> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://aletyx.ai/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Why do I need to update Drools?

> Why update Drools: old versions carry unpatched CVEs, lose support after end-of-life, and miss the performance and cloud-native gains of modern runtimes.

Staying on an old Drools release is a growing risk, for several reasons:

* **Critical security vulnerabilities (CVEs).** Older Drools and KIE versions —
  and the dependencies they bundle — carry known, published CVEs that are never
  back-ported once a release goes end-of-life. Notable examples affecting the
  ecosystem include deserialization and remote-code-execution issues
  (for example, the `XStream`-related CVEs that impacted older KIE Server and
  Business Central deployments) as well as high-severity flaws in transitive
  dependencies such as Log4j (Log4Shell). Running an unpatched version leaves
  these paths exposed.
* **End of support.** Drools 7.x and the legacy RHPAM / KIE Server line are no
  longer actively maintained, so new CVEs receive no fixes and you cannot get
  vendor security patches.
* **Outdated platform dependencies.** Old releases pin old Java, application
  server, and library versions that themselves accumulate vulnerabilities and
  block you from modern, hardened runtimes.
* **Compliance exposure.** In regulated industries, running software with known
  unpatched CVEs can itself be an audit and compliance finding.

Updating closes these gaps while also bringing faster execution, cloud-native
deployment, and continued support. Aletyx ships a maintained, enterprise build of
Drools and is a **drop-in replacement** for aging Drools 7.x, jBPM, RHPAM, and
KIE Server systems — so you can get current **without rewrites, behavior changes,
or re-certification**.

<Note>
  Always confirm the specific CVEs that apply to your exact versions against an
  authoritative source such as the [NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov) or your vendor's
  advisories. See [docs.aletyx.ai](https://docs.aletyx.ai) for modernization
  guidance.
</Note>

## Where to go next

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Modernize Drools" icon="arrow-right" href="/docs/faq/concepts/modernize-drools">
    The step-by-step path to move 7.x apps onto a modern runtime.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Drools 7 EOL" icon="scale-balanced" href="/docs/drools/drools-7-migration">
    What end-of-life means and how to plan your upgrade.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Modernize Legacy" icon="server" href="/docs/faq/products-features/modernize-legacy-systems">
    Replace aging jBPM, RHPAM, or KIE Server without rewrites.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Kogito" icon="rocket" href="/docs/components/kogito">
    The maintained, cloud-native runtime you upgrade onto.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Performance Gains" icon="gauge" href="/docs/faq/deployment-pricing-support/performance">
    The faster execution and smaller footprints updating brings.
  </Card>

  <Card title="What is Drools" icon="cube" href="/docs/faq/concepts/what-is-drools">
    A refresher on Drools and where Aletyx fits in the ecosystem.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>