Cpanel went on for 2 years with a remote root exploit in exim 4.69(released: 12-27-2007 11:29 AM) that allowed attackers to gain complete control over the servers. Hosts that use cpanel, Hostgator.com and many others. Unlike qmail(qmail.org) that has a track record of zero security flaws. Along with tinydns that has had one security flaw but not a serious one. It only allowed attackers to crash the daemon then it needed to be restarted.
Why is this so serious? Imagine how many E-Commerce sites are built on top of that platform. If you run a cpanel server inside yhour network that has access to the outside world. You could now have crackers using that cpanel box as a base to compromise and attack other computers on the network from. The possiblitiy that a massive DDOS attack was on it's way the 2012 of the internet? Your whole datacenter turns on you.
("200,000 "web site hosting vendors", all cPanel-based, yet uniquely labeled")
("Here's where: more than 98% of these 200,000+ different web hosting brand names in the world will offer you exactly the same cPanel Control Panel and platform, labeled in a different way, with the same price tags!")
Information taken from - www.resellerhostingclue.com
Any site in the past 3 years that has received your personal information , name , address, telephone, and credit card numbers has more than likely been compromised and "black hat hackers"(the evil doers) have your information at their disposal.
A lot of shared servers. Like hostgator.com , and many more here -
Google Search
This is how easy it was for a attacker to gain complete control over these hosts.
Also cpanel prefers performance over security. None of these services include chkrootkit, rkhunter, obscure installs of tripwire. None of the services use chroot for the daemons. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chroot
10 other web hosting panel alternatives that are free
10 free cpanel alternatives
ISPConfig is a great alternative that is feature rich and even includes multiple server monitoring and virtual machine monitoring/control. This is put together by the people at howtoforge.com , the only thing they ask is if you can, buy a subcription for 6-USD to their site. Where they give the same support and quality tutorials to everyone for free anyways! That is nothing more genuine than that.
Basically every host I have talked to only say they patched their servers. None of them reinstalled the base then reinstalled cpanel. Knowing Hostgator there is no tripwire and most hosting companies would not take the time to ensure the safety of the data. Mainly because that would cost them money and resources. Moving the accounts, going through all the code of the websites looking for malware and web based shells. Last updates made to the most popular root kit checking software on the market. AVG also has a Linux virus scanner but I am unsure of its capabilities. The windows version of AVG is rock solid. ( http://free.avg.com )
To ensure integrity/safety of the data is by reinstalling the base and then cpanel or a alternative, finally moving the accounts back to the servers is the only solution. This is because chkrootkit and rkhunter only have been trained to find known root kits in common places. This does not include back doors implanted into obscure places. This does not include checking the kernel for mods that enable a attacker to compromise the host.
Last updates to these pieces of software -
2009-30-9 rkhunter
2010-11-17 - chkrootkit
Responses from a couple cpanel hosts:
Hostgators Responses:
Routehosts Response:
Hurdles pushing this information to the public -
Grub Help mailing list -
Greg implicitly states he knows a person that works at one of the two companies. Then proceeds to calls this a scam and me a fraud. Greg and Mark then decided to move the argument off list and proceed to call me a liar after moving the private message he sent me that was vulgar to the public list saying I am a fraud/liar because I changed the reply to the group and not directly to them. I admit I'm not the best but I am not scamming anyone about these issues.
Emails of the conversations and these are also available via the mailing list archives publicly search able on google.
email1
email2
email3
Web Hosting Talk -
Then on web hosting talk I started a thread called "Boycott Cpanel". That was shutdown after about a hour after mentioning the connections between the site and having hostgator employees as their own content curators. I also mentioned the connections between cpanel and hostgator. I even went as far as I posted a message and link back to the facebook boycott page and my account was then banned. Apparently touching on the sensitive areas of their operations they try to keep quite upsets them.
Webhosting talk thread
PDF
To hosting companies -
By using cpanel, you are supporting your competition. Hostgator and cpanel routinely trade employees and small amount of evidence can be found on likedin. You can see from the profiles on linkedin. If your a good admin at cpanel you get sent to hostgator. If your a good programmer or one of the trusted higher ups with a impeccable background you get sent to cpanel.
Nate Custard
PDF
Linkedin
Josh B. -
PDF
Linkedin
Chris B. -
PDF copy - PDF
Linkedin - Linkedin
Why is this so serious? Imagine how many E-Commerce sites are built on top of that platform. If you run a cpanel server inside yhour network that has access to the outside world. You could now have crackers using that cpanel box as a base to compromise and attack other computers on the network from. The possiblitiy that a massive DDOS attack was on it's way the 2012 of the internet? Your whole datacenter turns on you.
("200,000 "web site hosting vendors", all cPanel-based, yet uniquely labeled")
("Here's where: more than 98% of these 200,000+ different web hosting brand names in the world will offer you exactly the same cPanel Control Panel and platform, labeled in a different way, with the same price tags!")
Information taken from - www.resellerhostingclue.com
Any site in the past 3 years that has received your personal information , name , address, telephone, and credit card numbers has more than likely been compromised and "black hat hackers"(the evil doers) have your information at their disposal.
A lot of shared servers. Like hostgator.com , and many more here -
Google Search
This is how easy it was for a attacker to gain complete control over these hosts.
Also cpanel prefers performance over security. None of these services include chkrootkit, rkhunter, obscure installs of tripwire. None of the services use chroot for the daemons. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chroot
10 other web hosting panel alternatives that are free
10 free cpanel alternatives
ISPConfig is a great alternative that is feature rich and even includes multiple server monitoring and virtual machine monitoring/control. This is put together by the people at howtoforge.com , the only thing they ask is if you can, buy a subcription for 6-USD to their site. Where they give the same support and quality tutorials to everyone for free anyways! That is nothing more genuine than that.
Basically every host I have talked to only say they patched their servers. None of them reinstalled the base then reinstalled cpanel. Knowing Hostgator there is no tripwire and most hosting companies would not take the time to ensure the safety of the data. Mainly because that would cost them money and resources. Moving the accounts, going through all the code of the websites looking for malware and web based shells. Last updates made to the most popular root kit checking software on the market. AVG also has a Linux virus scanner but I am unsure of its capabilities. The windows version of AVG is rock solid. ( http://free.avg.com )
To ensure integrity/safety of the data is by reinstalling the base and then cpanel or a alternative, finally moving the accounts back to the servers is the only solution. This is because chkrootkit and rkhunter only have been trained to find known root kits in common places. This does not include back doors implanted into obscure places. This does not include checking the kernel for mods that enable a attacker to compromise the host.
Last updates to these pieces of software -
2009-30-9 rkhunter
2010-11-17 - chkrootkit
Responses from a couple cpanel hosts:
Hostgators Responses:
Routehosts Response:
Hurdles pushing this information to the public -
Grub Help mailing list -
Greg implicitly states he knows a person that works at one of the two companies. Then proceeds to calls this a scam and me a fraud. Greg and Mark then decided to move the argument off list and proceed to call me a liar after moving the private message he sent me that was vulgar to the public list saying I am a fraud/liar because I changed the reply to the group and not directly to them. I admit I'm not the best but I am not scamming anyone about these issues.
Emails of the conversations and these are also available via the mailing list archives publicly search able on google.
email1
email2
email3
Web Hosting Talk -
Then on web hosting talk I started a thread called "Boycott Cpanel". That was shutdown after about a hour after mentioning the connections between the site and having hostgator employees as their own content curators. I also mentioned the connections between cpanel and hostgator. I even went as far as I posted a message and link back to the facebook boycott page and my account was then banned. Apparently touching on the sensitive areas of their operations they try to keep quite upsets them.
Webhosting talk thread
To hosting companies -
By using cpanel, you are supporting your competition. Hostgator and cpanel routinely trade employees and small amount of evidence can be found on likedin. You can see from the profiles on linkedin. If your a good admin at cpanel you get sent to hostgator. If your a good programmer or one of the trusted higher ups with a impeccable background you get sent to cpanel.
Nate Custard
Josh B. -
Chris B. -
PDF copy - PDF
Linkedin - Linkedin
