Overview of site security levels (if available)

When multiple sites are hosted on a single server, sharing system resources, there is a high possibility of sabotage or inadvertent activity that may compromise the integrity of data. You can check misuse or malevolent activity by setting appropriate security features for each site when you create the site.

Depending on the security level chosen, certain services for the site run in protected mode within the restricted environment of the site's file system, technically referred to as a chrooted environment. This prohibits the resources of the secured site from unauthorized access; also, the administrator and users of the secured site cannot access data or resources pertaining to other sites on the server.

The control panel offers three security levels:

High security

High security runs certain services, that are vulnerable to security breaches, inside the restrictive environment of the site's file system.

This security level is recommended if you provide a shared hosting environment and want to ensure a secure environment for sites that enable CGI scripting capability and remote access services.

The services that are secured are:

CGI Scripts

CGI scripts can present security loopholes in two ways:

High security uses the chroot mechanism to place CGI scripts inside the restrictive part of the site's file system.

Telnet/Secure Shell

Remote login services like Telnet or SSH allow users to interact with remote computers on the Internet. They can expose your system to denial-of-service attacks and enable hackers to run subversive code.

High security jails remote user logins (administrator and users of the site) to the restrictive environment of their home directories. Administrators and users of the site are logged into their respective home directories, preventing view or access to any system-wide resources from the site's operating environment.

mod_perl/mod_php

mod_perl and mod_php are modules that allow users to run scripts on the Web server, thus exposing your Web server to potential exploits.

High security disables the mod_perl and mod_php services for a site, so that users cannot run scripts using these modules on the site.

Medium security

Medium security offers a loosely knit security environment wherein remote login services are secured, but CGI scripts run in a vulnerable environment.

CGI scripts

CGI scripts are not jailed into the site's file system. This compromises security but eliminates file sharing constraints posed by secured CGI scripts.

Telnet / Secure Shell

Telnet and SSH services are secured as in high security. Remote user logins (administrator and users of the site) are restricted to the protective environment of the site's file system.

mod_perl / mod_php

mod_perl and mod_php services are enabled for the site, allowing users to run these scripts on the site.

Low security

Low security enables all files residing on the server to be shared or accessed (depending on file access privileges) by the administrator of the site. Users, however, are always restricted to the home directory of the site.

This security level is recommended only for trusted user environments, as it allows remote access services and CGI scripts access to the whole server, including other user's data on the server. This security level is not recommended for shared hosting environments.

The site is also enabled to run mod_perl and mod_php scripts.

None of the following services are secured for the site.

CGI scripts

While CGI scripts reside within the site's file system, the administrator of the site can access or share system-wide resources outside the cgi-bin directory.

Telnet / Secure Shell

With low security, administrators can use the Telnet or SSH remote login service to traverse the file hierarchy outside the site's home directory. Users, however, are restricted to the home directory of the site.

mod_perl / mod_php

mod_perl and mod_php services are enabled for the site and can be used to run mod_perl and mod_php scripts on the site.