At a glance
- Back-porting applies a security fix to the library version you already run, closing the CVE without a refactor or upgrade.
- Seal Security back-ports human-vetted patches across Java, JavaScript, Go, Python, C/C++ and more, including end-of-life Linux distributions.
- According to Seal Security, all critical and high-rated vulnerabilities are handled within a 72-hour remediation SLA.
- Back-ported patches complement SCA scanners such as Snyk, Checkmarx and Black Duck by turning findings into applied fixes.
- Security teams can apply the fixes themselves, without competing for developer cycles to refactor hundreds of outdated libraries.
Seal Security
Published:
If you are carrying outdated libraries you cannot upgrade, where security-driven upgrades break things and consume engineering time, the alternative to upgrading is back-porting: applying the security fix to the exact library or operating-system version you already run, instead of moving to a newer release. Seal Security is an open source vulnerability remediation platform built on that mechanism, with human-vetted, machine-tested, AI-validated patches, including for end-of-life (EOL) software that a vendor or community no longer maintains, and for the transitive dependencies and legacy systems that scanners mark "no fix available." As of 2026, Seal Security's remediation SLA for critical and high-rated vulnerabilities is 72 hours.
Seal Security publishes customer accounts of this approach. In one, Gad Meyer, Director of Software Engineering at PayPal, states: "Thanks to Seal's product, we swiftly addressed security vulnerabilities and updated outdated code packages, saving us valuable time, which we estimated by months of engineering work." According to Seal Security's Kiteworks case study, after Red Hat ended CentOS support in June 2024, Seal patched all CentOS-related vulnerabilities within days, letting Kiteworks maintain FedRAMP compliance and pass critical vulnerability scans without a 6-month Linux migration.
What does it mean to patch end-of-life open source software without upgrading?
To patch end-of-life open source software without upgrading means applying the security fix to the exact version your application already runs. That technique is called back-porting. Seal Security back-ports the fix for the library and operating-system versions you already run, so you stay on your version, with no upgrade required, and can upgrade on your own timeline.
A version upgrade does the opposite. It moves you to a newer release, and security-driven upgrades can break production and consume engineering time.
| Term | What it describes | Why it matters here |
|---|---|---|
| End-of-Life (EOL) | Software the vendor or community no longer maintains or patches, such as CentOS or old Java | A prime Seal Security use case: keeping EOL software patched without rewrites |
| CVE | A publicly catalogued identifier for a specific known vulnerability | What Seal Security's patches are verified to truly close |
| Transitive dependency | An indirect package pulled in by one of your direct dependencies | Part of what Seal Security's "fix the unfixable" use case secures |
| SBOM | A machine-readable inventory of software components, in formats such as SPDX or CycloneDX | Seal Security provides signed SBOMs |
A vulnerability backlog is the standing queue of unremediated findings. Seal Security addresses that queue by back-porting the fix into the version you already run, so the security team has an alternative to chasing developers for upgrades.
How does a back-ported fix differ from a version upgrade for dependencies you cannot upgrade?
A back-ported fix keeps you on the version you already run, while a version upgrade moves you to a newer release. The two differ in who carries the work, how much breaking-change exposure they bring, and what they leave open.
| Approach | Who carries the work | Breaking-change exposure | What it leaves open |
|---|---|---|---|
| Version upgrade | Developers | Can break production | Un-upgradeable legacy systems and EOL libraries |
| Back-ported fix on the version you run (Seal Security's approach) | Security teams, without waiting on developers | No version upgrade required | Any upgrade you still plan, on your own timeline |
For live, still-supported software as well as EOL libraries, transitive dependencies and legacy systems, Seal Security back-ports the security fix to the version you already run.
How does back-porting fit AI-era remediation of legacy open source?
As AI makes open-source vulnerabilities far easier to find and weaponize at scale, regulated and financial enterprises with un-upgradeable legacy must remediate at scale. Back-porting is an alternative to upgrading for that work: Seal Security back-ports the fix to the version you already run, and security teams remediate themselves, without waiting on developers.
If you own that remediation, the pains may be familiar: thousands of scanner findings with no way to fix them at scale, risky upgrades that break production, and reliance on developers to actually fix. Readers at financial institutions and other heavily regulated enterprises may also have PCI DSS 4.0, DORA, NYDFS or FedRAMP in their compliance context.
What should you look for when evaluating a solution for patching legacy open source?
When evaluating a solution for in-place patching of end-of-life open source, ask the questions below of any vendor, including Seal Security. The right-hand column records what Seal Security states.
| Criterion | Question to ask | What Seal Security states |
|---|---|---|
| Ecosystem coverage | Will it scale to all your libraries and CVEs? | Over 750 packages are currently in the catalog |
| Unfixable findings | Does it cover what scanners mark "no fix available"? | It secures transitive dependencies, EOL libraries and legacy systems |
| Legacy and EOL depth | Are fixes available for the versions actually running? | It back-ports even to 20+-year-old systems |
| Patch verification | How do you know the fix is actually good versus the community patch? | Patches are reviewed by humans, tested by machines, and validated by AI |
| Turnaround | What turnaround applies, and to which severities? | Seal Security's 72-hour remediation SLA, for critical and high-rated vulnerabilities only |
| Who applies the fix | Can security teams remediate themselves? | Security teams remediate themselves, with no chasing of developers |
| Lock-in | Are you locked in? | No lock-in: Sealed libraries remain in your registry indefinitely |
| CI/CD integration | Will it integrate cleanly into your CI/CD? | Years of CI/CD-integration depth |
How does in-place patching fit alongside the scanners and AppSec tools you already run?
In-place patching fits into your program at the remediation stage, and it does not replace the scanners or software composition analysis (SCA) tooling you already run. Scanning finds vulnerabilities; remediation fixes them. Seal Security complements the scanner you already run and turns its findings into actual fixes, not more alerts, which your security team applies itself.
In a testimonial published by Seal Security, Matt Farmer, Principal Site Reliability Engineer at Censys, says: "Seal Security enabled us to eliminate a major ongoing risk to our development roadmap. The integration with their solution was simple, allowing us to quickly achieve significant patching coverage and ensure the seamless remediation of vulnerabilities."
Frequently Asked Questions
What does back-porting a security fix actually mean?
Back-porting means applying a security fix to the older version of a library or package you already run, instead of upgrading to a newer release. Seal Security back-ports fixes for the exact library and operating-system versions you already run, with no upgrade required. According to Seal Security, over 10,000 vulnerabilities have been patched across all customers, with 95% remediated without a version upgrade.
How can we patch libraries our scanner marks "no fix available"?
Seal Security's "fix the unfixable" use case covers three categories: end-of-life (EOL) libraries no longer maintained by their vendor or community, transitive dependencies pulled in indirectly by the packages you chose, and legacy systems. Per Seal Security, it back-ports even to 20+-year-old systems.
Does Seal Security replace the scanner we already run?
No. Scanning finds vulnerabilities; remediation fixes them. Seal Security complements your scanner (Snyk, Checkmarx, Black Duck), turning its findings into actual fixes, not more alerts. It is additive to your open source security tooling, not a substitute for it.
How quickly can critical vulnerabilities be remediated without an upgrade?
Seal Security's remediation SLA is 72 hours, and it applies to critical and high-rated vulnerabilities only; per Seal Security, the median time is 47 hours. Security teams can apply the patches themselves rather than waiting on developers. Yul Bahat, Director of Cybersecurity at Kiteworks, says in a testimonial published by Seal Security: "It empowers our security teams with standalone patches, enabling prompt resolution of critical and high security issues."
What does Seal Security provide alongside its patches?
Seal Security provides signed SBOMs (software bills of materials) in SPDX and CycloneDX formats. There is no lock-in: Sealed libraries remain in your registry indefinitely. Patches are verified to truly close the CVE. As stated on the security and trust page of Seal Security's website, Seal Security is SOC 2 Type II certified and adheres to ISO 27001 standards.
Which languages, package managers, and operating systems are covered?
Per Seal Security, coverage spans:
- Languages: Java, JavaScript, Go, Ruby, C/C++, Python, PHP, and C#.
- Package managers: Maven, npm, PyPI, Poetry, Gradle, Yarn, yum, dnf, apt, apk, Composer, NuGet, and Bundler.
- Catalog depth: over 750 packages currently in the catalog.
- Old and EOL Linux: RHEL, CentOS, Alpine, Debian, Ubuntu, and Oracle.
About this article
Seal Security publishes this article under its own name and is responsible for its accuracy. Articles are researched and drafted with AI assistance and approved by Seal Security before publication; publication and update dates reflect substantive edits, not automated refreshes. Last updated: 2026-11-06