Question 1

What happens when Bind 9 reaches end of life?

Accepted Answer

When Bind 9 reaches end of life, it stops receiving security patches, bug fixes, and new features. Currently, 2 Bind 9 versions are already EOL. The latest supported version is Bind 9 9.21. Running an EOL version exposes your systems to unpatched security vulnerabilities with no official fix available.

Question 2

Is Bind 9 9.21 still supported?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Bind 9 9.21 is actively supported. It receives security patches and bug fixes. Check the version table above for the full list of supported Bind 9 releases and their exact end-of-life dates.

Question 3

Is it safe to use Bind 9 after end of life?

Accepted Answer

No. Running Bind 9 after EOL is not safe for production systems. Once a version reaches end of life, newly discovered CVEs are published publicly but never patched — leaving your systems permanently exposed. The only safe path is upgrading to an actively supported Bind 9 release.

Question 4

How to upgrade from Bind 9 9.18 to Bind 9 9.x?

Accepted Answer

To upgrade Bind 9 from 9.18 to 9.21, start by reviewing the official migration guide for breaking changes and deprecated APIs. Update any dependencies that pin to a specific major version, then test your application against the new release in a staging environment. Run your full test suite before deploying, and always prepare a rollback plan. The earlier you start, the more time you have to resolve compatibility issues before your current version reaches end of life.

Question 5

When is the next Bind 9 LTS version?

Accepted Answer

Bind 9 9.20 is the current Long Term Support release, maintained until July 8, 2028. LTS versions are recommended for production deployments that prioritize long-term stability over new features. Plan your upgrades to coincide with LTS releases whenever possible.

Question 6

How long does Bind 9 support each version?

Accepted Answer

On average, Bind 9 supports each release for approximately 51 months (~4.3 years). LTS releases like Bind 9 9.20 have extended support windows — maintained until July 8, 2028. The exact EOL date for each version is listed in the table above.

Version	Released	Active support	EOL date	Until EOL	Latest	CVEs	Status
9.21	Aug 13, 2024	—	No	—	9.21.26	—	Active
9.20 LTS	Jul 8, 2024	—	Jul 8, 2028	in 640d	9.20.29	—	Active
9.18 LTS	Jan 24, 2022	—	Jun 30, 2026	99d ago	9.18.50	—	EOL
9.16 LTS	Feb 12, 2020	—	Mar 31, 2024	920d ago	9.16.50	—	EOL

Bind 9 End of Life Dates

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