---
title: Uninstall talk Package
description: Datadog, the leading service for cloud-scale monitoring.
breadcrumbs: Docs > Datadog Security > OOTB Rules > Uninstall talk Package
---

> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.datadoghq.com/llms.txt).

# Uninstall talk Package
 
## Description{% #description %}

The `talk` package contains the client program for the Internet talk protocol, which allows the user to chat with other users on different systems. Talk is a communication program which copies lines from one terminal to the terminal of another user. The `talk` package can be removed with the following command:

```
$ apt-get remove talk
```

## Rationale{% #rationale %}

The talk software presents a security risk as it uses unencrypted protocols for communications. Removing the `talk` package decreases the risk of the accidental (or intentional) activation of talk client program.

## Remediation{% #remediation %}

### Shell script{% #shell-script %}

The following script can be run on the host to remediate the issue.

```bash
#!/bin/bash

# CAUTION: This remediation script will remove talk
# from the system, and may remove any packages
# that depend on talk. Execute this
# remediation AFTER testing on a non-production
# system!


# check wether the package is virtual: if not, purge it.
# if the package is virtual, iterate on providers
#  if a provider is installed, purge it
is_virtual=`apt-cache showpkg "talk" | grep -Pzc 'Versions: \n\n'`
if [ $is_virtual = 1 ]; then
    rprovides_line=`apt-cache showpkg "talk" | grep -n 'Reverse Provides:' | cut -f1 -d:`
    pkglist=`apt-cache showpkg "talk" | tail -n +$(($rprovides_line + 1)) | cut -f1 -d' '`
    for package in $pkglist; do
        # dpkg-query reports the config-files state of a removed provider,
        # which apt-cache policy shows as not installed.
        status=`dpkg-query -W -f='${db:Status-Status}' "$package" 2>/dev/null`
        if [ -n "$status" ] && [ "$status" != not-installed ]; then
            DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get -o DPkg::Lock::Timeout=60 purge -y "$package"
        fi
    done
else
    DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get -o DPkg::Lock::Timeout=60 purge -y "talk"
fi
```

### Ansible playbook{% #ansible-playbook %}

The following playbook can be run with Ansible to remediate the issue.

```
- name: 'Uninstall talk Package: Ensure talk is removed'
  ansible.builtin.apt:
    name: talk
    state: absent
    purge: true
  tags:
  - PCI-DSSv4-2.2
  - PCI-DSSv4-2.2.4
  - disable_strategy
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - no_reboot_needed
  - package_talk_removed
```