VPS & Dedicated Hosting: ConfigServer Security & Firewall (CSF)

• Log in to WHM

  ◦ Go to https://yourdomain.com/whm or https://yourdomain.com:2087

  ◦ Enter your root username and password

  ◦ Click Log In
  
  
  

• Install CSF (if not installed)

  Once complete, you’ll see:
  ◦ Installation Completed.

  ◦ Then return to WHM → Plugins → ConfigServer Security & Firewall to open its settings.

  You can find the Testing Mode setting inside the Firewall Configuration tab, as shown below:
  
  
  
  

• Disable Testing Mode and Adjust Syslog Restriction

  By default, CSF installs in Testing Mode (ON).
  To disable it:
  ◦  Click Firewall Configuration.
  ◦  Find TESTING = "1" and change it to "0".
  ◦  Click Change, then Restart csf+lfd.

  You may also see a warning about RESTRICT_SYSLOG being disabled:
  ◦  Change its value to 3 (recommended).
  ◦  Click Change again and restart CSF/LFD when prompted.
  
  
  
  

• Disable cPHulk

  To prevent conflicts between CSF and cPHulk:
  ◦  In WHM, go to Security Center → cPHulk Brute Force Protection.
  ◦  Disable cPHulk completely.

• Configure Firewall Ports

  By default, CSF opens standard cPanel ports.
  If you use a custom SSH or SFTP port, you can modify the port list:
  ◦ Go to Plugins → ConfigServer Security & Firewall → Firewall Configuration
  ◦ Edit the fields:

  • TCP_IN – incoming ports
  • TCP_OUT – outgoing ports

  UDP_IN – incoming UDP ports
  ◦ Add or remove ports (separated by commas)
  ◦  Click Change, then restart CSF/LFD
  
  
  
  

• Manage IPs and Rules

  You can manage IP addresses directly from the CSF interface:
  ◦ Quick Allow – Whitelist an IP
  ◦ Quick Deny – Block an IP
  ◦ Quick Ignore – Ignore an IP from LFD scans
  ◦ Quick Unblock – Remove a blocked IP
  You can also enable or disable the firewall entirely from this section.
  
  
  
  
  

• Manage CSF via Command Line (Optional)

  ◦ You can also manage CSF through SSH commands:
  
  
  

        ◦ After removal, you may re-enable cPHulk or install another firewall.