How to Use Leech Protect in cPanel

cPanel is amassed by a ton of great features. So many, that some of the most beneficial features are overshadowed and forgotten. One feature that can come in handy for you from a security aspect is Leech Protect.

What is Leech Protect?

Leech Protect is a feature that enables you to keep the users who have restricted access to your website from giving away or publicly publishing their password. When enabled, this feature lets redirect those user accounts that have been compromised to a URL of your choosing.

How to Configure Leech Protect

- In cPanel, click on the "Leech Protect" icon under the "Security" category.

After you click the icon, you will see a smaller window displaying a list of the directories associated with your hosting account.

- Choose the directory you wish to "Leech Protect" from the drop-down box and then click the "Go" button.

On the Leech Protect page, you will see a "Setup Leech Protection" section and a number of boxes in which you must enter information. These fields are as follows:

Number of Logins Per Username Allowed in a 2 Hour Period - Enter a numerical value in this text box. Keep in mind that four is the recommended value as anything lower than this may result in the suspension of a legitimate user.

URL to Redirect Leech Users to - Specify your desired URL in this field. Take note that you are required to select a URL that is outside of the leech protected area. If not, leech users will receive an error message when attempting to log in.

Send Email Alert To - If you would like an email sent to you whenever a user attempts to access a protected area, enter that email address in this field and check the box beside it.

Disable Compromised Accounts - If you would like to disable any accounts where users have tried to access protected areas, click the check box beside this field.

How to Enable Leech Protect

The next step is to enable the Leech Protect feature. By default, it is disabled. To enable it, simply click the "Enable" button beneath the "Disable Compromised Accounts" category.

On the next page, you will see a confirmation letting you know the feature has been successfully enabled. Click the "Go Back" link and on the next page, you will notice a "Leech" icon beside the directory you just Leech protected.

How to Disable Leech Protect

Should you ever choose to disable the Leech Protect feature, you can do so by clicking the "Disable" button on the same page we worked on above. On the next page, you will see a confirmation stating that the feature has been successfully disabled for that particular directory. If you click on the ‘Go Back" link, on the next page you will see that the Leech icon is no longer beside the directory.

You can easily learn the status of Leech Protection in regard to your directories. At the top of the page there will be a notice telling you whether the feature is enabled or disabled.