What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Not automatically. A package being listed in Synology Package Center—or available through a community repository—does not mean Synology has certified it as safe. Before installing or keeping one, check its source, requested privileges and data access, compatibility with your NAS and DSM version, and whether its maintainer still supports it. DSM 7 adds safeguards around package privileges, but those controls cannot guarantee that a third-party package is secure or privacy-friendly.
What Synology’s listing and warnings do—and don’t—tell you
Package Center is a way to distribute packages, not a security certification. Synology says third-party packages may collect additional information about users or devices, and that it cannot completely verify developers’ claims or take responsibility for their practices. A Package Center listing or a connection to a community repository therefore does not establish that a package is secure, private, or actively maintained. Synology’s Services Data Collection Disclosure explains that boundary.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
On DSM 7, a warning that a community package comes from a third party means Synology has not verified it; it is not proof that the package is malicious. Likewise, an installation warning or the absence of a signature is not, on its own, evidence of malware. Treat the warning as a cue to review the publisher, access requested, and maintenance record. SynoCommunity’s installation guide describes the warning shown to DSM 7 users.
Why package permissions matter
A package’s risk depends partly on what it can access. A tool that only needs a specific shared folder has a narrower scope than one that needs broad file access, accounts, network services, or root-level privileges. Ask whether each permission is necessary for the feature you want.
#1 Best Overall
- Your Personal Streaming Server - Build your own Netflix-style media library and stream 4K movies, shows and photos to any device without monthly fees
- Create Your Own Cloud - Store your entire photo, video and music collection; access from anywhere with fast 282 MB/s transfer speeds
- Creator-Grade Backup Solution - Protect your irreplaceable content with automated backups to cloud services, external drives and remote NAS
- Multi-Layered Data Protection - Combine RAID redundancy, automated backups and snapshot technology to prevent data loss from any cause
- Smart Home Surveillance - Support up to 30 IP cameras with AI detection, instant alerts and secure remote monitoring
Synology warns that packages with root privileges can run commands as root and compromise system security. DSM 7 introduced a lower-privilege package model and restrictions for third-party packages that need root privileges. These measures reduce some exposure; they do not make every package safe. Read Synology’s DSM 7 third-party package guidance and its developer documentation on package privileges before approving unusually broad access.
Check privacy and external connections
Permissions describe what a package can access on the NAS; privacy terms help explain what it may collect or send elsewhere. Before installing, review the package’s privacy notice, license, and terms. Look for disclosures about user or device information, required accounts, and communication with external services. Consider whether the data involved is appropriate for that service and whether you are comfortable with its stated practices. Synology notes that third-party packages may collect additional information and that it cannot completely verify developers’ claims.
Rank #2
- Supports drives on the model's official compatibility list
- Up to 522/565 MB/s sequential read/write throughput supports stable data transfers.
- Dual 2.5GbE ports provide fast network transfer speeds and increased redundancy.
- Leverage built-in file and photo management, data protection, virtualization, and surveillance solutions.
- Backed by Synology's 3-year limited hardware warranty.
How to assess a package before installing or keeping it
- Verify the source. Use the developer’s official source or the community repository you intended to use. If installing an SPK manually, confirm the file and publisher independently. Synology’s package installation guide explains distribution options; availability is not a safety review.
- Confirm compatibility. Check the exact NAS model and CPU architecture, along with the required DSM release. Package Center filters packages for system compatibility, while community package documentation may also list compatibility details and known issues.
- Review access requests. Check requested privileges and shared-folder access, and decide whether each is proportionate to the package’s function. Treat root-level access as especially consequential.
- Read the privacy and service terms. Identify what account, device, or file information the package may use, and whether it communicates with an external service.
- Inspect maintenance evidence. Check release notes, recent updates, unresolved and resolved issues, supported upstream software and runtimes, and whether a maintainer responds to reports.
- Plan updates and recovery. Enable available update notifications, check Package Center routinely, and back up important data and configuration before upgrades or removal.
What active maintenance looks like
Do not infer that a package is maintained just because its repository still exists. For a community package, check whether it is offered for your DSM release and architecture, whether the upstream project still supports the packaged version and runtime, whether issues receive responses, and whether there is a credible path for fixes. SynoCommunity’s living package lifecycle policy describes these kinds of criteria for active packages.
According to that policy, disabled or retired packages stop being built or published. An existing installation may continue to work, but it will not receive further updates through that project. This policy applies to SynoCommunity, not every third-party publisher; for other packages, check the publisher’s own support and update documentation. Synology says users should contact maintainers about packages supplied by developers or communities in its DSM 7 package support information.
Rank #3
- Secure private cloud - Enjoy 100% data ownership and multi-platform access from anywhere
- Easy sharing and syncing - Safely access and share files and media from anywhere, and keep clients, colleagues and collaborators on the same page
- Automated Backup Protection - Set-and-forget backups for Macs, PCs and mobile devices to multiple destinations including cloud and external drives
- Home Security System - Record and monitor your property 24/7 with support for multiple IP cameras and remote viewing
- 2-Year Warranty - Reliable hardware backed by Synology's expert customer support team and ongoing software updates
Updates and uninstalling: two details to verify
Package Center can manage updates and notifications, but automatic updating is not available for every package. Do not assume a package will patch itself: check its update settings and the maintainer’s instructions. SynoCommunity says its packages receive updates through Package Center; the specific update options depend on the package and system settings. Synology describes update configuration in its DSM Package Center configuration guide.
Removal may not delete everything the package stored. SynoCommunity says that on DSM 7, package data remains by default after uninstall unless you select the option to delete it. Before removing a package, decide whether you need its settings or data, and use the deletion option only if you intend to remove them.
Rank #4
- One Place for All Your Data - Consolidate scattered files from multiple computers, phones and external drives into one accessible hub with 100% ownership
- Professional File Collaboration - Share projects with clients, sync documents across teams and maintain version control without Dropbox fees
- Automated Backup Protection - Set-and-forget backups for Macs, PCs and mobile devices to multiple destinations including cloud and external drives
- DIY Surveillance System - Transform IP cameras into a professional monitoring solution with motion alerts, recording schedules and remote viewing
- 2-Year Warranty - Reliable hardware backed by Synology's expert customer support team and ongoing software updates
Can you tell whether a specific package is safe?
Platform-level guidance cannot establish the security status of a package on your NAS. A useful assessment needs the package name and source, NAS model and architecture, DSM version, requested permissions, and current evidence from its maintainer or upstream project. Synology’s DSM 7 support article, last updated June 13, 2022, includes Plex Media Server among the packages it names; that dated example is not an endorsement or a guarantee of current compatibility. Verify current status with the package maintainer.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Professional Video Editing Hub - Edit 4K and 8K footage directly over network with blistering 1,181 MB/s speeds; support multiple editors working simultaneously
- Massive Media Library - Start with 100TB, expand to 300TB using DX525 units as your video projects, RAW photos and audio libraries grow
- 10GbE Network Ready - Upgrade to 10-Gigabit networking for post-production teams working on shared high-resolution projects
- Advanced Media Management - Stream content to clients organize thousands of assets with AI tagging and maintain project version control
- 3-Year Warranty & Enterprise Support - Dedicated technical account management is available for business-critical production environments
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
