are security updates.

Last login: Sat Oct 13 18:31:05 2018 from ::1

How to disable these advertisements, without disabling the update and login parts (the Want to make a highly secure kiosk, smart display or touchscreen? ... part)?

Given that an IOT device running Ubuntu 16.04, I would like to restrict network or internet consumption. Thus, I am looking for two things here.

1. Identify (& Stop) all ubuntu services causing internet connectivity.(List) I have identified some endpoints that ubuntu tries to connect here.

   a. Whoopsie (Crash reporting)

   b. Changelogs.ubuntu.com (MOTD?)

   c. ubuntu updates

   I would like to know any more such endpoint/services, mostly interested in disabling all of these Ubuntu specific network activity. Please help me Identify such services to be added to the list of services to be disabled.

2. Enable network connectivity for these services only when connected to network which is set as non-metered. ( I am facing issue setting my current modem connection as metered for which I will use separate thread)

NOTE:

1. At this time, my application shall use network. I am just trying to curb all other applications shipped by default from Ubuntu which tries to access internet.

2. Also, I am trying to disable these services and not ufw because, given this is IOT device I would like to stop applications from running than ufw restricting the access.

There is another question which covers some suggestions for changing the motd on modern ubuntu systems which do not have /etc/motd.

However, the other question does not ask (or tell) where the current Ubuntu MOTD is being stored. Where is it?

Every so often, I'll SSH into a box with unattended-upgrades and be greeted with "** System restart required ***" with no additional information.

My '/var/run/reboot-required.pkgs' file contains:

linux-image-3.13.0-61-generic
linux-base
linux-base
linux-base

I don't mind rebooting, but I don't like rebooting without having details of WHY I should reboot in the first place. Above, I see two packages triggered the message, but there's no explanation beyond that.

Is there a way to get additional details about the reason for the reboot to also show up on SSH sign in?

Ideally, I would like to pull in a file that contains something human-readable like, "Package xyz was updated at [date/time]. It needed to modify files a, b, and c but could not because the system blocked/would block the action. During the next reboot, files a, b, and c will be replaced." But something not completely human-readable is probably okay too.