Perl 5.42 · Version Status
Perl 5.42 End of Life Date
Perl 5.42 end-of-life date, support status, and CVE risk. Data from endoflife.date and official vendor documentation.
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Perl 5.42 is actively supported. EOL date: July 3, 2028.
EOL Date
Jul 3, 2028
786 days remaining
Latest Release
5.42.2
Standard release
Release Date
Jul 3, 2025
Perl 5.42 series
| Version | Latest | EOL Date | Status |
|---|
| 5.26 |
5.26.3 |
May 30, 2020 |
EOL |
| 5.28 |
5.28.3 |
Jun 23, 2021 |
EOL |
| 5.30 |
5.30.3 |
May 22, 2022 |
EOL |
| 5.32 |
5.32.1 |
Jun 20, 2023 |
EOL |
| 5.34 |
5.34.3 |
May 20, 2024 |
EOL |
| 5.36 |
5.36.3 |
May 27, 2025 |
EOL |
| 5.38 |
5.38.5 |
Jul 2, 2026 |
Warning |
| 5.40 |
5.40.4 |
Jun 9, 2027 |
Active |
What does Perl 5.42 end of life mean?
When Perl 5.42 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 Perl 5.42 past its EOL date creates a permanently growing attack surface that standard security tooling will not surface.
Migrate to Perl 5.42 or implement compensating controls — network segmentation, enhanced monitoring, restricted access — while migration is underway.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Perl 5.42 reach end of life?
Perl 5.42 reached end of life on July 3, 2028. That is 786 days remaining.
Is Perl 5.42 still supported?
Yes, Perl 5.42 is currently supported. The EOL date is July 3, 2028.
What should I upgrade to from Perl 5.42?
The recommended upgrade from Perl 5.42 is
Perl 5.42 — the latest actively supported version. Check the
Perl full timeline for all supported versions.
What are the security risks of running Perl 5.42 past EOL?
When Perl 5.42 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 Perl should migrate immediately or implement compensating controls.