up2date starts it's update process, but fails and then stops the update process when trying to update this file. Here is the log output for the system.

--------------------- up2date Begin ------------------------


**Unmatched Entries**
solving dep for: ['perl(Archive::Tar)', 'base-fonts']
solving dep for: ['base-fonts']
solving dep for: ['base-fonts']
Package perl-Archive-Tar-1.30-1.el4.rf has a unknown GPG signature.
Updating package profile

---------------------- up2date End -------------------------

And here is the log output from up2date.

perl-Archive-Tar-1.30-1.el4 Retrieved.
warning: rpmts_HdrFromFdno: V3 DSA signature: NOKEY, key ID 6b8d79e6
The package perl-Archive-Tar-1.30-1.el4.rf is signed, but with an unknown GPG key. Aborting...
Package perl-Archive-Tar-1.30-1.el4.rf has a unknown GPG signature.
Aborting...

Now I do get an error from rkhunter as well, possibly related?

Warning: Application 'gpg', version '1.2.6', is out of date, and possibly a security risk.

And occasionally CLAM gives me an error about being able to read compressed files stating the program is not installed (to decompress).

Any suggestions?

If the rpm package you are downloading is not signed... this will happen.

To resolve it just use (double check the syntax) "up2date --download perl-Archive-Tar". That should save the rpm to (i believe) /var/cache/up2date/. cd into the directory and install the RPM manually using "rpm --nosignature -i perl-Archive-Tar".

Got the abort still right after download....what would be the switch to ignore signature?

Also under RHEL4 it goes to /var/spool/up2date (just FYI for a anyone else reading this post)

Off the top of my head, I don't think there is a flag for up2date to ignore signature. This is why I suggested earlier to use the up2date to download the rpm. Then to install it using rpm, since rpm has --nosignature.

Another idea would be to change your up2date configuration to skip the gpg signature check. Then once your done, you can change it back.
To do this:
"up2date --nox --configure"
change the line that says useGPG to no.

EDIT:

Better yet... just do this...

root@server [~]# rpm -q perl-Archive-Tar
package perl-Archive-Tar is not installed
root@server [~]# wget ftp://ftp.pbone.net/mirror/dag.wieers.com...4.rf.noarch.rpm
--04:56:35-- ftp://ftp.pbone.net/mirror/dag.wieers.com...4.rf.noarch.rpm
=> `perl-Archive-Tar-1.30-1.el4.rf.noarch.rpm'
Resolving ftp.pbone.net... 85.14.85.4
Connecting to ftp.pbone.net|85.14.85.4|:21... connected.
Logging in as anonymous ... Logged in!
==> SYST ... done. ==> PWD ... done.
==> TYPE I ... done. ==> CWD /mirror/dag.wieers.com/packages/perl-Archive-Tar ... done.
==> PASV ... done. ==> RETR perl-Archive-Tar-1.30-1.el4.rf.noarch.rpm ... done.
Length: 47,333 (46K) (unauthoritative)

100%[===============================================================================
================>] 47,333 69.07K/s

04:56:38 (68.85 KB/s) - `perl-Archive-Tar-1.30-1.el4.rf.noarch.rpm' saved [47333]

root@server [~]# rpm -i perl-Archive-Tar-1.30-1.el4.rf.noarch.rpm
warning: perl-Archive-Tar-1.30-1.el4.rf.noarch.rpm: V3 DSA signature: NOKEY, key ID 6b8d79e6
root@server [~]# rpm -q perl-Archive-Tar
perl-Archive-Tar-1.30-1.el4.rf
root@server [~]#