How are CIS Hardened Images^® Deprecated from the Marketplace?

Standard, Monthly Deprecations

The Center for Internet Security, Inc. (CIS^®) preserves three versions of a CIS Hardened Image in any given offer for end user consumption. We release our UNIX and Windows images monthly with updated vendor operating system patches as well as changes in the associated CIS Benchmarks^®. Every 90 days, the oldest version is deprecated from the respective marketplace and makes way for the most recently published monthly release. Only 3 versions are preserved to align with the security best practice of using the most up-to-date, patched and security compliant images.

"End of Support" Deprecations

CIS Hardened Images are supported and maintained by CIS for the length of time the technology is generally available. Once the technology reaches end of support and extended support/licensing is required to maintain it, CIS no longer maintains the Hardened Image for that technology version, and the service offering is deprecated from the marketplaces.

A 90-day notification prior to the end of support by CIS is published on the image so that the customer is aware the image will be removed from the marketplace. If the customer is subscribed to the image they can continue to use the image, but the customer will need to maintain the image relative to patches and updates after CIS has removed the image.