Step by Step Guide on How to Apply Security Patch to Your Magento E-commerce Site via Composer

Ensuring your Magento e-commerce site is up-to-date with the latest security patches is crucial for maintaining a secure and efficient online store. Here is a detailed, step-by-step guide to updating your Magento 2 site installed via Composer. Follow these best practices to ensure a smooth upgrade process.

1. Backup Your Site

Before making any changes, ensure you have a complete backup of your site, including all files and the database. This backup allows you to restore your site to its previous state if anything goes wrong during the update.

bin/magento setup:backup --code --media --db

2. Put Your Site in Maintenance Mode

To prevent access to your site during the update, put it in maintenance mode. This step helps to avoid any disruptions or errors that might occur if customers try to access the site during the update process.

bin/magento maintenance:enable

3. Update Magento

Use Composer to update Magento to the version that includes the security update. First find our your current Magento version:

bin/magento --version

Next, check for available updates:

composer show magento/product-community-edition --all | grep versions

For security update, visit Adobe Security Bulletin to find the right target version to number for your Magento e-commerce installation; https://helpx.adobe.com/uk/security/security-bulletin.html#magento

Then, start by specifing the version you’re updating to by replacing [version] with the target version number:

composer require magento/product-community-edition=[version] --no-update

After setting the required version, run the update:

composer update

4. Clear Cache and Generated Content

After updating, clear the cache and generated content to ensure Magento uses the updated files. This step helps prevent any old cached data from causing issues with the new update.

bin/magento cache:clean
bin/magento cache:flush
rm -rf var/cache/* var/page_cache/* generated/code/*

5. Update the Database and Compile

Run the Magento upgrade script to update the database schema and data. Then, recompile the Magento code to ensure everything is up-to-date.

bin/magento setup:upgrade
bin/magento setup:di:compile

6. Deploy Static Content (if needed)

If you are in production mode or need to regenerate static content, run the following command:

bin/magento setup:static-content:deploy

(if you are in default or developer mode, you will need to use -f to force deployment of static content)

7. Disable Maintenance Mode

Once the update is complete and you’ve verified the site is working correctly, disable maintenance mode to allow customers to access your site again.

bin/magento maintenance:disable

8. Test Your Site

Thoroughly test your site to ensure the update hasn’t caused any issues. Check both the frontend and backend functionality, focusing on areas directly affected by the security update.

Additional Recommendations:

• Staging Environment: If possible, perform the update first in a staging environment. This allows you to test the update without affecting your live site.
• Version Control: Use version control (e.g., Git) to manage your codebase. This practice makes it easier to track changes and revert to a previous state if necessary.
• Extensions and Customisations: Check the compatibility of your extensions and custom themes with the new Magento version. Update or adjust them as needed to ensure they work correctly with the latest version.

Following these steps will help ensure a successful Magento security update with minimal disruption to your site. Regular updates not only improve security but also enhance the performance and reliability of your e-commerce platform. Stay vigilant and proactive in maintaining your Magento site for the best possible user experience.