Esxi 5.5 · Version Status
Esxi 5.5 End of Life Date
Esxi 5.5 end-of-life date, support status, and CVE risk. Data from endoflife.date and official vendor documentation.
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Esxi 5.5 is past end of life. This version no longer receives security patches. 2789 days past EOL — migrate to a supported version immediately.
EOL Date
Sep 19, 2018
2789 days past EOL
Latest Release
5.5 Update 3k
Standard release
Release Date
Sep 19, 2013
Esxi 5.5 series
| Version | Latest | EOL Date | Status |
|---|
| 5.0 |
5.0 Update 3g |
Aug 24, 2016 |
EOL |
| 5.1 |
5.1 Update 3d |
Aug 24, 2016 |
EOL |
| → 5.5 |
5.5 Update 3k |
Sep 19, 2018 |
EOL |
| 6.0 |
6.0 EP 25 |
Mar 12, 2020 |
EOL |
| 6.5 |
6.5 ESXi650-202403001 |
Oct 15, 2022 |
EOL |
| 6.7 |
6.7 Update 3w |
Oct 15, 2022 |
EOL |
| 7.0 |
7.0 Update 3w |
Oct 2, 2025 |
EOL |
| 8.0 |
8.0 Update 3i |
Oct 11, 2027 |
Active |
What does Esxi 5.5 end of life mean?
When Esxi 5.5 reaches end of life, the maintainers stop issuing security patches for this version. CVEs discovered after the EOL date are publicly disclosed on the National Vulnerability Database with no patch available. Exploit code frequently appears on GitHub within days of disclosure.
The CVE blind spot: Most vulnerability scanners check for known CVEs but do not flag the ongoing accumulation of unpatched vulnerabilities in EOL software versions. Running Esxi 5.5 past its EOL date creates a permanently growing attack surface that standard security tooling will not surface.
Migrate to Esxi 9.0 or implement compensating controls — network segmentation, enhanced monitoring, restricted access — while migration is underway.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Esxi 5.5 reach end of life?
Esxi 5.5 reached end of life on September 19, 2018. This version is no longer receiving security patches.
Is Esxi 5.5 still supported?
No. Esxi 5.5 reached end of life on September 19, 2018 and is no longer receiving security patches.
What should I upgrade to from Esxi 5.5?
The recommended upgrade from Esxi 5.5 is
Esxi 9.0 — the latest actively supported version. Check the
Esxi full timeline for all supported versions.
What are the security risks of running Esxi 5.5 past EOL?
When Esxi 5.5 reaches end of life, the maintainers stop issuing security patches. Any CVEs disclosed after the EOL date accumulate with no remediation path. Most vulnerability scanners do not flag this — it is the CVE blind spot. Organizations running EOL Esxi should migrate immediately or implement compensating controls.