Important Security Advisory for WHM/cPanel Users
1. Update WHM/cPanel to a Patched Version Immediately
This is the only permanent fix. Update to any of the following patched builds:
-
11.86.0.41
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11.110.0.97
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11.118.0.63
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11.124.0.35
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11.126.0.54
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11.130.0.19
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11.132.0.29
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11.134.0.20
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11.136.0.5
Update command (run as root):
/scripts/upcp --force
After update, verify version and restart cPanel service:
/usr/local/cpanel/cpanel -V
/scripts/restartsrv_cpsrvd --hard
2. If You Cannot Patch Immediately — Apply Emergency Mitigation
Block all public access to cPanel/WHM login ports:
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2083 (cPanel SSL)
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2087 (WHM SSL)
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2095 (Webmail)
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2096 (Webmail SSL)
This was the first emergency action taken by major hosting providers.
Firewall example (CSF):
csf -td 0.0.0.0/0 2083,2087,2095,2096
3. Check if Your Server Was Compromised
Because this was a zero‑day actively exploited before patch release, you must check logs.
Look for suspicious entries in:
/usr/local/cpanel/logs/access_log
/usr/local/cpanel/logs/login_log
/var/log/secure
Indicators include:
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Unknown IPs accessing
/login/ -
Sudden root‑level WHM logins
-
Session files created without valid authentication
4. Remove Version Lock / Custom Update Tier
If your server is not updating, you likely pinned a custom version.
Reset to RELEASE tier:
whmapi1 set_tier tier=RELEASE
Then run update again.
5. Restrict WHM Access to Trusted IPs Only
Even after patching, limit access:
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Allow WHM only from office/static IP
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Use VPN for admin access
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Disable password logins; use 2FA
This is recommended by multiple security advisories.
6. Restart Services After Patching
Restart cpsrvd and Apache to load new authentication logic:
/scripts/restartsrv_cpsrvd --hard
/scripts/restartsrv_httpd
7. If You Use WP Squared
Update to:
-
WP2 version 136.1.7
Thanks for your feedback!