New cPanel Install CentOS - mysterious text files in web roots

Jeff P.

• November 18, 2016 12:26

I have a new vps with cpanel that I installed manually. I applied the typical security measures that I usually do and I am finding that these mysterious text files keep appearing in webroots. The files have MD5 generated names, or appears so, and contain the below text but each with a different md5 value. Any ideas what it is and how to stop it? F5771C2086E0A5B68DC55F8BE6CFA323.txt: 96e3f0ffe1edd0566a9a9e5bed4cd0b802856025 comodoca.com

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  rpvw

  • November 18, 2016 18:39

  I would hazard a guess that these files were part of the domain control validation that AutoSSL uses to get certificates from Comodo. When I first enabled AutoSSL, it wrote these files to every domain, and as the domains were issued certificates, they seem to have been removed.

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  cPanelMichael

  • November 18, 2016 20:02

  Hello, Those files are utilized by the AutoSSL feature for the domain validation process. More information on AutoSSL is available at: Manage AutoSSL - Documentation - cPanel Documentation Note that we do have an internal case open, CPANEL-9887, to ensure multiple instances of those files under a single account are removed in the event that the certificate order fails. Thank you.

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  Jeff P.

  • November 19, 2016 19:07

  Great thanks guys, never saw this before so my host and I were baffled.

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  Jeff P.

  • November 23, 2016 05:15

  It just keeps dumping these files into my web roots, I don't even have any SSL powered sites. How to I safely stop it?

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  cPanelMichael

  • November 23, 2016 14:27

  New It just keeps dumping these files into my web roots, I don't even have any SSL powered sites.

  
  You can disable AutoSSL if you prefer to not have the SSL certificates via: "WHM Home " SSL/TLS " Manage AutoSSL" Thank you.

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