On Debian based GNU / Linux distros, there are some critical packages which need to be disabled to update during the common routine apt-get update && apt-get upgrade which is a almost daily part of Debian sysadmin living. Example for packages which are good to mark not to upgrade are for example; linux kernel, java virtual machine, adobe flash plugin, etc.
Setting a package to omit upgrade on system package update for adobe flash plugin for example is with:
# echo adobe-flashplugin hold | dpkg –set-selections
debian:~# echo adobe-flash-properties-gtk hold | dpkg --set-selections
debian:~# echo flashplugin-nonfree-extrasound hold | dpkg --set-selections
To do deb package update on hold for kernel;
debian:~# echo linux-image-generic hold | dpkg --set-selections
debian:~# echo linux-image-3.2.0-38-generic | dpkg --set-selections
Do the same for as many packages which seem to break up on updates and when, you explicitly want remove the hold/s run:
debian:~# echo adobe-flashplugin install | dpkg --set-selections
....
debian:~# echo linux-image-generic install | dpkg --set-selections