From 28 November 2022, Magento has ended all official support for any versions older than 2.4.3. Though Magento sites using earlier versions of Magento i.e., 2.4.0 to 2.4.3 will continue to operate, Magento will no longer actively search for vulnerabilities within these versions and will not support any security and quality patches and stability issues.
What can you expect after this change?
- Magento will no longer create any further product, functional, quality, security, and PCI compliance changes for the 2.4.0 – 2.4.3 versions.
- Community pull requests will no longer be accepted or merged for the EOS version.
- Extensions in the eCommerce Marketplace that are only compatible with 2.4.0 – 2.4.3 versions of Magento, will be removed.
- Online documentation for the unsupported versions will be removed like developer documentation material.
- Support tickets submitted after 28 November 2022 will not be resolved.
What are the implications for merchants still using unsupported Magento software?
- Previous experience has proven that once Magento stops releasing security patches, hackers will automatically start hunting out security flaws in eCommerce sites using unsupported versions of Magento.
- Magento versions 2.4.0- 2.4.3 will no longer receive important product updates or technical support, or any latest security updates. So, if you are not upgraded, you will need to spend resources to evaluate and employ third-party vendors.
- While the cost of maintaining outdated software versions will increase, the quantity and quality of talent required for software maintenance decreases.
- For the unsupported Magento software versions, peripheral technologies and dependencies may also reach their own end-of-life cycle (e.g., PHP, MYSQL, REDIS, SOLR). This will make it increasingly difficult to manage and maintain a secure and compliant site.
How will customers benefit from upgrading to Magento 2.4.4 version and beyond?
- The longer support window from Magento will diagnose the complexity that the eCommerce merchants face while operating omnichannel around the world and will also help them get more value from each deployment.
- In addition to keeping your platform up-to-date with the latest security protections with PCI compliance, upgrading to a supported version can bring improvements in performance and scalability, and give access to the latest innovations.
- Customers can stay on releases for a longer period, which will reduce the total cost of ownership and free resources. This will help them to focus on adding new functionalities or customizing the buying experience, thus driving faster growth.
- Once Magento software stops supporting any version, its application is no longer PCI DSS compliant. This can impact merchant functionality for online payments and you may be subject to fines, removal of credit card processing ability, or other penalties too.
Help us to help you
Built on the newest version of PHP 8.1, Magento 2.4.4 which started on 12th of April 2022, marked a new step forward in commerce capabilities, performance, and protection. It also laid the foundation for the next several years of Adobe innovation with commerce business resiliency.
This version enables merchants to future-proof their digital commerce businesses with faster access to innovative features such as SaaS services, Product Recommendations, Pay Services, and Live Search.
If you are running an earlier version of Magento we would recommend consulting us to discuss the upgrade to Magento version 2.4.4 which is easier, provides more cost-effective maintenance, security, and upgrades, and gives continued flexibility to customize and meet unique business needs.
We at 247 Commerce always recommend that merchants keep their software up-to-date and install all security updates, safeguards, and security controls to protect their website and their customers’ personal data.
We strongly endorse only using software that is supported and that moves towards continued business innovation and growth.
If you are a Magento user and wish to know everything about version upgradation and Magento support including both security and quality patches for secure shopping experiences, kindly contact us at the earliest.
References
FAQ for the 2023 Adobe Commerce Release Strategy and lifecycle policy. (n.d.). Retrieved February 17, 2023, from https://support.magento.com/hc/en-us/articles/4409421516301-FAQ-for-the-2023-Adobe-Commerce-Release-Strategy-and-Lifecycle-Policy
