OpenBSD 5.6 End of Life
Support dates and upgrade guidance — rebuilt from live data.
OpenBSD 5.6 reached end of life on 18 Oct 2015. It no longer receives security fixes.
Support timeline
Official dates from the OpenBSD release process.
| Milestone | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Initial release | 1 Nov 2014 | — |
| End of life | 18 Oct 2015 | 10.8 years ago |
| Latest release | — | final |
Where to go from 5.6
Recommended target: OpenBSD 7.9 (supported until 1 Jun 2027).
The newest actively supported branch is OpenBSD 7.9 (latest release ).
Frequently asked questions
Is OpenBSD 5.6 still safe to use?
OpenBSD 5.6 reached end of life on 18 Oct 2015, 3,948 days ago, and is no longer covered by standard support. Running it means no guaranteed security fixes.
Can I still download OpenBSD 5.6?
Yes — the final release (5.6) generally remains available from vendor archives and OS package mirrors, but installing it means running software with known, unpatched vulnerabilities.
What should I upgrade OpenBSD 5.6 to?
Upgrade to OpenBSD 7.9, the newest actively supported branch (supported until 1 Jun 2027).