AI Is the #1 Panel Innovation Gap

According to the report, when hosting providers were asked where control panels should innovate most, 36% chose integrated AI and automation tools. That ranked ahead of advanced security and compliance (19%), better WordPress and CMS integrations (17%), centralized server and license management (15%), and developer tools and API access (6%). AI and automation outranked every other category combined.

In the next 2-3 years, where do you see the BIGGEST innovation opportunities, for control panels and web infrastructure software?

For a mid-sized provider, this data point matters because it reflects what the market expects from the platforms you operate on. The providers evaluating and purchasing control panels are increasingly making those decisions based on whether AI is embedded in the platform itself.

Where Providers Are With AI Today

The report shows that AI adoption in hosting operations is real but still early: 36% already use AI in customer support, primarily through chatbots and reply suggestions. 30% use AI for server monitoring and optimization, including anomaly detection and smart alerting. 29% deploy AI for cybersecurity threat detection. 27% have not implemented any AI solutions yet. 

In which areas have you already implemented AI solutions successfully in your operations?

The providers who have started concentrated their initial efforts in support, security, and monitoring, the three areas where operational pressure is highest and the return on automation is most immediate. More than a quarter of the industry has not started at all, which means the competitive window for early adopters is still open. 

The Operational Pressure Driving AI Demand

The AI demand data maps directly to where hosting teams are spending the most time and absorbing the most cost. 

The report identifies the four largest consumers of support time across the industry: email problems including spam, blacklisting, and deliverability (42%), CMS and application issues such as plugin conflicts and installation help (39%), performance issues including slow sites (35%), and security incidents including hacked sites and malware (35%). 

Which of the following topics consume the most support time on a regular basis?

On the security side specifically, 53% of providers cite outdated software and plugins as their biggest security challenge. 51% deal with malware and ransomware. 40% face DDoS attacks. 36% report bot traffic consuming server resources. 

These are not edge cases. They are the daily operational reality for the majority of hosting providers, and every one of them is a candidate for AI-assisted automation built directly into the control panel. 

What Providers Want AI to Do Inside Their Panel

When asked which AI capabilities would create the most value for their business, providers gave operationally grounded answers: automated security and malware detection (65%), predictive server performance monitoring (48%), AI-driven customer support tools (37%), AI-assisted onboarding and migrations (23%), and billing anomaly detection (19%). 

The top two requests are both about catching problems before they reach the customer. Providers are not asking for AI to do new things. They are asking for AI to handle the problems they already manage manually, but earlier, faster, and more consistently. 

Which of the following AI-enabled capabilities would create the most value for your business?

65% want automated malware detection because 53% are dealing with outdated plugin vulnerabilities and 51% with malware. 48% want predictive performance monitoring because 35% of support time goes to slow site issues. 37% want AI-driven support tools because routine queries consume team capacity that could go toward complex issues. 

The connection between where support time goes and where providers want AI deployed inside the panel is the clearest signal in the data about where to start. 

What cPanel Is Building

The specific AI capabilities currently in development at cPanel are designed to address the support and troubleshooting patterns the survey identifies. The details are covered in this overview of AI features coming to cPanel, but the two core capabilities worth understanding are: 

An embedded AI support assistant that lives inside the cPanel interface. Users can ask questions in plain language and receive contextual guidance, step-by-step workflow direction, and relevant documentation without opening a support ticket. For providers, this means fewer repetitive tickets reaching the support queue and a more consistent experience for end users. 

MCP-based troubleshooting integration that enables AI systems to interact with cPanel through a structured protocol. In practice, that means instead of manually checking Apache error logs, PHP configuration, DNS resolution, and file permissions when a site returns a 500 error, an AI-assisted workflow can check those in sequence and surface the likely cause.

Diagnostic workflows become standardized across environments, common issues get identified with less manual effort, and the time per investigation drops. For a mid-sized provider where different team members diagnose the same issue differently, that consistency has direct operational value. 

Which of the following security challenges create the most operational overhead or risk for your business?

Both capabilities work within existing permission models and administrative controls, which matters for providers managing multi-tenant environments. The effectiveness of these AI capabilities will also grow as the platform deepens its awareness of the application layer, particularly CMS environments, given that 39% of support tickets originate there.

The more context AI has about what is running inside a server, the more accurately it can diagnose issues and reduce the support burden that sits in the application layer today. 

What This Means if You Run cPanel

The survey data and the AI capabilities in development connect to specific operational realities that cPanel users deal with daily. Here is how. 

The four largest support drains in the industry, email (42%), CMS issues (39%), performance (35%), and security (35%), are the same categories that generate the highest ticket volume for cPanel-based hosting operations. The embedded AI support assistant is designed to intercept the routine queries within those categories before they become tickets.

When an end user asks “how do I create an email account,” “why is my website not loading,” or “where do I manage my DNS settings,” the assistant provides contextual, step-by-step guidance inside the interface rather than routing that question to your support team. For a provider handling hundreds of accounts, even a partial reduction in routine ticket volume translates directly into recovered team capacity. 

The MCP troubleshooting integration changes how your support team investigates issues. Today, diagnosing a 500 error typically means a support engineer manually reviewing Apache error logs, checking PHP configuration, verifying DNS resolution, inspecting file permissions, and piecing together a root cause across multiple tools and log files. Different team members approach that investigation differently, which creates inconsistency in resolution time and quality.

MCP standardizes that sequence. An AI-assisted workflow checks each diagnostic step in order and surfaces the probable cause, giving your team a consistent starting point for every investigation regardless of who picks up the ticket. For a team of five to fifteen people managing a growing fleet, that consistency compounds into a meaningful operational improvement over time. 

48% of providers want predictive performance monitoring, and the diagnostic infrastructure being built through MCP creates a natural foundation for that capability. The same structured access to server-level data that enables faster troubleshooting also generates the historical patterns needed to identify degradation before it produces incidents.

For a mid-sized provider, the operational value is direct: a performance issue on a shared server affects multiple customers simultaneously, generating a cluster of tickets that a lean team has to resolve under pressure. Catching the early signals of resource exhaustion, abnormal I/O patterns, or application-level slowdowns before they reach the customer is the difference between proactive service delivery and reactive firefighting. 

Both capabilities are in active development, and providers can influence what gets built through the cPanel feature request portal. In the meantime, there are things worth doing now that position your team to adopt these tools with minimal friction when they become available. Documenting the ten most common support scenarios your team handles, including the exact diagnostic steps and resolution paths, creates an internal knowledge base that reduces variation today and becomes the foundation for AI-assisted workflows when they arrive.

Standardizing how your team approaches recurring issue categories, particularly around email configuration, WordPress troubleshooting, and performance investigation, means the transition to AI-assisted diagnostics is a refinement of existing processes rather than a new way of working. 

84% of providers rank automation among their top factors when evaluating server software, with 55% selecting the highest possible rating. AI builds on that automation foundation by handling the variable, unpredictable workflows that automation alone cannot address: identifying which server is trending toward resource exhaustion, identifying which customer site is running components with known vulnerabilities, identifying which support ticket can be resolved through guided self-service rather than human investigation. The support drain data tells you where to look first. The AI capability demand data tells you what comes next. 

From Operational Efficiency to Competitive Advantage

53% of providers expect AI-driven automation to have the biggest impact on hosting in the period ahead. The providers who will compete most effectively are those who build AI into their operations one use case at a time, starting where the data shows the most pain, and measuring the return clearly enough to justify the next step.

Which of these trends do you anticipate having the biggest impact on the hosting industry in 2026?

At cPanel, that is the framing shaping how the platform continues to evolve: helping providers manage infrastructure more intelligently, at the scale and complexity modern hosting demands.

The post From Automation to Intelligence: What Hosting Providers Expect from AI appeared first on cPanel.

Infrastructure is more complex. Support demands are higher. Users expect faster answers and more intuitive experiences. Yet most hosting workflows still rely on fragmented tools, manual troubleshooting, and reactive support models.

That model no longer scales.

cPanel is redefining the role of the hosting control panel, evolving it into an intelligent operations layer where assistance, troubleshooting, and system insight are built directly into the platform. This shift is not about adding AI features. It’s about embedding intelligence into the core of how hosting environments are managed.

According to the Web Hosting Trends Report 2026 by WebPros and CloudLinux, providers are increasingly prioritizing AI-driven tools to reduce operational overhead and improve support efficiency. cPanel is taking this a step further by integrating those capabilities directly into the control plane itself, where decisions are made and actions happen.

Core AI Capabilities in cPanel

cPanel is introducing a new layer of AI-powered capabilities designed to fundamentally change how hosting environments are operated and supported at scale.

Instead of relying on external tools, documentation, or manual investigation, users can now interact with their environments in real time, getting answers, guidance, and diagnostics directly within cPanel. At a practical level, this means:

• Instant, contextual answers without leaving the interface
• Guided workflows for common and complex tasks
• Faster, more accurate issue identification
• Standardized, repeatable troubleshooting processes

Together, these capabilities reduce the time and effort required to manage hosting environments, while improving consistency across users, teams, and infrastructure.

This new model is powered by two core innovations:

• An embedded AI assistant, designed to guide users and reduce dependency on support
• Context-aware troubleshooting through MCP, enabling structured, scalable diagnostics across environments

These are not standalone features. They represent the foundation of a broader shift toward intelligent, self-service hosting operations, built directly into cPanel.

AI-Powered In-Product Assistant

One of the most impactful enhancements planned in the roadmap is an embedded AI support experience directly within cPanel.

Ask Questions in Plain Language

This in-product support assistant helps users navigate tasks, resolve issues, and understand features without leaving the interface. Instead of relying on trial and error, users can simply ask questions in plain language, such as:

• How do I create an email account?
• Why is my website not loading?
• Where can I manage my domain settings?

For example, a user troubleshooting a website issue can ask what’s wrong, receive a simple checklist, and navigate to the relevant tools without opening a support ticket.

Step-by-Step Guidance Inside the Interface

The assistant responds with clear, contextual guidance, often pointing directly to the relevant tools or walking users through the next steps.

In its initial iterations, the focus is on:

• Answering “how-to” questions
• Guiding users through common workflows
• Helping troubleshoot basic issues
• Surfacing relevant documentation and tools

Reduced Dependency on Support

This means faster onboarding and less friction when using advanced features. For hosting providers, it helps reduce repetitive support requests and creates a more consistent support experience across customers.

As capabilities evolve, this assistant is expected to become a core part of how users interact with cPanel, making everyday hosting tasks simpler and more intuitive.

Context-Aware Troubleshooting with MCP

While the in-product assistant improves how users interact with cPanel, MCP integration improves how issues are diagnosed behind the scenes.

Faster Diagnostics with Context-Aware AI

MCP enables AI systems to interact with cPanel through a structured, standardized protocol, allowing consistent and repeatable troubleshooting workflows across environments.

This means:

• Logs and configurations can be reviewed faster
• Common issues can be identified with less manual effort
• Troubleshooting steps can be more consistent and repeatable

For example, instead of manually checking multiple systems, an AI-assisted workflow could help surface why a site is returning an error, highlighting potential causes, and suggesting the next steps to resolve it.

More Consistent Troubleshooting Workflows

For server admins and support teams, this reduces the time spent on routine investigations and helps standardize how issues are handled across environments.

Importantly, these capabilities are designed to operate within existing permission models and administrative controls. As with any system-level access, actions depend on the level of access granted. AI can assist with managing environments, but it operates with the same scope and responsibilities as the user or admin it represents. This means oversight remains critical, especially as AI-assisted workflows continue to evolve.

Here’s how it will operate:

Together, MCP integration lays the foundation for faster, more scalable support and operations within cPanel.

What This Means for You

These capabilities are designed to deliver measurable improvements across the hosting ecosystem.

For Hosting Providers

Greater operational scalability through reduced support volume and more efficient issue resolution.

For Server Admins

Faster diagnostics and reduced cognitive load when investigating issues across complex environments.

Across all users, the outcome is the same: less time spent figuring things out, and more time spent getting things done.

Help Define the Next Phase of cPanel

The evolution of cPanel is not happening in isolation. Feedback from hosting providers, developers, and end users continues to play a key role in shaping what gets built next.

As these AI capabilities take shape, there is an opportunity to directly influence how they evolve, whether it is suggesting new use cases, improving existing workflows, or prioritizing specific features.

Do you have a feature in mind? Submit it or vote on existing ideas to help shape what comes next in cPanel.

Your feedback can help define the next phase of innovation in cPanel.

This is a step toward a more intelligent, more responsive cPanel experience, built around how hosting is actually used today.

The post The Next Evolution of cPanel: Built-In AI for Faster, Smarter Hosting Management appeared first on cPanel.

For hosting providers, this creates a difficult decision.

You can require customers to upgrade to a newer PHP version. But that often means code changes, compatibility issues, and the risk of breaking live websites.

Or you can allow sites to continue running on unsupported PHP versions, knowing that security patches are no longer being released.

Neither option is ideal.

Extended PHP Support (PHP ELS) for cPanel & WHM was introduced to address this exact situation. It provides security-patched builds for unsupported PHP 5.6–8.1, allowing websites to remain on their current PHP version while still receiving ongoing security fixes.

The Scale of the Problem

This is not an edge case. Across eligible cPanel servers that are not running CloudLinux OS, millions of sites still run on older PHP versions across hundreds of thousands of servers.

These are not inactive environments. They power ecommerce stores, business applications, and production workloads. For many providers, outdated PHP is deeply embedded in their customer base. Upgrading every site is not an overnight task. It often requires development effort, compatibility checks, and careful rollout planning.

In shared hosting environments, forced upgrades can quickly lead to broken applications and increased support load. At the same time, leaving PHP unpatched introduces real security risk.

This is the gap Extended PHP Support is designed to close.

What Extended PHP Support Actually Does

Extended PHP Support (PHP ELS), powered by TuxCare, is a paid, per-server add-on for cPanel & WHM. It delivers security-patched builds for unsupported PHP versions 5.6 through 8.1.

The key point: the visible PHP version does not change. A site running PHP 7.3 continues on PHP 7.3. A site on PHP 8.0 remains on PHP 8.0. There is no forced migration or automatic upgrade. Instead, the underlying PHP build is patched for security vulnerabilities.

PHP ELS is a focused, standalone solution for one specific problem: securing outdated PHP without disrupting live websites. CloudLinux OS, by comparison, is a broader security solution that also includes secured PHP as part of its wider feature set.

This creates a third path: neither forcing disruptive upgrades nor running unpatched PHP in production. It allows you to secure existing environments while planning modernization on your own timeline.

What This Means for cPanel Users

Extended PHP Support changes how you manage environments that cannot be upgraded immediately.

• Gain time without increasing risk: Keep legacy applications running while receiving security patches, instead of choosing between rushed upgrades and exposure.
• Reduce operational disruption: Avoid compatibility issues and unexpected downtime caused by forced version changes.
• Move from reactive fixes to planned modernization: Schedule migrations strategically, with proper testing and coordination.
• Make legacy support intentional: Treat extended lifecycle support as a defined part of your operations, not hidden overhead.
• Retain commercial flexibility: As a per-server add-on, you decide how and where to enable it across your services.
• Protect production workloads already in place: Secure active sites running older PHP versions without disrupting them.

Extended PHP Support introduces a controlled middle ground between forced upgrades and running unsupported PHP without security patches.

How to Enable Extended PHP Support

To enable Extended PHP Support:

Step 1: Confirm eligibility

Only servers that meet these criteria are eligible:

• Server runs cPanel & WHM v110 or later (initially introduced in v134, with backports to v110, 126, 130, and 132)
• Active paid cPanel & WHM license
• Not a Trial or DNS-Only license
• Not running CloudLinux OS

Step 2: Purchase the add-on

Purchase “Extended PHP Support (PHP ELS)” via cPanel Store or manage2 for the server’s licensed IP. Accept the TuxCare EULA.

The license is IP-based and server-wide. One license covers all PHP sites on that server.

Step 3: Install the secured PHP builds

After purchase, the secured PHP builds are installed on the server within a few minutes. Websites are not switched automatically. You can then switch sites to the secured PHP versions.

Step 4: Switch sites to secured PHP builds

In WHM (PHP Manager or EasyApache), identify sites running outdated PHP and move them to secured builds for versions 5.6–8.1.

Applications continue running on the same PHP version. Only the underlying build is patched.

Where PHP ELS Fits in Your Long-Term Roadmap

Once PHP ELS is enabled, the secured PHP builds are installed on the server. The next step is to move sites from outdated PHP versions to the secured PHP builds in WHM.

That gives you a more secure foundation without forcing an immediate version upgrade. From there, what matters is how you use that time.

Treat PHP ELS as a bridge. Use it to plan upgrades for legacy applications based on priority and effort. Track where extended support is being used. Identify clusters of legacy usage and plan modernization accordingly.

Communicate clearly with customers or internal teams. Extended support reduces risk today while upgrades are planned responsibly. Extended PHP Support gives you control, but its value depends on how intentionally you use it.

Secure what is running, plan what comes next, and move forward on your terms.

The post Keep Legacy PHP Secure with Extended Support on cPanel appeared first on cPanel.

Up-to-Date Systems and Security Enhancements 

Security threats are rising sharply. According to the Verizon DBIR, over 60% of breaches exploit vulnerabilities that already have patches, and reports show double-digit growth in Linux server vulnerabilities year over year. With PHP still powering over 72% of the internet, fast updates and hardened infrastructure are essential. 

In 2025, cPanel delivered continuous platform and security enhancements to keep servers safe by default. 

Key highlights of this year: 

• Expanded OS support: cPanel now runs on AlmaLinux 10 and Ubuntu 24, giving providers access to modern, secure platforms. 

• Seamless upgrades with ELevate: In-place OS upgrades are now easier, preserving Apache/PHP configurations, databases, and more. 

• Introduction of PHP 8.5: Delivered within cPanel’s 2-day SLA. 

• Weekly EasyApache updates: Included the latest PHP components, database, and mail services. Automatically applies security patches for OS, web server, and PHP modules, fixing known vulnerabilities and hardening configurations with minimal downtime. 

• Stronger WordPress security: Enhanced through WP Toolkit and WP Guardian, with automated scanning and patching of vulnerable plugins and themes, plus real-time alerts for potential threats. 

With these updates, our users can maintain secure, stable environments without disruptive migrations. 

Extended Lifecycle Support (OS and PHP) 

Many servers and websites still run outdated operating systems or legacy PHP versions, increasing security risks. Over 50% of PHP installations globally are on versions that no longer receive official security updates, and many hosting providers continue operating on OS versions past their vendor lifecycle due to the complexity and cost of migration.  

cPanel’s Extended Lifecycle Support (ELS) provides a practical solution:  

• Extended Lifecycle Support for outdated OS versions: Even after vendor end-of-life, cPanel provides continued security patches, new product releases, and full technical support. This gives providers flexibility in planning infrastructure upgrades while reducing risks of downtime or data breaches. 

• Extended Lifecycle Support for legacy PHP versions (arriving late 2025): Security fixes are backported into unsupported PHP versions using ELS PHP (powered by TuxCare/CL), allowing websites to run safely without immediate upgrades. 

With so many sites still running legacy PHP and OS versions, cPanel’s Extended Lifecycle Support helps hosting providers keep those systems safe while minimizing operational disruptions. 

Modern Web Development and AI Tools 

AI has become essential for SMBs, agencies, and developers. According to Deloitte’s SMB AI Report, 60% of small businesses expect to rely on AI for content or website creation within the next two years. Furthermore, Gartner estimates that the no-code/low-code industry continues to grow rapidly, at over 20% per year. 

cPanel expanded its web-development and AI ecosystem significantly this year to help users create sites and applications faster than ever while maintaining full control on their hosting infrastructure. 

• Sitejet AI Builder: Quickly generate websites with AI-assisted layouts and content. 

• Nova AI app builder: Build functional websites and applications through natural conversation. 

• Temporary domain support: Start building projects immediately, without waiting for a domain to be registered or propagated. This is especially useful for agencies, developers, and SMBs who want to prototype quickly, migrate existing sites without downtime, or test new features in an isolated environment. By removing the need for a domain, projects can start faster and staging becomes simpler. 

• WP Toolkit enhancements: Faster staging, improved cloning and backups, and integrated WP Guardian security features.  

• Vulnerability protection: Delivers real-time WordPress security, now included inside WP Squared and powered by Patchstack. 

• Paid cPanel images in hyperscalers: Users can utilize our paid images in all available marketplaces to launch cPanel quickly and reliably on their preferred hyperscaler. 

With these expansions, our users can build websites and apps faster and more securely, while maintaining full control over their hosting environment. 

Server Monitoring and Site Quality Monitoring 

Website performance directly impacts revenue: a 1-second slowdown can reduce conversions by 7%, and downtime can cost SMBs thousands per incident. 

Google uses performance and Core Web Vitals as ranking factors, so, cPanel strengthened its monitoring suite to help providers identify issues early, maintain uptime, and deliver better experiences. 

Enhancements in 2025: 

• 360 Monitoring: Provides deep, real-time visibility into critical server health metrics, including CPU load, memory usage, and server performance. These insights help catch resource issues before they impact customers, support capacity planning, and enable faster root-cause diagnosis during incidents. It reduces downtime, minimizes performance degradation, and allows teams to operate more proactively. 

• Site Quality Monitoring: Continuously checks websites for broken links, slow loading pages, HTTP errors, content issues, and uptime failures – problems that often go unnoticed until customers complain or rankings drop. With automated detection and alerts, providers can fix issues early, preserve SEO value, improve user experience, and demonstrate higher service quality.  

• DNS improvements: Support for TXT records over 255 characters, default DMARC records, and optimized zone management. 

Now, providers can identify issues early, maintain uptime, and deliver reliable experiences for their customers. 

SEO Improvements 

With organic search driving more than 50% of online traffic on average, cPanel continued exploring ways to support small businesses and agencies with simpler, more accessible SEO capabilities.

In 2025, cPanel began foundational work on an SEO extension powered by XOVI. The concept is to bring technical SEO and visibility insights closer to where customers manage their websites, with the long-term goal of offering actionable SEO guidance directly within cPanel and reducing reliance on separate, specialized SEO tools.

Additional UX & Quality Enhancements 

Throughout 2025, we shipped a range of updates that improved performance, reliability, and everyday usability across cPanel & WHM. Highlights include:

• Modernized HTML Editor (Jodit, Beta): A cleaner, more reliable HTML editing experience inside File Manager.  

• Webmail improvements: Enhanced reliability and smoother handling across core webmail functions. 

• Sieve support (Dovecot 2.4): More advanced and dependable mail filtering capabilities. 

• Stability fixes: Improved SSL verification, backup file creation, and file lock handling to enhance system reliability. 

These updates make everyday hosting tasks more intuitive and dependable for users and administrators alike.

What’s Coming in 2026

Development is underway for a range of enhancements planned for 2026, focused on improving efficiency, security, accessibility, and operational scale across cPanel & WHM:

• Built-in AI Support Agent: A semantic search–based assistant available in cPanel & WHM to help admins resolve issues faster and reduce repetitive support tickets.
• MCP server support in WHM: Admin-level MCP support enabling UI management through prompts, expanding how administrators interact with and manage the platform.
• Native Comet Backup integration: Native backup support designed to simplify and strengthen backup workflows.
• Renewed SSL experience: Improved workflows for managing and converting paid SSL certificates.
• SEO powered by XOVI: SEO capabilities integrated into cPanel through XOVI, providing insights and tools directly within the platform.

These upgrades will further modernize security, backup processes, and your overall cPanel experience. 

A Year of Progress 

2025 marked a year of meaningful progress for cPanel. From security and lifecycle support to AI-powered tools, monitoring improvements, and platform enhancements, cPanel continues to evolve to support hosting providers, server admins, and end users with a safer, smarter, and more future-ready platform.

As we close out the year, we thank our community for your continued trust and feedback. Your input helps shape every improvement we deliver. We wish you a successful and innovative year ahead.
Happy New Year from the cPanel team.

The post cPanel 2025: A Year in Review and a Look Ahead appeared first on cPanel.

With the latest update, CloudLinux 8 to CloudLinux 9 upgrades are now fully supported. This expands cPanel ELevate’s reach to include RHEL-based and Ubuntu-based systems across multiple upgrade paths. 

What Is cPanel ELevate? 

ELevate is an automation tool developed by cPanel to streamline major operating system upgrades for cPanel & WHM environments. It supports multiple upgrade paths, such as:  

• CentOS 7 to AlmaLinux 8 on cPanel v110 

• CloudLinux 7 to CloudLinux 8 for cPanel v110 

• Ubuntu 20 to Ubuntu 22 for cPanel v118 

• AlmaLinux 8 to AlmaLinux 9 

• CloudLinux 8 to CloudLinux 9 (new) 

cPanel ELevate makes it possible to move between supported OS generations with minimal downtime and diminished risk. 

Why Upgrade? 

Upgrading between major OS versions used to mean provisioning a new server, migrating data, and scheduling extended downtime.

With cPanel ELevate, you can now perform in-place upgrades that: 

• Preserve user accounts, domains, and configurations 

• Automatically update EasyApache 4 profiles and MySQL/MariaDB 

• Validate PHP handlers and mail/DNS services 

• Reduce maintenance windows and operational overhead 

Support lifecycles 

• Stay current with operating system support lifecycles 

• Receive ongoing security patches and critical updates 

• Align with enterprise and compliance support requirements 

Modern software stack 

• Updated system libraries and tools 

• More recent OpenSSH versions (addressing recent CVEs) 

• Improved hardware compatibility for modern server equipment 

cPanel-optimized performance  

• Ensures all cPanel & WHM components are properly updated 

• EasyApache 4 packages automatically migrated 

• MySQL/MariaDB versions upgraded to compatible releases 

• PHP versions preserved (5.6+ supported on CloudLinux 9) 

Before You Start: cPanel Requirements and Best Practices 

System requirements 

• AlmaLinux 8 or CloudLinux 8 with cPanel & WHM on a supported tier (LTS, STABLE, RELEASE, CURRENT, or EDGE) 

• Latest minor version of cPanel for your current OS 

• Valid cPanel license 

• Valid CloudLinux license (if applicable) 

Disk space requirements 

• / : 5 GB free 

• /boot : 120 MB 

• /var/lib : 5 GB 

• /usr/local/cpanel : 1.5 GB 

Access requirements 

We strongly recommend having multiple access methods to your server: 

• Root SSH access 

• IPMI or virtual console access 

• Direct console access via hosting provider 

• Snapshot/backup of your server 

Before You Begin 

1. Review documentation 
   See the Getting Started guide for cPanel ELevate. 

2. Run the pre-check 

/scripts/elevate-cpanel –check

This identifies blockers such as outdated PHP versions, unsupported MySQL releases, or third-party repositories. 

3. Back up everything 
   Take full cPanel backups and a snapshot of your system. 

4. Update to the latest cPanel tier 
   Ensure you’re on a supported release channel (LTS, STABLE, RELEASE, CURRENT, or EDGE). 

cPanel-Specific Upgrade Blockers 

Before attempting an upgrade, cPanel ELevate performs comprehensive pre-checks: 

EasyApache 4 PHP versions 

• CloudLinux 9 supports PHP 5.6 or later 

• Older PHP versions must be removed or upgraded 

• cPanel ELevate will detect and warn about incompatible versions 

MySQL/MariaDB compatibility 

• Your database version must be supported on CloudLinux 9 

• If cPanel manages MySQL, ELevate can auto-upgrade to MariaDB 

• Remote MySQL instances are temporarily moved to local for upgrade 

JetBackup compatibility 

• JetBackup 5 or later required, as earlier versions will block the upgrade 

Unsupported repositories 

• External YUM repositories with installed packages will block upgrades 

• Common issue: third-party repos must be disabled or removed before proceeding 

Check for blockers: 

/scripts/elevate-cpanel --check 

Start Your Upgrade 

Once your checks are clear: 

1. Download the scripts: 

wget -O /scripts/elevate-cpanel

<https://raw.githubusercontent.com/cpanel/elevate/release/elevate-cpanel>  

2. When you are ready to start the upgrade, you can execute: 

/scripts/elevate-cpanel --start

Post-Upgrade: Verify Your cPanel Installation  

After upgrade completion, validate these key components: 

1. WHM/cPanel access 

• Log into WHM and verify the interface loads 

• Check Security Advisor for warnings 

• Verify the OS version in WHM Home

2. EasyApache 4 validation 

Verify the PHP versions are correct: 

/scripts/php_fpm_config –list

Check Apache/NGINX configuration:

/usr/local/cpanel/scripts/rebuildhttpdconf 
/usr/local/cpanel/scripts/restartsrv_httpd

3. MySQL/MariaDB status 

Check MySQL service: 

/scripts/restartsrv_mysql

Verify databases are accessible: 

mysql -e "SHOW DATABASES;"

4. Mail services 

Test Exim: 

/scripts/restartsrv_exim

Check mail queues: 

exim -bp

5. DNS services 

/scripts/restartsrv_named 

6. Review logs 

Check: 

/var/log/elevate-cpanel.log

Review cPanel error logs: 

/usr/local/cpanel/logs/error_log

Monitor system logs: 

/var/log/messages

For Complex Environments 

Although cPanel ELevate is a powerful tool, it may not always be the best fit. In heavily customized setups or environments requiring zero downtime, the WHM Transfer Tool is a great alternative for side-by-side migration and validation before cutover. 

Consider using the WHM Transfer Tool when: 

• Zero-downtime migration is needed 

• The server has heavy customization, or third-party software deeply ingrained 

• Incompatibility discovered during testing 

• You have time for planned migration 

Advantages: 

• Original server remains operational 

• Easy rollback (just switch back) 

• Test new environment before cutover 

• More control over the migration 

Disadvantages: 

• Requires Tight TTL DNS control (short outages are still possible) 

• Requires provisioning and configuration transfer to new server (cPanel provides temporary licenses for this) 

• Slower process with many accounts 

The Access Transfer Tool can be found in the Transfers section of WHM. 

After the Upgrade 

• Verify that all services (web, mail, database, DNS, FTP, etc.) start correctly 

• Check logs for errors: boot log, cPanel logs, service logs 

• Check for any mismatches in PHP / EA-PHP / modules: ensure PHP-FPM or whatever handlers are correctly using updated libs 

• Run diagnostics like cldiag, or your preferred monitoring tools, to detect any misconfigurations 

• Monitor performance / resource usage to detect regressions (memory, disk I/O, etc.)

If needed, cPanel Technical Support is available to assist through the process. 

Upgrade with Confidence 

cPanel ELevate brings modern automation to OS upgrades for cPanel & WHM. With in-place migrations, built-in prechecks, and compatibility validation, you can upgrade faster, without compromising stability or control. 

Future-proof your hosting environment today. Explore the official documentation and start your first ELevate upgrade with the Getting Started guide. 

The post cPanel ELevate: Seamless In-Place OS Upgrades for RHEL and Ubuntu Servers appeared first on cPanel.

Important Update: ConfigServer Tools Are No Longer Supported

As of August 31, 2025, ConfigServer tools (CSF, CXS, MailScanner, and others) are officially discontinued. While their free scripts are still available under the GPLv3 license, there will be no more patches, updates, or support. For details, see the official announcement from ConfigServer.

To ensure your servers stay protected, now is the time to migrate.

Why Unsupported Security Software Puts You at Risk

In cybersecurity, standing still is a step backwards. Software that is no longer updated quickly becomes a liability. Here’s why relying on unsupported security tools is a significant risk to your operations and your clients:

• Vulnerabilities to new threats: Cybercriminals are constantly finding new ways to exploit software weaknesses. Without regular security patches and updates, your servers will remain exposed to newly discovered vulnerabilities, creating easy entry points for attacks.

• Zero-day exploits: Zero-day threats exploit vulnerabilities for which no patch exists. Actively supported security software is designed to detect and mitigate these novel threats. Unsupported tools lack this crucial adaptability, leaving you vulnerable.

• Operational and reputational damage: A successful cyberattack can cause a chain reaction of negative consequences, including:
  • Downtime: Compromised servers can go offline, disrupting services for your customers and costing you revenue.
  • Exploits: Data breaches, malware infections, and website defacement can all result from exploited vulnerabilities.
  • Reputation damage: For hosting providers, a security incident can severely damage your credibility and lead to customer churn. For businesses, it can erode trust and impact your bottom line.

• No support: When something goes wrong – and it will – you’ll be on your own. Without vendor support, official guidance, or an active community of developers, resolving critical issues becomes a major challenge.

Continuing to rely on unsupported ConfigServer tools is a gamble you cannot afford to take.

Imunify360 – The Next Generation of Server Protection

Moving from ConfigServer means upgrading to a solution that offers continuous, advanced protection. Imunify360 is a fully supported, integrated security platform that offers multi-layered defense against a wide range of threats. For cPanel users, ImunifyAV is already installed, making deployment of a new Imunify360 license fast and easy.

Imunify360 offers a compelling suite of features that directly address the security gaps left by the ConfigServer EOL:

• Unified dashboard: Instead of juggling multiple security solutions, Imunify360 brings everything together in one place. Its single dashboard integrates an advanced firewall, intrusion detection, malware scanning, proactive defense, patch management, reputation management, and more.

• Proactive defense: While reactive security measures are important, Imunify360 excels in proactive defense. Its sophisticated machine learning-based proactive defense and extensive threat intelligence network allow it to identify and block new and emerging threats, including zero-day exploits, before they can compromise your servers.

• Dedicated support: Unlike unsupported tools, Imunify360 is backed by a global team of security experts. This ensures you get continuous updates, critical security patches, and 24/7 technical support when you need it.

ConfigServer and Imunify360: How Do They Compare?

Here’s how Imunify360 maps to the most popular ConfigServer tools:

With Imunify360, you’re not just replacing old tools – you’re upgrading to a fully supported, enterprise-grade security platform that’s designed for the security challenges of today.

Don’t wait until it’s too late. Protect your servers and your business by migrating to Imunify360 today.

The post The End of ConfigServer: What It Means and How to Stay Protected  appeared first on cPanel.

Building a website can feel daunting, especially when you’re not sure where to begin. 

The new AI Website Generator in Sitejet Builder simplifies that process by giving your customers a faster, easier way to get online directly from their cPanel dashboard. 

This tool makes it possible to go from ideas to a fully designed, content-filled, mobile-friendly website in minutes. No need for technical skills or starting from a blank page. 

Key takeaways 

• Sitejet AI Website Generator is a beginner-friendly website builder that creates complete sites automatically. 

• Your customers can access it directly from their cPanel dashboard (v116+). 

• They simply enter their business details and Sitejet generates a mobile-ready, content-filled website in minutes. 

What is the AI Website Generator?  

The AI Website Generator acts as a built-in assistant for website creation. 
Users just provide a few details about their business. The system builds a responsive site for them, with sections like Home, About, Services, and Contact. 

Each section comes pre-filled with tailored content, designed to look great on any device and ready for search engines. 

Multi-page site creation will be available in a future update. 

Where to find it in cPanel 

We’ve made it easy for your customers to discover and use this feature. When they log into cPanel for the first time, the welcome screen highlights the AI Website Generator so they can get started right away. 

They’ll also see a new banner on the Tools page that links directly to Sitejet Builder. 

And if they’re already inside Sitejet Builder, they can simply choose the AI Website Generator as an alternative to starting from a template.

How it works 

After your customers enter a few details about their business, the AI handles the rest. It creates a homepage with relevant text and images, adds useful sections like About, Services, and Contact, and sets everything up with a clean, responsive design that works on any device. 

The content is also ready for search engines right out of the box. Of course, customers can adjust and personalize everything easily using the drag-and-drop tools in Sitejet Builder. 

Get started today 

Bottom line 

There’s nothing to install or configure. The AI Website Generator is available now for all users running Sitejet Builder in cPanel v116 and later. 

Just log in, open Sitejet Builder, and the AI Website Generator is ready to go. It’s a great way to quickly create a business site, portfolio, or landing pages for multiple domains. 

Pro tip: If you manage several domains, the AI Website Generator can help you build landing pages or microsites quickly and with less effort.  

Learn more about Sitejet Builder and how it can help your customers succeed online. 

The post Create Full Websites Instantly with Sitejet’s New AI Website Generator appeared first on cPanel.

The short-term savings hide long-term dangers that can compromise your entire server or website. In this post, we dive deep into the hidden risks associated with using fraudulent cPanel licenses and why the true cost is far higher than the license fee you avoid. 

Understanding Fraudulent cPanel Licenses 

A fraudulent cPanel license is one that has not been legitimately purchased directly from cPanel or an authorized partner. These licenses are often obtained illegally, bypassing the official activation and validation processes. 

Wondering how users end up with these unlicensed accounts? Often, it’s through attractive offers for “cheap cPanel hosting” or “cheap cPanel licenses” advertised on different forums or websites. These sellers might offer what looks like a working cPanel installation, but it’s built upon an illegal licensing foundation. Sometimes, users might even be unaware that they are receiving an unlicensed product, totally misled by the vendor’s claims. 

Hidden Risks and Dangers You Can’t Afford to Ignore 

The consequences of using a fraudulent cPanel license don’t just include a conflict of ethics. Fake licenses pose serious threats to the security, stability, and legality of your servers and websites. 

Security Vulnerabilities 

Fraudulent cPanel licenses are often tampered with. They can have malicious code or backdoors or even be intentionally left unpatched in order to create significant security holes.

Hackers actively seek out servers running unlicensed software because they are easy targets. They can use these vulnerabilities to steal sensitive data, infect your server and your visitors with malware, launch phishing attacks, or even take complete control of your server.

Want to learn how to protect your server? Check out our cPanel Security Best Practices.

Lack of Support 

By using a fake license, you’re working outside of the official cPanel ecosystem. This means you are not entitled to any official support from cPanel.

You won’t have access to cPanel’s expert support team, leaving you to diagnose and resolve potentially critical problems by yourself which can lead to extended downtime and a compromised server. If you meet technical issues, bugs, or security threats, you’re on your own.

Legal Consequences 

Software licenses are legal agreements. Using unlicensed software is a violation of copyright and licensing laws. cPanel actively monitors for fraudulent licenses, and if your server is identified, you could face legal repercussions. This can include significant fines and penalties, and in severe cases, facing legal action that could force your website and services offline. 

Performance Issues 

Non-official licenses might be outdated or improperly optimized. These versions can lack the latest optimizations and updates of official licenses, leading to significant performance problems.  

You might experience slow website loading times, frequent downtime, errors, and crashes. This not only frustrates your users but also harms your online reputation. It can also negatively impact your search engine rankings. 

The Danger of Fraudster-Operated Update Mirrors 

Some providers of fraudulent licenses run their own unofficial update mirrors. This allows servers with fake licenses to seemingly receive updates, giving users a false sense of security. However, these mirrors are not verified or controlled by cPanel.  

The people running them could decide to replace certain packages with their own versions at any time. This means that even when you think you’re updating your server, you could actually be installing malware or creating new vulnerabilities. These unofficial mirrors expose your server to third-party exploits and put your data at extreme risk.  

How to Identify and Avoid Fraudulent Licenses 

There are clear steps you can take to protect yourself:

• Verify your license: The first step is to verify the authenticity of your cPanel license.
• Purchase from official sources: To avoid the risks altogether, purchase your cPanel license directly from the official cPanel website or through an authorized cPanel Partner. A list of official partners is available on the cPanel website.
• Question “cheap” offers: Always keep in mind that if a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. Legitimate cPanel licenses have a standard pricing structure, and big deviations should raise red flags for you at once.

Conclusion 

The short-term savings of using a fraudulent cPanel license are an illusion. They come at the expense of your security, reliability, legal standing, and performance. The hidden dangers and potential consequences just aren’t worth the risk. From critical server and site vulnerabilities to the complete lack of support available if things go wrong, using an unlicensed cPanel account puts your entire online presence in jeopardy.

If you are currently using a fraudulent cPanel license, we strongly urge you to switch to a legitimate license as soon as possible. Don’t compromise your online security and reputation for the sake of a “cheap” deal. By buying a legitimate cPanel license you’ll receive the best benefit of all: total peace of mind.

The post The Hidden Dangers of Using a Fraudulent cPanel License  appeared first on cPanel.

With cPanel & WHM’s Server Monitoring powered by 360 Monitoring, administrators now have access to powerful tools that ensure service quality and uptime are maintained with ease. This new integration transforms server management into a continuous, automated monitoring process that identifies potential problems before they arise. Whether you’re overseeing a single server or an entire network, Server Monitoring’s advanced features can handle any site or use case. 

Why Monitoring Matters 

How much time do you spend reacting to server issues; website load times, security breaches, or email delivery failures? Instead of always stressing to fix problems as or after they arise, Server Monitoring transforms your server management strategy from reactive to proactive.  

Smart, Automated Monitoring for Smooth Server Management 

Smartly configured, automated monitoring can be your first line of defense in maintaining service quality standards. By actively monitoring key performance metrics and sending real-time alerts, Server Monitoring ensures that your website stays online, your email delivers properly, and your server operates at its best. This means you can avoid the stress of unexpected outages and performance issues, allowing for smoother operations and less time spent troubleshooting. 

Advanced Monitoring Features for Every Need 

Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced server administrator, WHM’s Server Monitoring offers a comprehensive suite of features designed to fit every use case. From keeping track of website performance to ensuring your server is secure and compliant, the flexibility and sophistication of these tools make them a must-have for any server management routine. 

Key Applications for Server Monitoring: 

• Website Performance Monitoring 
  Ensure your site is always accessible to visitors by tracking uptime, response times, and server resource usage. With real-time alerts, you’ll be able to address issues before they impact your users’ experience. 

• Email Deliverability 
  Monitor your server’s IP address against Realtime Blackhole Lists to prevent email delivery issues. This is a game-changer for maintaining high email deliverability, keeping your emails out of spam folders, and avoiding unnecessary support tickets. 

• Security Monitoring 
  Protect your server from security threats by using the uptime and performance monitoring features to detect unusual activity, like unexpected spikes in resource usage or downtime, that could indicate a security threat. 

• Resource Optimization 
  Track critical resources such as CPU, RAM, and disk I/O usage to optimize your server’s performance. This allows you to prevent overloads and ensure your server can handle peak traffic without slowing down. 

• Compliance Monitoring 
  Use the built-in web crawler to identify non-compliant GDPR assets, broken links, or JavaScript errors on your website, to ensure your site remains legally compliant and user-friendly. 

Seamless Integration with WHM: A Tool for Every User 

One of the standouts of Server Monitoring is its integration with WHM, offering a unified, customizable dashboard experience for both non-technical users and advanced server administrators. 

• If you’re new to server management, WHM’s Server Monitoring is designed to be intuitive and user-friendly. With ready-made dashboards, you’ll be able to monitor key server metrics like CPU usage, memory, and disk space without the need for any technical expertise. The clear, concise metrics help you spot potential issues quickly, and real-time alerts ensure you can act before problems escalate. 

• For more experienced users, get ready to dive into sophisticated metrics such as server response times and uptime, and integrate your alerts with your most-used tools and platforms, like Slack, Discord, and PagerDuty. The smart configuration options ensure you can create the monitoring setup that works best for your workflow. 

Maximize Uptime, Minimize Stress 

With Server Monitoring, you’ll have the tools to monitor and respond to issues quickly, maximizing uptime and ensuring that your business stays online and performs at its best. 

• Avoid Outages 
  Keep tabs on downtime, port tracking, Time to First Byte, and performance metrics across multiple locations to ensure your website is running smoothly, no matter where your users are. You can even display a public status page to inform visitors if there’s an ongoing issue and keep them updated during troubleshooting. 

• Monitor Business Reputation 
  Ensure your emails don’t end up in spam by actively monitoring your server’s IP reputation. Prevent email delivery problems before they escalate into larger issues, reducing the risk of support tickets and improving customer communication. 

• Customizable Alerts for Quicker Customer Responses 
  Receive notifications through your preferred channels, e.g. text, email, Slack, etc., if your server reaches critical thresholds. This means you can respond instantly to customer issues and prevent errors from turning into larger problems. 

Ready to Experience Proactive Monitoring? 

Excited to experience the perfect blend of simplicity and sophistication in server management? By integrating Server Monitoring into your WHM setup, you can ensure your service quality standards are always maintained, while also gaining the peace of mind that comes with proactive monitoring.  

Visit the cPanel store to purchase your plan today. For more detailed information on setting up and configuring Server Monitoring, check out the full documentation.  

The post A Proactive Approach to Server Management with cPanel & WHM  appeared first on cPanel.

The new extension gives you a sneak peek of your social media strategy directly from within your cPanel dashboard. Team up with SocialBee’s AI CoPilot feature to create an energized social media strategy in seconds, and experience again the excitement of posting. 

Once you’ve explored your preview, move to SocialBee to access more of the social media features you’ll love for content creation, scheduling, analytics, and social inbox. 

What is SocialBee?

SocialBee is a complete social media management tool, designed to help businesses and individuals schedule, post, and analyze content across platforms. It helps users to create a content strategy and build a strong social media presence – without the stress of manually posting every day.  

Refresh your social strategy to reengage your followers

To start using SocialBee, log in to your cPanel account and select ‘Social Media Management’ in the left-hand menu. Click the “Let’s get started” button to begin the setup process. 

With this new extension, you’ll have access to SocialBee’s AI CoPilot feature, ready to help you build a customized social media strategy. After answering some questions about your brand and business goals, the AI will tailor a plan with top social network recommendations, audience insights for each platform, and personalized text and image posts. 

If some of the generated posts are not to your liking, you can easily remove them from the suggestions or regenerate a new one in its place.  

After all of the suggested posts have been approved by you, a posting plan will be created. Here, you can view the recommended schedule for sharing each piece of content to boost its reach.

Begin your content management revival with SocialBee and cPanel 

Once your content strategy has been created and approved in cPanel, you can begin a 14-day free trial of SocialBee. With your trial, you can connect to all of your social platforms and access a range of features, including a status dashboard. 

Your status dashboard simplifies your social media management, collecting all social post types, dates, statuses, content, and more, into a single dashboard. It eliminates the stress of cross-channel posting by allowing you to manage it all from one place.  

Other features ready for you to explore include: 

• AI-generated captions and images. 

• Cross-platform post scheduling and publishing. 

• Reply to messages, comments, and mentions. 

• Collaboration with teammates, such as notes, content approval, and more. 

• Content performance monitoring and actionable insights 

• Integration with your favorite tools, e.g., Canva, Unsplash, Giphy, Zapier, multiple link shorteners, etc. 

Once your trial has ended and your SocialBee journey is well underway, you can purchase a paid account to keep accessing the full range of features and continue growing your social platforms easily and directly from your cPanel dashboard! To find out more, check out the full documentation.

The post Redefine Your Social Media Management with cPanel’s New SocialBee Integration  appeared first on cPanel.