ModSecurity: collection_store: Failed to access DBM file "/var/cpanel/secdatadir/nobody-ip": Permission denied

Symptoms

A website displays a 404 error, and the Apache error log contains entries similar to the following:

CONFIG_TEXT: [Tue May 11 15:44:38.561822 2023] [:error] [pid 20309] [client 0.0.0.0:43002] [client 0.0.0.0] ModSecurity: collection_store: Failed to access DBM file "/var/cpanel/secdatadir/nobody-ip": Permission denied [hostname "domain.tld"] [uri "/wp-login.php"] [unique_id "Y0XHpIRi00JuFfueZ9KdngARAAk"]

Cause 

The 404 error occurs when ModSecurity is unable to access the DBM files, or if the files do not exist.

Resolution

1. Log in to the server via SSH or WHM's Terminal as the root user

2. Run the following command to create the DBM files and assign their ownership to nobody:

   # touch /var/cpanel/secdatadir/nobody-{ip,session,global}.{dir,pag}; chown -v nobody. /var/cpanel/secdatadir/nobody-{ip,session,global}.{dir,pag}

   Note: If the DBM files already exist, the above-provided command will not overwrite them.