How to set up a basic firewall
A firewall is your server's first line of defence, controlling which connections are allowed in. On cPanel servers, CSF (ConfigServer Security & Firewall) is the popular choice.
The essentials
- Allow the ports you actually use — typically 80 and 443 (web), 22 (SSH), and mail ports.
- Block everything else by default.
- Enable login failure detection to auto-block brute-force attempts.
With CSF
Once installed, CSF adds a section in WHM where you can manage allowed ports, view blocked IPs and tune protection — no command line needed for day-to-day tasks.
Be careful
Don't lock yourself out — always keep your SSH port open and test changes carefully. Want us to install and configure a firewall for you? Open a ticket.