Question 1

What is the EOL Risk Score for Cisco ISR and Catalyst 8000 edge routers (hardware) ISR 4451?

Accepted Answer

Cisco ISR and Catalyst 8000 edge routers (hardware) ISR 4451 has an EOL Risk Score™ of 10 out of 100, placing it in the Low risk band. The score is calculated from four factors: EOL Recency (0/40), Attack Surface (10/30), CISA KEV Exposure (0/20), and Extended Support Availability (0/10).

Question 2

Is Cisco ISR and Catalyst 8000 edge routers (hardware) ISR 4451 still supported?

Accepted Answer

Cisco ISR and Catalyst 8000 edge routers (hardware) ISR 4451 is currently supported. End of life is scheduled for November 30, 2028. Plan your migration before that date to avoid security risk.

Question 3

When does Cisco ISR and Catalyst 8000 edge routers (hardware) ISR 4451 reach end of life?

Accepted Answer

Cisco ISR and Catalyst 8000 edge routers (hardware) ISR 4451 reached (or will reach) end of life on November 30, 2028. After this date, no security patches or bug fixes are issued by the vendor.

Question 4

What are the security risks of running Cisco ISR and Catalyst 8000 edge routers (hardware) ISR 4451 after end of life?

Accepted Answer

After end of life, Cisco ISR and Catalyst 8000 edge routers (hardware) ISR 4451 no longer receives security patches. Any newly discovered CVEs remain unpatched indefinitely. Organizations running EOL software also face compliance violations under SOC 2, PCI DSS, HIPAA, and ISO 27001, which require use of supported software versions.