RHEL 4 · Version Status
RHEL 4 End of Life Date
RHEL 4 end-of-life date, support status, and CVE risk. Data from endoflife.date and official vendor documentation.
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RHEL 4 is past end of life. This version no longer receives security patches. 5183 days past EOL — migrate to a supported version immediately.
EOL Date
Feb 29, 2012
5183 days past EOL
Latest Release
4.9
Standard release
Release Date
Feb 15, 2005
RHEL 4 series
TuxCare
Extended RHEL 4 Support
Extended security support for RHEL beyond Red Hat EOL dates.
Learn More →
| Version | Latest | EOL Date | Status |
|---|
| → 4 |
4.9 |
Feb 29, 2012 |
EOL |
| 5 LTS |
5.11 |
Mar 31, 2017 |
EOL |
| 6 LTS |
6.10 |
Nov 30, 2020 |
EOL |
| 7 LTS |
7.9 |
Jun 30, 2024 |
EOL |
| 8 LTS |
8.10 |
May 31, 2029 |
Active |
| 9 LTS |
9.7 |
May 31, 2032 |
Active |
| 10 LTS |
10.1 |
May 31, 2035 |
Active |
What does RHEL 4 end of life mean?
When RHEL 4 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 RHEL 4 past its EOL date creates a permanently growing attack surface that standard security tooling will not surface.
Migrate to RHEL 10 or implement compensating controls — network segmentation, enhanced monitoring, restricted access — while migration is underway.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does RHEL 4 reach end of life?
RHEL 4 reached end of life on February 29, 2012. This version is no longer receiving security patches.
Is RHEL 4 still supported?
No. RHEL 4 reached end of life on February 29, 2012 and is no longer receiving security patches.
What should I upgrade to from RHEL 4?
The recommended upgrade from RHEL 4 is
RHEL 10 — the latest actively supported version. Check the
RHEL full timeline for all supported versions.
What are the security risks of running RHEL 4 past EOL?
When RHEL 4 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 RHEL should migrate immediately or implement compensating controls.