Magento 1 to Magento 2 migration: why it is mandatory in 2024

In June 2020, official support for Magento 1 was withdrawn. Many businesses moved to Magento 2 as a result, mainly because of the risk of security issues that would never be fixed. Below we set out the main security problems with Magento 1 and the reasons we recommend moving to Magento 2.

Magento 1 security issues

No support and no security updates

Since official support ended in June 2020, Magento 1 no longer receives security patches or updates from Adobe. Any vulnerability discovered after that date will not be fixed, which leaves online stores exposed to web attacks.

Vulnerabilities in third-party modules

Magento 1 depends on a large number of third-party modules, and many of them have never been updated to fix their security vulnerabilities. That brings another drawback: the platform can be hacked through these modules.

Cross-site scripting (XSS) and SQL injection attacks

Magento 1 is known to be vulnerable to XSS and SQL injection attacks, which allow hackers to execute code or to access and modify the store’s databases.

Data validation and sanitisation issues

Magento 1 has had several issues caused by a lack of proper input validation and sanitisation. This opens the door to injection attacks, where hackers insert and run code on the site.

Theft of confidential information

One consequence of attacks on Magento 1 stores is the theft of sensitive information, such as credit card details or customers’ personal data. The result can be significant financial losses and damage to the store’s reputation.

Botnets and DDoS attacks

Stores running on Magento 1 are vulnerable to botnet and DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks, which can overload the servers and make the store unavailable to customers.

Why do we recommendmigrating to Magento 2?

Ongoing support and security updates

Magento 2 continues to receive support and regular updates from Adobe, including security patches that fix newly discovered vulnerabilities. This reduces the risk of the store being compromised through known attacks.

Modern architecture and security improvements

Magento 2 was built on a more modern architecture with significant security improvements. They include better permission management, two-factor authentication (2FA) and advanced data encryption.

Protection against XSS and SQL injection attacks

Magento 2 comes with improved protection mechanisms against XSS and SQL injection attacks, significantly reducing the risk of a hacker exploiting these vulnerabilities.

Data validation and sanitisation

Stricter input validation and sanitisation in Magento 2 reduce the risk of injection attacks and other attacks based on inserting malicious code.

Performance and scalability improvements

Beyond security, Magento 2 brings significant gains in overall performance and platform scalability. The outcome can be a better user experience and greater resilience to DDoS attacks.

A better ecosystem

Magento 2 benefits from a more robust ecosystem of extensions and modules, many of them built with security in mind and constantly updated to address new threats.

Magento 2.4.7, released in 2024 (the current version is 2.4.9, released on 12 May 2026, after 2.4.8 in April 2025; Adobe’s version list, checked in October 2026), brings a series of improvements and new features that make the platform considerably better, especially compared with Magento 1. Here is a detailed comparison of what is new in Magento 2.4.7:

1. Much improved third-party modules

LEADLION is an Amasty partner, which means you can get any Amasty module at very favourable prices. These modules are updated and improved regularly.

2. Performance improvements

Faster load times: Magento 2.4.7 includes performance optimisations that deliver faster load times than Magento 1, thanks to more efficient use of caching mechanisms such as Varnish and Redis and to more efficient code.

Improved scalability: the Magento 2.4.7 architecture is designed to handle larger catalogues and higher traffic volumes more efficiently than Magento 1, which makes it better suited to growing businesses.

Elasticsearch as the default search engine: Magento 2.4.7 uses Elasticsearch as its default search engine, giving faster and more accurate search results. Search in Magento 1 is less powerful and less configurable.

3. Advanced developer tools

GraphQL API: Magento 2.4.7 supports GraphQL, allowing more efficient data querying, which is especially useful when building progressive web apps (PWAs). Magento 1 does not support GraphQL.

Improved dependency injection (DI): the DI architecture in Magento 2 is more advanced, so the platform is easier to customise and extend without changing the core code. Dependency management in Magento 1 is less sophisticated.

Modular architecture: Magento 2.4.7 has a more modular architecture, which makes it easier to develop, manage and update individual platform components. The monolithic structure of Magento 1 is less flexible.

4. User experience and admin interface

New admin panel: the Magento 2.4.7 admin interface is friendlier, with a responsive design, and easier to navigate, especially for non-technical users. The Magento 1 admin panel is more dated and less intuitive.

Page Builder: Magento 2.4.7 includes an advanced Page Builder that lets merchants create and customise pages without writing any code. This feature is not available in Magento 1, where similar tasks required extra technical skills or plugins.

PWA Studio: Magento 2.4.7 supports PWA Studio, so merchants can build progressive web apps for a more mobile-friendly user experience. Magento 1 does not support PWAs out of the box.

5. Improved checkout process

Streamlined checkout: Magento 2.4.7 offers a simpler and faster checkout process that reduces basket abandonment rates. It includes features such as guest checkout and faster load times, which are more complicated to achieve in Magento 1. (see the Amasty extensions)

BOPIS (Buy Online, Pick up In Store): Magento 2.4.7 includes BOPIS functionality, allowing customers to buy products online and collect them in store, an increasingly important feature in modern commerce. Magento 1 does not support this natively.

6. Support for modern technologies

PHP 8.2 and 8.3 compatibility: Magento 2.4.7 is compatible with PHP 8.2 and 8.3, which offer better performance, improved security and new features. Magento 1, being outdated, only supports older PHP versions that are no longer secure.

Composer support: Magento 2.4.7 uses Composer for dependency management, making it easier to manage third-party libraries and keep the code organised. Magento 1 does not support Composer natively.

Modern JavaScript frameworks: Magento 2.4.7 uses modern JavaScript frameworks (such as Knockout.js) for better front-end performance and a more interactive user experience. By comparison, the Magento 1 front end is less modern and less performant.

7. Compliance and legal considerations

The features below can be extended and improved with third-party modules.

GDPR compliance: Magento 2.4.7 includes features that help merchants comply with GDPR and other data protection regulations, such as data anonymisation and consent management. Magento 1 does not have these features built in.

PCI compliance: Magento 2.4.7 has improved PCI compliance features, making it easier for merchants to meet the standards required for secure transactions. Without recent updates, Magento 1 is harder to secure to the level PCI compliance requires.

8. Community and ecosystem

Active community and extension marketplace: Magento 2.4.7 benefits from an active community and a growing marketplace for extensions and themes. The Magento 1 community and marketplace have shrunk significantly since support ended.

Ongoing support: Magento 2.4.7 is actively supported by Adobe, which ensures constant improvements, new features and security updates. Magento 1 no longer receives official support, which makes it a risky option to keep using.