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Host Access Control

Valid for versions 112 through the latest version

Version:

110

112

Last modified: September 30, 2024

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Note:

Your hosting provider can enable or disable this interface for resellers in WHM's Edit Reseller Nameservers and Privileges interface (WHM >> Home >> Resellers >> Edit Reseller Nameservers and Privileges).

Overview

Use the Host Access Control interface (WHM » Home » Security Center » Host Access Control) to allow, reject, or drop access to the following services for specific IP addresses:

  • cPanel (cpaneld)
  • WHM (whostmgrd)
  • Webmail (webmaild)
  • Web Disk (cpdavd)
  • FTP (ftpd)
  • SSH (sshd)
  • SMTP (smtp)
  • POP3 (pop3)
  • IMAP (imap)
Note:
  • If your server uses nftables, rules that you add in this interface will be ignored if you install another firewall application.
  • This document uses the following examples for networks:
    • 192.168.0.0/24 — IPv4 network
    • 2001:0db8:0:0:1:0:0:1/64 — IPv6 network

Host Access Control for CloudLinux, AlmaLinux, and Rocky Linux

Servers that run CloudLinux™, AlmaLinux OS, or Rocky Linux™ control service access by port number. For a list of ports and their related services, read the Ports section of the How to Configure Your Firewall for cPanel Services documentation.

Warning:

If you accidentally lock yourself out of WHM when you use this interface, edit the nft rules through the command line to regain access.

Add a rule

Important:

You must enter your ACCEPT rules before your DROP or REJECT rules.

To allow or deny a single IP address or CIDR subnet access to a service, perform the following steps:

  1. Enter the port number in the Port text box.
  2. Enter the IP address or CIDR subnet in the IP Address/CIDR text box.
    • You may enter wildcards in this text box.
    • You do not need to enclose IPv6 addresses in square brackets ( [ ] ).
    • You may apply your rule to multiple IP addresses by entering a CIDR subnet mask. To add a CIDR subnet mask, add /NUMBER to your IP address, where NUMBER is the number of network bits that an IP address must match to be affected by your rule.
      • IPv4 example: 192.168.0.0/24 means the first 24 bits of the requesting IP address (the first, second, and third numbers in the IP address) must match the rule IP address. This will result in all IP addresses in the range of 192.168.0.1 - 192.168.0.254 meeting the rule.
      • IPv6 example: 2001:0db8:0:0:1:0:0:1/64 means that the first 64 bits of the requesting IP address must match the rule IP address. Because IPv6 uses 128-bit addresses, this will result in all IP addresses in the range of 2001:db8:abcd:0012:0000:0000:0000:0000 - 2001:db8:abcd:0012:ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff meeting the rule.
  3. Select the TCP protocol or the UDP protocol from the Protocol menu.
  4. Select which action to take for the port from the Action menu.
    • Use the ACCEPT action to allow the IP addresses in the range to access the port.
    • Use the DROP action to block the IP addresses in the range without a rejection message.
    • Use the REJECT action to block the IP addresses in the range with a rejection message.
  5. Click Add Rule to add the rule. The rule will appear in the Current Rules table and apply.

Example

To allow access from IP addresses on a specific network and deny access from all other addresses, use either of the following methods:

  • Create two separate rules:
    • Create one rule that accepts 192.168.0.0/24 or 2001:0db8:0:0:1:0:0:1/64 with the following steps:
      1. Enter the port number in the Port text box.
      2. Enter 192.168.0.0/24 in the IP Address/CIDR text box.
      3. Select the TCP protocol from the Protocol menu.
      4. Select ACCEPT from the Action menu.
      5. Click Add Rule to add the rule. The rule will appear in the Current Rules table.
    • Create a second rule that rejects access to ALL addresses with the following steps:
      1. Enter the port number in the Port text box.
      2. Enter ALL in the IP Address/CIDR text box.
      3. Select the TCP protocol from the Protocol menu.
      4. Select REJECT from the Action menu.
      5. Click Add Rule to add the rule. The rule will appear in the Current Rules table.
  • Or, create one rule that accepts all except 192.168.0.0/24 or all except 2001:0db8:0:0:1:0:0:1/64 with the following steps:
    1. Enter the port number in the Port text box.
    2. Enter all except 192.168.0.0/24 or all except 2001:0db8:0:0:1:0:0:1/64 in the IP Address/CIDR text box.
    3. Select the TCP protocol from the Protocol menu.
    4. Select ACCEPT from the Action menu.
    5. Click Add Rule to add the rule. The rule will appear in the Current Rules table.

Host Access Control for Ubuntu

Servers that run Ubuntu® control access by service via the /etc/hosts.allow and /etc/hosts.deny files.

Warning:

If you accidentally lock yourself out of WHM when you use this interface, edit the /etc/hosts.allow file through the command line to regain access.

Note:
  • The Create Support Ticket interface (WHM » Home » Support » Create Support Ticket) automatically adds cPanel Support’s IP addresses to the server’s /etc/hosts.allow file. For more information, read our Create Support Ticket documentation.
  • To control access to the ftpd daemon, you must use the ProFTPD FTP server. Pure-FTP does not support TCP wrappers.

Allow or deny access

Important:

You must enter your allow rules before your deny rules.

To allow or deny a single IP address, comma-separated list of IP addresses, hostname, or CIDR subnet access to a service, perform the following steps:

  1. Enter the service name in the daemon text box.
  2. Enter the IP address, CIDR subnet, comma-separated list of IP addresses, or hostname in the Access List text box.
    • You may enter wildcards in this text box.
    • You must enclose IPv6 addresses in square brackets ( [ ] ).
    • To add a CIDR subnet mask, add /NUMBER to your IP address, where NUMBER is the number of network bits that an IP address must match for your rule to affect it.
      • IPv4 example: 192.168.0.0/24 means the first 24 bits of the requesting IP address (the first, second, and third numbers in the IP address) must match the rule IP address. This will result in all IP addresses in the range of 192.168.0.1 - 192.168.0.254 meeting the rule.
      • IPv6 example: 2001:0db8:0:0:1:0:0:1/64 means that the first 64 bits of the requesting IP address must match the rule IP address. Because IPv6 uses 128-bit addresses, this will result in all IP addresses in the range of 2001:db8:abcd:0012:0000:0000:0000:0000 - 2001:db8:abcd:0012:ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff meeting the rule.
  3. Enter the desired action in the Action text box.
    • Enter allow to allow access.
    • Enter deny to deny access.
  4. Describe the rule in the Comment text box.
  5. Click Save Host Access List, or click Reload to delete any changes. Any saved rules apply.
Note:

You can also enter ALL EXCEPT IP address in the Access List text box. When you enter allow as your action, the system will allow all of the addresses except for addresses that you entered in the Access List text box.

Example

To allow access from IP addresses on a specific network and deny access from all other addresses, use either of the following methods:

  • Create two separate rules:
    1. Create one rule that allows 192.168.0.0/24 or 2001:0db8:0:0:1:0:0:1/64.
    2. Create a second rule that denies access to ALL addresses.
  • Create one rule:
    1. Enter all except 192.168.0.0/24 or all except 2001:0db8:0:0:1:0:0:1/64 in the Access List text box.
    2. Enter deny in the Action text box.

Additional Documentation