ModSecurity is a plugin for Apache web servers which functions as a web app layer firewall. It's employed to stop attacks towards script-driven sites by using security rules which contain particular expressions. In this way, the firewall can prevent hacking and spamming attempts and shield even websites that are not updated often. For example, a number of unsuccessful login attempts to a script administrative area or attempts to execute a certain file with the objective to get access to the script shall trigger specific rules, so ModSecurity will block out these activities the moment it identifies them. The firewall is quite efficient since it tracks the whole HTTP traffic to a site in real time without slowing it down, so it could prevent an attack before any damage is done. It furthermore keeps an incredibly detailed log of all attack attempts that features more information than traditional Apache logs, so you could later analyze the data and take further measures to boost the security of your sites if necessary.

ModSecurity in Shared Hosting

ModSecurity comes by default with all shared hosting plans which we offer and it shall be activated automatically for any domain or subdomain which you add/create in your Hepsia hosting Control Panel. The firewall has 3 different modes, so you could switch on and disable it with simply a mouse click or set it to detection mode, so it shall maintain a log of all attacks, but it'll not do anything to prevent them. The log for each of your sites shall feature comprehensive info including the nature of the attack, where it originated from, what action was taken by ModSecurity, and so forth. The firewall rules we use are regularly updated and include both commercial ones that we get from a third-party security firm and custom ones which our system admins include in case that they detect a new kind of attacks. This way, the Internet sites that you host here shall be way more protected with no action expected on your end.

ModSecurity in Semi-dedicated Servers

ModSecurity is part of our semi-dedicated server solutions and if you choose to host your websites with our company, there won't be anything special you'll have to do given that the firewall is activated by default for all domains and subdomains which you add through your hosting CP. If necessary, you can disable ModSecurity for a given Internet site or enable the so-called detection mode in which case the firewall will still function and record info, but shall not do anything to stop possible attacks on your websites. Comprehensive logs will be readily available inside your CP and you shall be able to see which kind of attacks happened, what security rules were triggered and how the firewall addressed the threats, what IP addresses the attacks originated from, etcetera. We use 2 sorts of rules on our servers - commercial ones from a company which operates in the field of web security, and customized ones that our administrators often include to respond to newly found threats in a timely manner.

ModSecurity in Dedicated Servers

ModSecurity is available by default with all dedicated servers that are set up with the Hepsia CP and is set to “Active” automatically for any domain you host or subdomain that you create on the hosting server. In case that a web application doesn't operate correctly, you may either disable the firewall or set it to work in passive mode. The second means that ModSecurity will keep a log of any potential attack that may take place, but shall not take any action to prevent it. The logs created in active or passive mode shall give you additional details about the exact file that was attacked, the form of the attack and the IP address it came from, etcetera. This info will allow you to decide what actions you can take to enhance the security of your sites, for instance blocking IPs or performing script and plugin updates. The ModSecurity rules that we employ are updated regularly with a commercial bundle from a third-party security firm we work with, but from time to time our administrators include their own rules as well if they find a new potential threat.