October 2021 Adobe Commerce Updates Roundup

October 2021 marked a practical reset for many Adobe Commerce and Magento Open Source teams. Adobe shipped 2.4.3-p1 (with a parallel 2.3.7-p2) to harden recent changes and address issues called out in APSB21-86, including an Important CSRF vulnerability (CVE-2021-39864). For merchants still running older 2.3.x builds, this dual-track support underscored both Adobe’s commitment to stability and the reality that many stores had not yet modernised their stacks.

The timing mattered. PHP 7.3 was scheduled to reach end-of-life in December 2021, and the industry push to move to PHP 7.4 — and plan for PHP 8.x — had become urgent. The lesson for merchants was clear: security is not a one-off project but an ongoing programme. Waiting for the ‘perfect’ upgrade window typically increases risk, not reduces it.

Operationally, this was the moment to convert good intentions into a repeatable process. We advised clients to treat security patches and minor upgrades as routine change, backed by simple guardrails: smoke tests for checkout and account operations, a rolling calendar for maintenance windows, and a clear line of communication with stakeholders so the business knows what’s landing and when.

The October cycle also highlighted the need to rationalise custom code and extensions. Smaller, safer releases are easier when the codebase is tidy. Removing unused modules, separating concerns in customisations, and validating extension vendors’ support status all reduce the friction of staying current. For teams that rely on in-house extensions, now is the time to introduce basic CI for static analysis and unit tests so patch uptake is predictable rather than heroic.

What to do next:

• Apply the latest security patch for your version line (2.4.3-p1 or 2.3.7-p2) and verify checkout, my account and admin flows.
• Plan the OS and PHP journey: if you are on PHP 7.3, schedule the move to 7.4 as a short stop on the path to PHP 8.1+.
• Inventory extensions: confirm vendor support commitments and remove unused modules to simplify future work.
• Establish a quarterly patch cadence with a fixed maintenance window and a short, automated test pack.

October 2021 wasn’t notable for new features — it was about discipline. Teams that embraced a steady, professionalised upgrade rhythm found 2022’s larger shifts (PHP 8.1, OpenSearch) far easier to execute.