Table of Contents
FAQs
Applicable to: Cloudways Flexible only.
At Cloudways, we understand the critical importance of maintaining website security. Thus, we are excited to introduce our cutting-edge security add-on, Malware Protection, powered by Imunify360. This robust security solution is designed to proactively detect, block, and remove malware from your web applications, providing a solid defense against a wide array of cyber threats.
In this article, we'll explore how Malware Protection can enhance the security of your web applications, saving you time, effort, and money while ensuring peace of mind.
What is Malware Protection
Malware Protection is a robust defense system on Cloudways designed to shield your websites from evolving cyber threats.
This comprehensive security solution offers a multi-layered approach to safeguarding your web applications and takes a proactive approach. It continuously monitors your websites for potential threats and hacking attempts, swiftly identifying and eliminating them without manual intervention.
With features including real-time scans, scheduled scans, and automated cleanup, your websites are constantly under surveillance, offering unparalleled peace of mind against any malicious activities.
Malware Protection Pricing
Malware Protection offers affordable pricing plans to suit your needs:
1 - 5 Applications: $4 per month per application
6 - 15 Applications: $3 per month per application
15+ Applications: $2 per month per application
You can choose the plan that fits your requirements and enjoy comprehensive malware protection for your applications.
Who Can Benefit from Malware Protection?
Malware Protection is exclusively available on the New Interface of Cloudways Flexible for all types of applications hosted on Cloudways.
Please note that Malware Protection is available as an add-on on a per-application basis. By default, it is disabled on all Cloudways applications. To activate this feature, you must subscribe to the add-on.
How Does Malware Protection Protect Websites
Malware Protection is seamlessly integrated into the Cloudways Platform, offering a sophisticated collection of security features. It combines real-time antivirus protection and proactive malware detection to create a robust defense system.
Let's explore how these features work together to provide robust protection:
Real-Time Malware Scanner: Malware Protection doesn't wait for threats to strike; it actively scans for vulnerabilities and potential attacks. Utilizing a sophisticated intrusion prevention and detection system, it identifies malware injection in real time, preventing threats before they can cause harm. You can also schedule a scan or perform an on-demand scan.
URL Scanner: The URL scanner checks all incoming links to your website, ensuring they are safe and free from malicious content or threats.
Link Sanitizer: Malware Protection's link sanitizer cleans dangerous links automatically, protecting your website visitors from harmful URLs and potential phishing attempts.
Automated Cleaning: This feature goes beyond detection; Malware Protection automatically cleans infected code, saving valuable time and effort for server administrators.
Phishing Protection: Malware Protection identifies and blocks phishing attacks in real-time, safeguarding your users' sensitive information.
System Protection: Your system is shielded from malicious attacks, providing a secure environment for your web applications.
Database Protection: Malware Protection automatically cleans infected fields in your database, ensuring your website remains safe and secure. The database protection is available only for WordPress and Joomla.
Advanced Control Panels: Malware Protection offers all the control within the Cloudways Platform. This lets you easily monitor malicious activities and potential threats from the familiar control panel interface.
How to Subscribe to Malware Protection
In this step-by-step tutorial, you will learn how to subscribe to Malware Protection.
Step #1 — Navigate to Your Application
Log in to your Cloudways Platform using your credentials.
From the top menu bar, open Servers.
Next, choose the server where your desired application is deployed.
Click the globe icon.
Next, choose your application.
Step #2 — Subscribe to Malware Protection
Under Application Management, select Malware Protection. Here, you'll find the status indicating whether your application is at risk of malware attacks. Sometimes, it may display 'infected' if malware has been detected within your application.
Next, click Enable Protection.
After successfully subscribing to the add-on, you will receive an alert on your screen. This will turn on real-time protection on your application and automatically trigger the first malware scan to detect any potential threats on your website (web files and database). Database protection will only be enabled if you use WordPress or Joomla.
Tip
The scan duration depends on your application's size, but you can also monitor the progress here. You don’t have to keep your Cloudways Platform open all this time during the scan.
After the scan is completed successfully, you'll receive a new alert indicating that your application is now shielded from malware attacks. Any malware detected during the scan will be displayed under the 'Malicious' tab with appropriate actions already taken. You can learn more about the functionality and various statuses of the malware scanner here.
How to Use Malware Protection
There are three main essential features of Malware Protection explained below:
Real-time Malware Scan
Under the Malicious tab, you'll find the Real-time Malware Scanner option. The real-time scanner continuously monitors the website for ongoing protection against malware threats. Clicking the Start Scan button triggers the real-time scanner, displaying the progress percentage of the scan. Once completed, this tab provides a comprehensive list of any detected malware and the actions taken against them.
The tabular format displays:
Status: Shows the status of the infected file or object. Here are the various statuses you might encounter:
Cleaned: Malware Protection has made changes within the file to remove the malware.
In Progress: Advanced cleaning or scanning is currently underway.
Removed: Indicates that a high-severity file has been successfully removed.
Quarantined: Files marked as Quarantined are isolated and can be restored from the More Options button under the Actions column. Restored files will then appear as Infected.
Type: Web File or Database
Malicious: File Path of the Malicious File or Object
Reason: The reason why malware was detected. For a detailed guide on decoding malware and understanding different malware types, you can take a look at this link.
Scan Date: It is the scan date available in UTC and local time
Actions: To restore any files deleted by Malware Protection
You have several options at your disposal:
Copy File Path: Easily copy the file path of malicious files by clicking on the path.
Restore Backup: Restore a backup of the file from the Actions column.
Pagination, Search Bar, and Filters: Use these tools to navigate through the list, search for specific files, and apply filters for a more organized view. The Refresh button ensures you have the latest updates on file statuses.
Scan History
The Scan History tab displays a complete history of all active and past scans conducted by Malware Protection.
Scan Report: A detailed scan report is provided for each scan, showcasing the results and actions taken. However, downloading the report is not available directly from this tab.
In the tabular format, you'll find:
Scan Date: The date and time when the scan was conducted.
Type (File or Server): Indicates whether the scan was focused on files or the server.
Total Objects Scanned: The total number of objects scanned during the scan.
Results: The results column provides information on the scan outcome. It can display:
"No Malware Found": Indicates that no malware threats were detected during the scan.
"X Number of Threats Recorded": This status alerts you to the presence of a specific number of threats detected.
From the "Actions" column, clicking the analytics icon will display detailed information similar to the Real-time Malware Scanner option. This includes details on removed files, quarantined files, and actions taken.
Actions: Whenever threats are found, you can read the scan report by clicking the icon under the Actions column.
You have the option to initiate an on-demand scan from this tab as well:
Start Scan: By clicking the Start Scan button, you can trigger an immediate on-demand scan to check for new threats.
The Scan History tab provides a comprehensive overview of your application's scan history, allowing you to monitor past results and take necessary actions to ensure ongoing security.
Proactive Defense
The Proactive Defense tab in Malware Protection is designed to detect and display proactive events to keep your application secure.
In the tabular format, you'll find:
Date & Time: The timestamp of when the proactive event was detected.
Description: A brief description of the proactive event detected.
Script Path: The path to the script where the event occurred.
Host: Information about the host where the event was detected.
First Script Call From: Details on the initial script call that triggered the event.
Actions: From the "Actions" column, you can take necessary actions based on the detected event. These actions may include:
Investigating the event further by viewing additional details.
Taking steps to mitigate the event or prevent similar occurrences in the future.
The Proactive Defense tab provides visibility into proactive security events detected by Malware Protection, empowering you to stay informed and take swift actions to safeguard your applications.
FAQs
What is Malware Protection, and how does it work?
Malware Protection is a security add-on on Cloudways designed to prevent, block, and remove malware injections from websites. It offers real-time scans, URL scanning, and automated cleaning for robust protection.
Who can benefit from Malware Protection?
Malware Protection is available for all Cloudways Flexible applications and is beneficial for anyone looking to enhance the security of their web applications.
How much does Malware Protection cost?
To review the cost of Malware Protection, please refer to this section link.
What features does Malware Protection offer?
Malware Protection encompasses a range of essential features:
Malware Detection: Constant monitoring for the presence of malware on both files and databases.
Automated Malware Removal: Swift and automated malware removal from files and databases to ensure website integrity.
Proactive Defense/RASP: Real-time protection against evolving threats, enhancing website security.
Cron Malware Cleanup: Scheduled cleanup tasks to ensure regular maintenance and security checks.
Phishing Protection: Detection and prevention of phishing attacks to safeguard user data and trust.
Files Protection: Protection of website files from unauthorized access or malicious modification.
Database Protection: This feature cleans infected fields in your database, ensuring your website remains safe and secure. It is available only for WordPress and Joomla.
What are the common causes of website malware infections?
Common causes include outdated plugins, absence of CAPTCHAs, vulnerable website code, and lack of input sanitization.
How do I subscribe to Malware Protection?
You can subscribe to Malware Protection by navigating to your application on Cloudways, selecting the Malware Protection add-on, and enabling protection. Click here to review step-by-step instructions.
Will adding Malware Protection impact my server resources? I have a small 2 GB server and am concerned about additional load.
No, adding Malware Protection does not significantly impact server resources. The service's resource consumption is minimal, with only rare instances of slight consumption observed, particularly in cases where clients have an extensive number of files on smaller servers, such as millions or billions.
Is Malware Protection available for all Cloudways applications?
Yes, Malware Protection is available for all types of applications hosted on Cloudways Flexible, providing comprehensive security for your web applications.
Can Malware Protection detect and remove all types of malware?
Malware Protection is designed to detect and remove a wide range of malware, including viruses, trojans, spyware, and ransomware.
Does Malware Protection offer real-time protection?
Yes, Malware Protection offers real-time malware scanning to detect and block threats as they occur, providing continuous protection for your websites.
What should I do if Malware Protection detects malware on my website?
If malware is detected, Malware Protection will automatically take action to remove or quarantine the malicious files. You can also review scan reports, restore backups, and take further steps to secure your website.
I'm using the Cloudflare Enterprise add-on of Cloudways. Do I still need Malware Protection?
Yes, it's still advisable. Cloudflare blocks attacks at the edge, preserving server resources for genuine traffic. Moreover, Cloudflare offers robust DDoS protection, which Malware Protection can partially mitigate but can't entirely prevent. Additionally, Cloudflare provides various performance features like Edge Page Caching and CDN.
I am using my security plugin; should I change it to Malware Protection?
It’s ultimately your choice, but we recommend switching to Malware Protection. Users install plugins for security, which can slow down your website. Additionally, plugins can be tricked to avoid malware.
Can Malware Protection help prevent data breaches and ensure customer information security?
Yes, Malware Protection is designed to prevent attacks and breaches due to vulnerabilities on your site or weak passwords, ensuring robust security for customer information.
How does RASP (Runtime Application Self-Protection) differ from traditional website security solutions?
A: RASP operates integrated with PHP, preemptively blocking attacks before malware code executes. It offers an application-centric approach, detecting and responding to real-time threats from within the application. For instance, if a customer attempts to upload a malicious file, RASP immediately detects and prevents the upload, ensuring website security. Traditional solutions, on the other hand, typically prioritize external threats and may lack visibility or protection against internal application vulnerabilities.
What happens if my website gets compromised despite using this service?
Our team promptly assesses and resolves the issue in the rare event of a security breach. Log a support request with all relevant details, and we'll investigate thoroughly. Working closely with our partners, we restore your website's security and implement measures to prevent future incidents. Your peace of mind is our priority.
Will Malware Protection slow down my website's performance?
No, Malware Protection is designed to optimize performance and minimize server stress. Our scans are finely tuned to operate with minimal impact on your resources, ensuring efficient utilization while blocking all potential threats. Your website's performance remains swift and uninterrupted.
Can I customize the security settings to fit my specific needs?
Malware Protection is managed, offering limited user access for security reasons.
Will Malware Protection conflict with other plugins or services on my website?
Malware Protection operates across multiple server layers, intercepting requests before they reach the application code. This seamless integration mitigates potential conflicts with plugins or services, as requests are blocked at the server level before reaching the plugin layer. Thus minimizing the likelihood of conflicts.
Does Malware Protection include reporting or monitoring features to track website security threats?
Yes, statistics and monitoring features are available directly on the Cloudways Platform, providing comprehensive insights into your website's security status and any potential threats.
How can Malware Protection help me improve my website's uptime and reliability?
The proactive defense service associated with Malware Protection prevents your site from being injected with malware. Additionally, real-time file protection automatically removes malware once a file is updated and malicious content is injected.
How will this help me comply with any relevant industry data security regulations?
Malware Protection is designed to enhance the security of your application. However, compliance with data security regulations is a broader legal matter. We recommend you consult with your legal advisor to comply with relevant industry standards and regulations.
That's it! We hope this tutorial was helpful. If you need any help, then feel free to search your query on Cloudways Support Center or contact us via chat (Need a Hand > Send us a Message). Alternatively, you can also create a support ticket.