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Last modified: July 28, 2023

Upgrade blockers

MySQL 5.5

If you run MySQL® 5.5 on cPanel & WHM version 86, you will not be able to upgrade your server to cPanel & WHM version 88. However, you will be able to upgrade your server to cPanel & WHM version 92.

To upgrade your server’s database engine, use WHM’s MySQL or MariaDB Upgrade interface (WHM » Home » SQL Services » MySQL/MariaDB Upgrade).

Amazon Linux 1

Existing cPanel & WHM servers that use the Amazon Linux 1 operating system cannot upgrade from cPanel & WHM version 86 to 88.

CentOS 6 and Red Hat® Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 6

Existing cPanel & WHM servers that use CentOS 6 and Red Hat Enterprise Linux® (RHEL) 6 operating system cannot upgrade from cPanel & WHM version 86 to 88. For more information about our deprecation of CentOS 6, read our CentOS 6, CloudLinux 6 OS, and you! blog post.

New features

Added ImunifyAV options

In cPanel & WHM version 88, we added an installation option for ImunifyAV to WHM’s Security Advisor interface (WHM » Home » Security Center » Security Advisor). We also added an ImunifyAV+ purchase and automatic installation option to WHM’s Security Advisor interface. You can also purchase and upgrade to either ImunifyAV+ or Imunify360 from the ImunifyAV interface (WHM » Home » Plugins » ImunifyAV). ImunifyAV provides additional security by scanning for malware on your server. Upgrading to ImunifyAV+ allows you to set up email notifications and automatic malware removal. To learn more about the differences between ImunifyAV, ImunifyAV+ and Imunify360, read the cPanel blog.

For more information, read our How to Install ImunifyAV and How to Purchase an ImunifyAV+ License documentation.

Added public DNSKEY record display interfaces

In cPanel & WHM version 88, we added the ability to display a domain’s public DNSKEY record to WHM’s DNS Zone Manager interface (WHM » Home » DNS Functions » DNS Zone Manager) and cPanel’s Zone Editor interface (cPanel » Home » Domains » Zone Editor).

Added new settings to the DNS Zone Manager

In cPanel & WHM version 88, we added new zone record configuration settings to WHM’s DNS Zone Manager (Home » WHM » DNS Functions > DNS Zone Manager) interface. You can now configure the following DNS records in this interface:

• AFSDB
• DNAME
• DS
• HINFO
• LOC
• NAPTR
• NS
• PTR
• RP
• SOA

To update these records, click Manage next to the domain that you wish to modify. This replaces the functionality of WHM’s Edit DNS Zone (Home » WHM » DNS Functions » Edit DNS Zone) interface.

Added MySQL 8 support

In cPanel & WHM version 88, we added support for MySQL® 8 for CentOS 7, Red Hat® Enterprise Linux, and CloudLinux servers. New installations of cPanel & WHM version 88 will continue to use MySQL 5.7 by default. You can upgrade to MySQL 8 in WHM’s MySQL or MariaDB Upgrade interface (WHM » Home » Software » MySQL/MariaDB Upgrade).

Also, you can connect to a MySQL 8.0 Amazon® RDS™ instance with cPanel & WHM version 88. For more information, read our Create an Amazon RDS Instance documentation.

MySQL Upgrade Checker

In cPanel & WHM version 88, we added the MySQL® Upgrade Checker utility to WHM’s MySQL/MariaDB Upgrade interface (WHM » Home » SQL Services » MySQL or MariaDB Upgrade). It checks whether an upgrade from MySQL 5.7 to 8.X will work on the MySQL configuration file and table engine.

Maintaining security with MySQL 8.0 on a remote server

If both of the following conditions are true when you create a profile in WHM’s Manage MySQL Profiles interface, you may introduce a security vulnerability:

• The local server runs MySQL 5.7.
• The remote server runs MySQL 8.0 and later or Amazon RDS.

This will copy a profile for the root MySQL user to the remote server with the % host. This will allow the root MySQL user to connect from any IP address. Either of the following solutions will resolve the problem:

• Upgrade the local cPanel & WHM server to MySQL 8.0
• Add a root user to the remote server that is only allowed to log in from the local server’s IP address.

MySQL now streams during account transfers in WHM

When you transfer an account via WHM’s Transfer Tool interface (WHM » Home » Transfers » Transfer Tool) or the Transfer or Restore a cPanel Account interface (WHM » Home » Transfers » Transfer or Restore a cPanel Account), the system streams the MySQL dump, if streaming is available. The transfer will not include the dump as a file in the account’s tarball. This will reduce transfer times for large MySQL databases.

MysqlDump stream improvements

Integrators can now call the MysqlDump stream via a WHM API token.

The Transfer or Restore a cPanel Account interface

The WHM Transfer or Restore a cPanel Account interface (WHM » Home » Transfers » Transfer or Restore a cPanel Account) improves your cPanel account transfer and restoration experience. With this interface, you can:

• Restore a local backup or cpmove archive file on the server.
• Upload a backup or cpmove file to transfer or restore a cPanel account.
• Transfer a cPanel account from a remote server to the local server.

This new interface also supports the transfer or restoration of accounts for cPanel & WHM linked server nodes.

User Interface - Debug Mode Tweak Setting

In cPanel & WHM version 88, we added the User Interface - Debug Mode setting to the Development section of WHM’s Tweak Settings interface (WHM » Home » Server Configuration » Tweak Settings). This setting helps to troubleshoot issues with the cPanel user interface. This setting also separates the cPanel user interface’s debug mode functionality from the Standardized Hooks - Debug Mode setting.

New root user survey

Users with root-level privileges will now see a Feedback tab and icon () on the right side of the WHM interface. This tab allows you to take a short anonymous survey about your experience with cPanel & WHM.

Updated features

Server profiles improvements

We added several improvements to the server profiles project. Phase six made linked nodes more capable, performant, and reliable. We also added new ways to transfer cPanel accounts between linked nodes.

• You can now offload mail to a child node for a cPanel account during transfers and restorations. You can also restore a distributed cPanel account to only the local server. For example, you can offload the mail storage and services for an existing cPanel account to a child node.

• A cPanel account’s cpmove file now contains all the cPanel user’s data from all linked nodes. The transfer and restoration process preserves the user’s data and configuration settings.

• You can select whether to link the cPanel account to a child node. The account owner does not change. Previously, the restoration process would restore locally for reseller-owned distributed cPanel accounts. The process also changed the owner to the root user.

Transfer Tool improvements

We added the following updates to WHM’s Transfer Tool interface:

• We improved the visual layout of the Account List section of the interface.
• We now resynchronize any changes that occur in the home directory after the transfer starts.
• We added the Overwrite with Delete setting. The setting performs two actions in the cPanel user’s home directory:
• This setting uses the source server’s data to overwrite the local data.
• This setting removes old files and directories on the destination server.

Streamlined Directory Privacy interface

In cPanel & WHM version 88, we added the Actions column to cPanel’s Directory Privacy interface (cPanel » Home » Files » Directory Privacy). To set the directory privacy permissions for all of the subdirectories within a directory, click Edit under the Actions column for that directory.

Users who navigate to this interface will notice a more streamlined experience.

Streamlined Indexes interface

In cPanel & WHM version 88, we added the Inherit and Show Filename and Description index settings to cPanel’s Indexes interface (cPanel » Home » Files » Directory Privacy). To set the directory indexing settings for all of the subdirectories within a directory, click Edit under the Actions column for that directory.

Users who navigate to this interface will notice a more streamlined experience.

Updated cPanel Analytics look and feel

The cPanel Analytics tabs in the cPanel, Webmail, and WHM interfaces now have a new look and feel, including a new graph icon ().

Exim now stores a whitelist of secondary MX records by domain

In cPanel & WHM version 88, Exim now builds a list of domain names and their associated IP addresses, then matches the list to the domain’s MX host list. Exim then determines if an email came from the recipient domain’s secondary MX host. If it does, then Exim will accept email from the whitelisted secondary MX host. The system stores the list in the /etc/domain_secondary_mx_ips.cdb file and updates it via the queueprocd service. This will help prevent Apache SpamAssassin™ from marking email from any approved secondary MX hosts as spam.

APNs keys in the Manage Service SSL Certificates interface

In cPanel & WHM version 88, we updated WHM’s Manage Service SSL Certificates interface (WHM » Home » Service Configuration » Manage Service SSL Certificates). You can now specify in the iOS Mail Push Notifications tab whether to install an Apple® Push Notification service (APNs) key for mail or calendars and contacts.

For more information, read our How to Set Up iOS Push Notifications documentation.

Added skip FTP accounts option to suspendacct script

In cPanel & WHM version 88, we added the --leave-ftp-accts-enabled option to the /usr/local/cpanel/scripts/suspendacct script. If you use this option, the script will not suspend an account’s FTP accounts.

Webmail now ships with Roundcube version 1.4

In cPanel & WHM version 88, we updated the Roundcube version in Webmail from version 1.3 to version 1.4. Roundcube version 1.4 features a new responsive theme for mobile devices, as well as compatibility with the Calendar and Contacts Server (CCS) plugin. For more information, read our Webmail Clients documentation.

Wildcard reduction support for AutoSSL

In cPanel & WHM version 88, the AutoSSL feature now supports wildcard reduction for SSL certificates. When you use a supported provider, AutoSSL will try to replace a domain’s subdomains with a single wildcard domain. If the wildcard domain fails its Domain Control Validation (DCV) check, AutoSSL then checks the subdomains. When DCV succeeds, wildcard reduction reduces the total number of domains on an AutoSSL certificate.

Deprecated and removed items

Removed scripts and affected features

In cPanel & WHM version 88, we removed the following scripts:

• /usr/local/cpanel/bin/recovery/fixsubconf
• /usr/local/cpanel/scripts/fix_mail_subdomain_userdata
• /usr/local/cpanel/scripts/modcpuser
• /usr/local/cpanel/scripts/pl_update_users

This update also removes the following:

• The User Theme Update setting in WHM’s Contact Manager interface (WHM » Home » Server Contacts » Contact Manager).
• The PaperLantern/UpdateUsers.*.tmpl notification templates.

To update users to the Paper Lantern theme, use WHM’s Modify an Account interface (WHM » Home » Account Functions » Modify an Account) or Modify/Upgrade Multiple Accounts interface (WHM » Home » Multi Account Functions » Modify/Upgrade Multiple Accounts).

Deprecated cPanel variable

In cPanel & WHM version 88, we deprecated the $CPDATA{‘KEY’} cPanel variable. This variable returned the value for a specific setting (key) in the authenticated user’s /var/cpanel/users/username file, where username is the cPanel or WHM account username.

To return this information, use the UAPI Variables::get_user_information function.

Appendix A: Third-party applications

cPanel & WHM version 88 includes the following third-party applications:

Appendix B: New and modified API functions

New UAPI functions

• DirectoryIndexes::get_indexing — This function returns the directory indexing settings for a directory on the cPanel account and its subdirectories.

• DirectoryIndexes::list_directories — This function returns the directory indexing settings of the subdirectories in a directory.

• DirectoryIndexes::set_indexing — This function configures the directory indexing settings for a directory on the cPanel account.

• DirectoryPrivacy::add_user — This function adds a user who can access a protected directory on the cPanel account.

• DirectoryPrivacy::configure_directory_protection — This function enables or disables password protection for a directory on the cPanel account.

• DirectoryPrivacy::delete_user — This function deletes a user who can access a protected directory on the cPanel account.

• DirectoryPrivacy::is_directory_protected — This function confirms whether a directory uses password protection.

• DirectoryPrivacy::list_directories — This function returns the privacy status of the subdirectories in a directory.

• DirectoryPrivacy::list_users — This function returns the users who can access a password-protected directory on the cPanel account.

• DirectoryProtection::list_directories — This function returns the leech protection settings of the subdirectories in a directory.

• DNSSEC::export_zone_dnskey — This function exports a domain’s DNSKEY record value.

• Mime::get_redirect — This function retrieves a redirection URL for a domain.

• Quota::get_local_quota_info — This function retrieves the cPanel account’s quota for the server where you run the function.

New WHM API 1 functions

• background_mysql_upgrade_checker_run — This function checks your MySQL configuration file and table engine before an upgrade to MySQL 8.0.

• enqueue_deferred_ssl_installations — This function adds SSL certificates to the installation queue. This allows you to defer and batch SSL certificate installation.

• export_zone_dnskey — This function exports a domain’s DNSKEY record value.

• fetch_pkgacct_master_log — This function returns the contents of a start_background_pkgacct session’s master log file.

• get_homedir_roots — This function returns all the directories where the system stores users’ home directories.

• get_pkgacct_session_state — This function returns the state of a start_background_pkgacct session.

• list_user_child_nodes — This function returns the system’s accounts and the linked cPanel & WHM server on which they exist.

• massmodifyacct — This function modifies multiple cPanel accounts.

• normalize_user_email_configuration — This function fixes a user’s misconfigured email settings. This includes any misconfigured email file and directory ownership and permissions.

• start_local_cpmove_restore — This function performs a full restoration of a single cPanel account from a backup file.

Modified UAPI functions

• DNS::has_local_authority — Added the error return.

• DNSSEC::activate_zone_key — Removed the domain, key_id, success, and error returns from the metadata. Previously the returns were both in the data and the metadata.

• DNSSEC::add_zone_key — Removed the domain, new_key_id, success, and error returns from the metadata. Previously the returns were both in the data and the metadata.

• DNSSEC:: deactivate_zone_key — Removed the domain, key_id, success, and error returns from the metadata. Previously the returns were both in the data and the metadata.

• DNSSEC::disable_dnssec — Removed the disabled and DOMAIN returns from the metadata. Previously the returns were both in the data and the metadata.

• DNSSEC::enable_dnssec — Removed the DOMAIN, enabled, new_key_id, and nsec_version returns from the metadata. Previously the returns were both in the data and the metadata.

• DNSSEC::import_zone_key — Removed the domain, new_key_id, success, and error returns from the metadata. Previously the returns were both in the data and the metadata.

• DNSSEC::remove_zone_key — Removed the domain, key_id, success, and error returns from the metadata. Previously the returns were both in the data and the metadata.

• DNSSEC::set_nsec3 — Removed the enabled and DOMAIN returns from the metadata. Previously the returns were both in the data and the metadata.

• DNSSEC::unset_nsec3 — Removed the disabled and DOMAIN returns from the metadata. Previously the returns were both in the data and the metadata.

• EmailAuth::validate_current_dkims — Added the ERROR value to the state return. Added the error return.

• EmailAuth::validate_current_spfs — Added the ERROR value to the state return. Added the error return.

• Stats::get_bandwidth — Added the timezone parameter. This function now also returns the bandwidth use of a distributed cPanel account.

• ResourceUsage::get_usages — Added the error return.

• Variables::get_user_information — Added the database_owner, feature, lang, mxcheck, notify_account_authn_link, notify_account_authn_link_notification_disabled, notify_account_login, notify_account_login_for_known_netblock, notify_account_login_notification_disabled, notify_autossl_expiry, notify_autossl_expiry_coverage, notify_autossl_renewal_coverage, notify_autossl_renewal_coverage_reduced, notify_autossl_renewal_uncovered_domains, notify_bandwidth_limit, notify_contact_address_change, notify_contact_address_change_notification_disabled, notify_disk_limit, notify_password_change, notify_password_change_notification_disabled, notify_ssl_expiry, notify_twofactorauth_change, and notify_twofactorauth_change_notification_disabled returns.

Modified cPanel API 2 functions

Modified WHM API 1 functions

• configureservice — When using only the clustering ACL, this function can only act on the named service.

• editpkg — Removed the changepackage return. Previously, this return displayed a list of all the accounts updated by this function. In cPanel & WHM version 88, the editpkg function now processes account changes as a background process. Because of this change, this function does not need the changepackage return.

• enqueue_transfer_item — Added the overwrite_with_delete and mail_location parameters.

• get_autossl_providers — Added the SUPPORTS_WILDCARD return.

• has_local_authority — Added the error return.

• modifyacct — Added the STARTDATE and STYLE parameters.

• restartservice – Added the queue_task parameter. Also, when using only the clustering ACL, this function can only act on the named service.

• retrieve_transfer_session_remote_analysis – Added the linked_nodes array of hashes to the remote and local hashes.

• start_background_pkgacct – Added the incremental, skipapitokens, skipauthnlinks, skipdnssec, skipdnszones, skipftpusers, skiplinkednodes, skiplogs, skipresellerconfig, skipshell, and skipvhosttemplates parameters.

• addzonerecord — We made the following additions to this API function:

  • Added NAPTR to the type parameter’s possible values.
  • Added digest to the DS zone record’s parameters in the type parameter.
  • Added size, horiz_pre, and vert_pre to the LOC zone record’s parameters in the type parameter.

• editzonerecord — We made the following additions to this API function:

  • Added NAPTR to the type parameter’s possible values.
  • Added digest to the DS zone record’s parameters in the type parameter.
  • Added size, horiz_pre, and vert_pre to the LOC zone record’s parameters in the type parameter.

• dumpzone —We made the following additions to this API function:

  • Added NAPTR to the type parameter’s returns.
  • Added size_mts, horiz_pre_mts, vert_pre_mts, longitude_dms, and latitude_dms to the LOC zone record’s returns in the type return.

• getzonerecord —We made the following additions to this API function:

  • Added NAPTR to the type parameter’s returns.
  • Added size_mts, horiz_pre_mts, vert_pre_mts, longitude_dms, and latitude_dms to the LOC zone record’s returns in the type return.

• validate_current_dkims — Added the ERROR value to the state return. Added the error return.

• validate_current_spfs — Added the ERROR value to the state return. Added the error return.

Deprecated UAPI functions

Removed cPanel API 1 functions

• FrontPage::addfp – We removed this function from cPanel & WHM.

• FrontPage::delfp – We removed this function from cPanel & WHM.

• FrontPage::fpstatus – We removed this function from cPanel & WHM.

• Serverinfo::servicestatus – We removed this function from cPanel & WHM. We recommend that you use UAPI’s ServerInformation::get_information function.