The OTRS Group stopped supporting the ((OTRS)) Community Edition (CE) at the end of 2020. Since then, it has not received security updates or patches to fix vulnerabilities.
The free version of the ticket system is still being developed by unauthorized gray market providers. These developments are not authorized by OTRS Group. They are based on an old system that has not had professional security updates for many years.
Many users continue to rely on the ((OTRS)) Community Edition, while ignoring—whether consciously or unconsciously—the dangers behind it. For some, missing updates may sound like a risk they can comfortably accept, but this way of thinking is far removed from reality.
In fact, simply using the ((OTRS)) Community Edition is likely a violation of data protection regulations. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) says software must meet the latest security standards. This is clearly not true for CE. It’s more than five years out of date.
The Relevance of Security
In general, there is currently an urgent need to implement cybersecurity standards and guidelines. Recent surveys show that only a small number of cybersecurity professionals think their company is ready for security incidents. This is concerning as the number of incidents keeps increasing.
In other words: companies are facing more and more threats, yet remain unprepared for much of what is coming.
Good protection starts with security awareness. It should always be a focus to stop outside threats and protect sensitive data.
Why the Security Situation Is So Concerning
This is the problem with using the OTRS Community Edition: it lacks common protection features. In some cases, there are severe ((OTRS)) Community Edition security vulnerabilities. This leaves a large attack surface. As a result, the ((OTRS)) Community Edition cannot meet security and compliance requirements.
Despite the advantages of open source software, using it is strongly discouraged in this case. The reasons are clear: technological obsolescence, insufficient data protection, and a lack of coordinated, reliable security updates.
Deficits Caused by Using the ((OTRS)) Community Edition
There are several security deficits that arise from using the ((OTRS)) Community Edition. Here are the most important and critical ones:
- Unpatched security vulnerabilities: Gaps and weaknesses have not been professionally or reliably fixed for a long time. Even when they are known, that doesn’t mean anyone is actually closing them. In this situation, attackers—who are becoming increasingly sophisticated—have an easier time.
- Attack surface for cybercrime: Hackers can compromise the ((OTRS)) Community Edition. The data stored there is not secure and can be spied on or manipulated. In some cases, hackers could even fully take over the system.
- GDPR risks: Things get particularly critical when users process personal data with the ((OTRS)) Community Edition. The software and its security measures do not meet current standards.
Using it still breaks the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
This not only risks unauthorized access and data loss but also harms a company’s reputation. It can lead to legal issues, like fines.
In short, companies still using the old ((OTRS)) Community Edition are taking a massive risk.
Neither GDPR-compliant operation nor the protection of sensitive data can be guaranteed. Alongside technical issues, there are also legal uncertainties.
Why Forks Do Not Provide Sufficient Security
Since the OTRS Group left, several independent forks have appeared. These are the gray market providers mentioned earlier. Their work is based on the source code of the ((OTRS)) Community Edition. These projects offer further developments as well as their own security fixes.
Nevertheless, they cannot guarantee the security of the original ((OTRS)) Community Edition, as the following points show:
- Individual forks must discover and fix vulnerabilities in OTRS CE on their own. There is no centrally coordinated, reliable security process.
- Security updates often appear late.
- Different forks develop in different directions (there is no centrally coordinated approach), meaning companies are dependent on finding a sustainable and trustworthy community.
The Key Security Advantages of Modern OTRS
Modern OTRS continuously provides new features, improvements, and advancements, keeping the software solution at a high technological level. In addition, bug fixes and security advisories follow a consistent process.
Customers also benefit from comprehensive service and professional consulting, which address security and compliance along with other important topics.
Users gain access to specialists and experts who leverage years of experience to keep OTRS secure, compliant, and reliable. For this reason, companies with strict security and compliance requirements especially trust OTRS.
In short: organizations should urgently begin the transition to OTRS to avoid security incidents and legal consequences.
Conclusion: Security Deficits Necessitate Change
Security should become a focus before incidents occur. Ignoring it risks severe damage to the business.
With the ((OTRS)) Community Edition, there is no guarantee of adequate security. It exposes its users to high risks—particularly regarding data protection. No official security updates have been implemented for a long time. This makes OTRS CE very vulnerable to serious threats.
The ((OTRS)) Community Edition was once quite popular. Today, however, it must be viewed as highly problematic in terms of security. Technological progress has been significant, making the basis of the Community Edition—OTRS 6—long outdated.
In addition to the new OTRS features and appealing interfaces of the modern OTRS, security aspects are a compelling reason to switch to OTRS immediately. Fair pricing models, simple migration, and comprehensive customer service make the path to significantly improved security straightforward.
