diff -Nru /tmp/uDXFbs1dZM/python-apt-0.6.16.2ubuntu8/apt/progress.py /tmp/9KfoHakxTj/python-apt-0.6.16.2ubuntu8.1/apt/progress.py
--- /tmp/uDXFbs1dZM/python-apt-0.6.16.2ubuntu8/apt/progress.py	2006-03-02 14:34:19.000000000 +0100
+++ /tmp/9KfoHakxTj/python-apt-0.6.16.2ubuntu8.1/apt/progress.py	2007-01-30 10:47:24.000000000 +0100
@@ -167,7 +167,12 @@
                 if self.read.endswith("\n"):
                     s = self.read
                     #print s
-                    (status, pkg, percent, status_str) = string.split(s, ":")
+                    try:
+                        (status, pkg, percent, status_str) = string.split(s, ":",3)
+                    except ValueError, e:
+                        # silently ignore lines that can't be parsed
+                        self.read = ""
+                        return
                     #print "percent: %s %s" % (pkg, float(percent)/100.0)
                     if status == "pmerror":
                         self.error(pkg,status_str)
diff -Nru /tmp/uDXFbs1dZM/python-apt-0.6.16.2ubuntu8/debian/changelog /tmp/9KfoHakxTj/python-apt-0.6.16.2ubuntu8.1/debian/changelog
--- /tmp/uDXFbs1dZM/python-apt-0.6.16.2ubuntu8/debian/changelog	2006-05-17 19:29:27.000000000 +0200
+++ /tmp/9KfoHakxTj/python-apt-0.6.16.2ubuntu8.1/debian/changelog	2007-01-30 10:47:46.000000000 +0100
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+python-apt (0.6.16.2ubuntu8.1) dapper-proposed; urgency=low
+
+  * protect against not-parsable strings send from dpkg (lp: 68553)
+
+ -- Michael Vogt <michael.vogt@ubuntu.com>  Tue, 30 Jan 2007 10:47:46 +0100
+
 python-apt (0.6.16.2ubuntu8) dapper; urgency=low
 
   * apt/package.py: