NetBSD 8 End of Life
Support dates and upgrade guidance — rebuilt from live data.
End of Life
NetBSD 8 reached end of life on 4 May 2024. It no longer receives security fixes.
884 days without security patches
Recommended action: upgrade to NetBSD 11. Check your versionuname -r
Support timeline
Official dates from the NetBSD release process.
| Milestone | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Initial release | 17 Jul 2018 | 8y 3mo ago |
| Active Support ended | 14 Feb 2020 | security fixes only after this |
| Security Support ended | 4 May 2024 | 2y 5mo ago |
| Latest release | 8.3 · 4 May 2024 | final |
Where to go from 8
Recommended target: NetBSD 11.
The newest actively supported branch is NetBSD 11 (latest release 11.0).
Frequently asked questions
Is NetBSD 8 still safe to use?
NetBSD 8 reached end of life on 4 May 2024, 884 days ago, and is no longer covered by standard support. Running it means no guaranteed security fixes.
Can I still download NetBSD 8?
Yes — the final release (8.3) generally remains available from vendor archives and OS package mirrors, but installing it means running software with known, unpatched vulnerabilities.
What should I upgrade NetBSD 8 to?
Upgrade to NetBSD 11, the newest actively supported branch.