Adobe Commerce (formerly Magento) is a powerful platform for online businesses – but with great power comes great responsibility for security. In October 2025, hackers exploited a critical Adobe Commerce vulnerability (dubbed “SessionReaper”) to attack over 250 online stores within 24 hours[1]. Most of those stores had not yet applied Adobe’s security patch released weeks prior, underscoring the dire consequences of falling behind on updates. No merchant wants to face such a breach – especially when the average cost of a data breach in the U.S. hit $10.22 million in 2025[2]. These incidents highlight a crucial truth: keeping your Adobe Commerce site up-to-date with regular patches and upgrades is not just an IT chore, but a vital business necessity to protect your customers and your bottom line.
Security Risks of Outdated Adobe Commerce Sites
Running an outdated Adobe Commerce (Magento) site leaves your business exposed to known security flaws that hackers can exploit. Adobe regularly releases security patches to fix critical vulnerabilities – and failing to apply them promptly is like leaving your store’s backdoor unlocked. For example, the SessionReaper flaw mentioned above (CVE-2025-54236) allowed attackers to take over customer accounts via the API, and it was so severe that Adobe issued an emergency out-of-band patch for it[3]. All Magento/Adobe Commerce versions above 2.3.1 were vulnerable, and Adobe deviated from their normal quarterly patch schedule because of the high severity[3]. This shows that when critical issues arise, timely updates are absolutely crucial.
Importantly, Adobe’s own security bulletins emphasize the stakes: the security update for CVE-2025-54236 “resolves a critical vulnerability” that was already being exploited in the wild[4]. In other words, once Adobe publishes a patch, attackers often reverse-engineer the fix to target unpatched sites. Within weeks of the SessionReaper disclosure, 62% of Magento stores were still unpatched, and threat actors launched mass attacks to drop malware on those sites[5]. Just a year earlier, another critical Magento bug (dubbed CosmicSting, CVSS 9.8) saw widespread exploitation after its disclosure[6]. These real-world examples make it clear that if you don’t patch, attackers will eventually find and exploit the weakness.
The fallout from such breaches can be catastrophic. Stolen customer data (like payment card details) can lead to financial fraud and identity theft, eroding customer trust and damaging your brand reputation. Business leaders also face direct losses – delaying the patching of known vulnerabilities can lead to lost revenue and costly legal liabilities if attackers succeed[7]. Moreover, PCI-DSS compliance requires merchants to apply security patches in a timely manner. Unsupported or unpatched software may violate industry regulations, putting your ability to process credit cards at risk. As one Adobe Commerce expert put it, when a version reaches end-of-life and stops receiving patches, “your store(s) and customer data are at risk”[8]. The best way to avoid security breaches and PCI compliance issues is to stay on a supported, up-to-date version[9].
In short, regular patches are critical to close dangerous security gaps. Every update from Adobe addresses specific known flaws that attackers are actively scanning for[10]. Applying those fixes is the only way to keep hackers out and protect your customers’ sensitive information. A single missed patch could be the difference that lets a cybercriminal deface your site, steal data, or inject malware. No e-commerce merchant can afford that risk.
Benefits of Regular Upgrades (Beyond Security)
Security may be the primary reason to stay current, but it’s not the only benefit of regular upgrades. Adobe Commerce version upgrades often deliver performance improvements, bug fixes, and new features that can help your business run better. For example, when Adobe Commerce 2.4.4 was released, it included 33 new security fixes and hundreds of quality fixes over the prior version[10] – not only sealing security holes but also resolving bugs that could be affecting your site’s stability. More recently, Adobe Commerce 2.4.7 introduced numerous security enhancements and optimizations. According to Adobe Commerce experts, “Magento 2.4.7 includes numerous security enhancements and bug fixes that protect your store... ensuring that your customers’ data is secure, fostering trust and loyalty.”[11] It also improved performance and scalability for handling more traffic and larger catalogs[12].
Upgrading routinely means you’re benefiting from the latest technology. New Adobe Commerce releases support newer versions of PHP and other software, which often yield speed boosts and better memory usage. For instance, moving to PHP 8.3 (supported in Magento 2.4.7) can significantly improve page load times and efficiency, leading to a faster shopping experience for customers and higher conversion rates. Regular updates also ensure compatibility with the latest extensions and integrations. If you stay on an old version too long, you may find that newer third-party modules or payment gateways no longer support it[13]. By contrast, keeping up with updates future-proofs your store – you’ll have an easier time adding new features and you reduce technical debt that can accumulate with outdated code.
There’s also a cost efficiency angle: performing smaller, incremental updates regularly is often easier and cheaper in the long run than skipping multiple versions and then attempting a massive jump upgrade under pressure (for example, when your old version hits end-of-life). Merchants who upgraded from Magento 2.3 to 2.4.4 noted that doing so “as soon as possible” helped avoid security threats and other risks[14]. In contrast, procrastinating upgrades can lead to higher maintenance costs, emergency patching fees, and even revenue loss from downtime if a security incident occurs. Simply put, staying current is an investment in your site’s performance, functionality, and resilience.
Adobe’s Patch Releases: Stay Ahead of the Curve
Adobe has made the patching process more structured in recent years. Under the Adobe Commerce lifecycle policy, Adobe typically provides quarterly security patches and updates to address critical issues and maintain performance[15]. These quarterly patches (delivered via the Magento Quality Patch Tool or as point-release packages) include fixes for any newly discovered vulnerabilities, plus improvements for stability. Adobe’s official recommendation is clear: always install or upgrade to the latest available security patch for your release[16]. In practice, this means if you’re on (for example) version 2.4.7, you should apply patch 2.4.7-px as soon as it’s available, rather than deferring it.
It’s important to note that critical threats won’t always wait for the quarterly cycle. Adobe has shown that when an urgent vulnerability emerges, they will issue out-of-band hotfixes or patches (as happened with SessionReaper in September 2025). Merchants need to be ready to act on short notice in such cases. Subscribing to Adobe Security Bulletins or monitoring the Adobe Commerce Release Notes will ensure you’re aware of any new patch announcements. Adobe’s security bulletin for APSB25-88, for instance, explicitly noted that “Adobe is aware of CVE-2025-54236 being exploited in the wild” and urged users to update immediately[4]. When Adobe themselves highlight active exploitation, time is of the essence – delays in patching give attackers a bigger window to strike.
Thankfully, the Adobe Commerce ecosystem provides tools to help manage updates. The Magento Security Scan Tool (available for free) can alert you if your site is missing known patches. Still, tools can only tell you what needs fixing – it’s up to your team (or your solution partner) to apply the patch and verify everything works. Always follow Adobe’s installation instructions and test patches in a staging environment first, especially if you have custom modules or themes. Minor security patches usually have minimal impact on functionality, but it’s wise to test checkout, login, and other critical flows after patching to catch any issues early. By staying vigilant and proactive with Adobe’s patch releases, you can keep your store one step ahead of emerging threats instead of playing catch-up.
How Kensium Keeps Adobe Merchants Secure
Regular maintenance and security updates might sound daunting to busy merchants – but you don’t have to handle it all alone. This is where partnering with an experienced Adobe Commerce agency like Kensium can make all the difference. Kensium specializes in Adobe Commerce (Magento) development and support, and we understand the importance of timely patches and smart upgrade planning. We provide ongoing maintenance services that include regular updates, security patches, and technical assistance to keep your Adobe Commerce platform running smoothly and securely[17]. In fact, our team keeps track of Adobe’s patch releases and lifecycle changes for you, ensuring your site stays compliant with the latest standards and protected against newly discovered vulnerabilities.
Critically, Kensium can help you strategize your upgrades so that you’re never caught on an unsupported version. With Adobe’s new policy of one major version per year and three-year support windows, we help merchants plan version upgrades well before end-of-support deadlines. Our experts will evaluate your current site (extensions, customizations, integrations) and develop an upgrade roadmap that minimizes downtime and avoids compatibility hiccups. Whether it’s applying a small hotfix or undertaking a major version jump, we follow best practices to safeguard your data and SEO, and perform comprehensive testing. The result is a seamless transition that keeps your site secure and takes advantage of Adobe Commerce’s latest features.
Bottom line: Proactive maintenance is a wise investment to protect your e-commerce revenue and reputation. Every new patch or version Adobe releases is an opportunity to strengthen your defenses and improve your store’s performance. By working with a partner like Kensium, Adobe Commerce merchants can rest easy knowing that critical patches and upgrades will be handled promptly by professionals. You’ll spend less time worrying about security gaps or technical debt, and more time focusing on growing your business.
Need help keeping your Adobe Commerce site up-to-date and secure? Contact Kensium’s Adobe Commerce team – we’ll ensure your platform is fully patched, compliant, and optimized for success.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What happens if I don’t apply Adobe Commerce patches regularly?
A: If you skip security patches, your site remains vulnerable to known exploits. Over time, hackers actively target unpatched Magento/Adobe Commerce stores using exploits published in security bulletins[4]. This can lead to stolen customer data, malware injections, or even complete site takeover[1]. You may also fall out of PCI compliance (since patches are required for protecting payment data), risking fines or loss of ability to process cards. In short, neglecting patches greatly increases the chance of a costly breach or downtime.
Q: How often does Adobe release security patches and upgrades for Commerce?
A: Adobe Commerce follows a predictable release cycle. Security patches (and minor quality fixes) are typically released quarterly for supported versions[15] – for example, you might see patches like 2.4.7-p1, p2, etc., every few months. Adobe also releases one minor version upgrade per year (e.g. from 2.4.7 to 2.4.8) which includes accumulated fixes, new features, and support for newer technology[18]. However, Adobe will occasionally issue urgent out-of-band patches if a critical vulnerability emerges between scheduled releases[3]. It’s important to monitor Adobe’s announcements so you can apply any interim hotfixes if needed.
Q: Can I skip some updates and just upgrade once a year?
A: It’s not recommended to skip critical patches. While Adobe’s policy allows for yearly version upgrades, the security patches in between are meant to keep you safe right now. If you only upgrade once a year and ignore quarterly patches, you’re leaving known holes open for months. A better approach is to apply all security patches as they come, and then do the larger version upgrade when it’s released (or at least within the supported window). Remember that Adobe supports each version for about three years[18][19] – if you fall too far behind (e.g. more than two versions behind), you may end up on an unsupported version which no longer gets any patches at all. At that point, an urgent upgrade becomes mandatory to restore security updates. It’s easier (and safer) to keep pace with patches regularly than to do a rushed big jump later.
Q: Will applying patches or upgrades break my site’s functionality?
A: Generally, security patches are designed to be minimal and safe – they often only change a few lines of code to fix vulnerabilities[20]. In most cases they won’t affect your storefront features. However, there is always some risk that a patch could conflict with custom code or extensions. That’s why it’s best practice to test patches in a staging environment first. As for larger version upgrades, they can introduce more significant changes (new features, deprecated functions, schema changes, etc.), so more thorough testing and development effort is needed. Partnering with experienced Adobe Commerce developers (like Kensium) can help ensure that after an upgrade or patch, everything is QA-tested – from checkout and payment processing to integrations – so your live site continues to run smoothly.
Q: How can I keep track of new patches and updates for Adobe Commerce?
A: Adobe provides several resources: you can subscribe to Adobe Security Bulletins for Commerce, follow the official Adobe Commerce release notes pages, or use the Adobe Commerce Security Scan Tool which alerts you to missing patches. The Magento community (forums, Reddit, etc.) is also very active in discussing new patches – for example, critical updates like SessionReaper were widely discussed on Reddit as soon as they became known[3]. Many merchants choose to rely on their solution partner or hosting provider to notify and implement patches. If you have a support agreement with an Adobe Commerce agency like Kensium, our team will proactively inform you and schedule the patch installation whenever Adobe releases one. In summary, staying informed isn’t difficult – but acting on the information promptly is key to keeping your site safe.
[1] [5] [6] Over 250 Magento Stores Hit Overnight as Hackers Exploit New Adobe Commerce Flaw
https://thehackernews.com/2025/10/over-250-magento-stores-hit-overnight.html
[2] Title: IBM’s 2025 Cost of a Data Breach Report: Key Findings and the Biggest Attacks | Bluefin
https://www.ibm.com/reports/data-breach
[3] [20] Magento Urgent Patch for SessionReaper : r/Magento
https://www.reddit.com/r/Magento/comments/1nbr5a2/magento_urgent_patch_for_sessionreaper/
[4] Adobe Security Bulletin
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/magento/apsb25-88.html
[7] How Small E-Commerce Companies Can Protect Against ... - Forbes
[8] [9] [10] [13] [14] What You Need To Know About Upgrading To Magento 2.4.4+
https://www.kensium.com/blog/what-you-need-to-know-about-upgrading-to-magento-2-4-4
[11] [12] Upgrading to Magento 2.4.7 and PHP 8.3
https://www.kensium.com/blog/upgrading-to-magento-2-4-7-and-php-8-3
[15] [17] [18] [19] Navigating the New Adobe Commerce Lifecycle Policy with Kensium's Support
[16] Released versions | Adobe Commerce
https://experienceleague.adobe.com/en/docs/commerce-operations/release/versions
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