VMware ESXi 5.1 End of Life
Support dates, vulnerabilities published since end of life, and upgrade guidance — rebuilt from live data.
VMware ESXi 5.1 reached end of life on 24 Aug 2016. It no longer receives security fixes.
Support timeline
Official dates from the VMware ESXi release process.
| Milestone | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Initial release | 27 Aug 2012 | — |
| End of life | 24 Aug 2016 | 10.0 years ago |
| Latest release | 5.1 Update 3d · 24 May 2016 | final |
The cost of staying: CVEs since end of life
81 VMware ESXi vulnerabilities have been published since 24 Aug 2016. All were fixed in supported branches — 5.1 received none of them. Source: NVD.
VMware ESXi CVEs published since 5.1's EOL, by year
8 of the 81 are rated critical · data refreshed 2026-08-09
Published 6 Dec 2019 · rated critical — fixed in supported branches only, never in 5.1. Details
Published 20 Oct 2020 · rated critical — fixed in supported branches only, never in 5.1. Details
Published 13 Jul 2021 · rated critical — fixed in supported branches only, never in 5.1. Details
Where to go from 5.1
Recommended target: VMware ESXi 9.1 (supported until 12 Aug 2028).
The newest actively supported branch is VMware ESXi 9.1 (latest release 9.1.0.0200).
Frequently asked questions
Is VMware ESXi 5.1 still safe to use?
No. VMware ESXi 5.1 stopped receiving security fixes on 24 Aug 2016. Since then, 81 VMware ESXi vulnerabilities have been published and fixed in supported branches — VMware ESXi 5.1 received none of those fixes.
Can I still download VMware ESXi 5.1?
Yes — the final release (5.1 Update 3d) generally remains available from vendor archives and OS package mirrors, but installing it means running software with known, unpatched vulnerabilities.
What should I upgrade VMware ESXi 5.1 to?
Upgrade to VMware ESXi 9.1, the newest actively supported branch (supported until 12 Aug 2028).