What are the advantages of .NET Framework version 8 from security standpoint?

Question

Hi,

I hope this message finds you well. I am inquiring about the possibility of using .NET 8.0 for our web apps. It may offer some advantages from a security standpoint. However, some team members may have reservations about upgrading, particularly given the ongoing security updates that Microsoft has released for .NET Framework 4.8, which we are currently using.

To better understand the potential benefits of .NET Framework 8, I would appreciate any documentation or web links that could help me evaluate this option from a security standpoint.

I understand your time is valuable, and I thank you in advance for considering this matter. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely,

Osama Faheem

Answer 1

.NET 8 and .NET Framework 4.8 are now very different frameworks and comparing them from security standpoint makes very little sense.

.NET Framework is Windows-only and no major features are added to it. .NET Framework only receives security updates and its support lifecycle matches OS support lifecycle. These updates are received using Windows Update.

.NET x (starting with version 5 and newer) is a cross-platform framework, which can run on Windows Linux and Macs and is a unified framework that combines classic .NET Framework and cross-platform .NET Core. It is actively developed and updated (unlike classic .NET Framework) and has its own distribution/update channels and follow their own support lifecycle. In addition, .NET 8 provides support for modern ASP.NET web app frameworks, while .NET Framework implements only legacy ASP.NET MVC 5 web app framework, which is no longer updated.