The Features that Keep You Secure on our Shared Web Hosting (SWH) Platform

21 Jan 2026, by Micron21

In today's digital landscape, the need for robust cybersecurity has never been more critical.  With cyberattacks growing in sophistication and frequency, businesses and individuals alike face constant threats to their online assets.

According to IBM's Cost of a Data Breach Report 2024, the global average cost of a data breach reached $4.88 million in 2024, marking a 10% increase from the previous year, as cited in Fortinet's cybersecurity statistics¹  and SentinelOne's key cybersecurity statistics for 2025².  Phishing incidents have also seen dramatic rises, driven by advancements in generative AI, as we’ve touched on in our previous article Staying Safe from Social Engineering: Simulated Phishing Training.

These trends highlight a harsh reality that cybercrime costs are escalating rapidly!  That's why this month, we're shining a spotlight on the security features built into Micron21's Shared Web Hosting (SWH) platform.  These tools, accessible directly through cPanel, empower users to stay secure without needing advanced technical expertise.  In this article, we'll review these features, explain their benefits, and guide you on how to make the most of them.

Imunify360 Malware Scanner

Imunify360 is an enterprise-grade security suite designed to safeguard your website against a wide array of cyberthreats.  It employs advanced, proprietary technology for real-time analysis, detecting and neutralising both known and unknown malware before it can cause harm.  This proactive approach goes beyond traditional antivirus through monitoring execution flows and blocking malicious activities in their tracks.

Within cPanel, you can easily access Imunify360 under the "Security" section.  Here, you'll find options to view the results of previous scans, including detailed reports on any detected threats.  The scanner runs automatically in the background, but you can also initiate manual scans for on-demand checks.

One of the key benefits is its real-time malware scanning capability, which inspects files as they're uploaded or modified.  This prevents infections from spreading and ensures your site remains operational.  If anything suspicious is found, Imunify360 automatically quarantines the file and sends email notifications to alert you immediately, allowing for quick remediation.  By catching threats early, it minimises downtime and protects your data from exploitation.

CloudLinux

CloudLinux is a specialised operating system optimised for shared hosting environments, focusing on stability, security, and resource efficiency.  It transforms standard Linux into a more secure platform by implementing features that prevent one user's issues from affecting others on the same server.

A standout aspect is account isolation through technologies like CageFS, which creates virtualised file systems for each user.  This ensures that even if one account is compromised, attackers can't access or impact neighbouring accounts, reducing the risk of widespread breaches.

Additionally, CloudLinux offers hardened PHP - which is a server-side scripting language mainly used to build dynamic websites and web applications. This service provides backward-compatible security patches for older, end-of-life (EOL), and deprecated PHP versions - which is invaluable for legacy applications that haven't been updated yet, as it provides protection against known vulnerabilities without requiring immediate code changes.  However, we still strongly recommend updating your applications to the latest PHP versions for optimal security and performance - as hardened PHP serves as a temporary bridge to keep you covered in the interim.

To manage CloudLinux features in cPanel, look for the "Select PHP Version" tool under the "Software" section. This allows you to choose secure PHP versions and extensions tailored to your needs.

Two-Factor Authentication

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) adds an extra layer of security to your login process by requiring a second form of verification beyond just your password.  This could be a time-sensitive code from an app, SMS, or even a physical key - thus making it significantly harder for unauthorised users to gain access, even if your password credentials have been stolen!

For more in-depth insights on why 2FA is crucial, check out our previous article Why Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is Essential for Your Business Security.

Enabling 2FA in cPanel is straightforward:

• Log into your cPanel dashboard.
• Navigate to the "Security" section and select "Two-Factor Authentication."
• Scan the provided QR code using an authenticator app like Google Authenticator or Authy.
• Enter the generated code to confirm and activate it.

Once set up, every login will prompt for this second factor, drastically reducing the risk of breaches from phishing or brute-force attacks.

Acronis Backup

Acronis Backup is a comprehensive, enterprise-level solution that ensures your data is regularly backed up and recoverable in case of disasters.  It automates the process, creating snapshots of your websites, databases, and emails at frequent intervals.

From a security standpoint, backups are essential because they provide a safety net against threats like ransomware, which encrypts files and demands payment for access.  Acronis stores backups on completely isolated infrastructure, in our case located 45km away from the primary servers, and with retention for up to 90 days and full encryption.  This isolation means that even if your main hosting environment is compromised, your backups remain untouched, allowing you to restore without paying ransoms or losing critical data.

Accessing Acronis in cPanel is user-friendly.  Head to the "Files" section and select "Backups”.  From there, you can view available restore points, create manual backups, and initiate restores with just a few clicks, putting control directly in your hands!

Have any questions about our Shared Web Hosting (SWH) platform or how to improve your security posture?

In summary, our Shared Web Hosting (SWH) platform equips you with powerful tools like Imunify360 for malware defense, CloudLinux for isolation and hardened environments, 2FA for secure access, and Acronis for reliable backups - and all of these are easily accessible via cPanel to help you maintain a strong security posture amid rising cyberthreats.

If you need advice, guidance, or have any questions about implementing these features, our tech team of security experts are here to help.  Feel free to reach out to us at sales@micron21.com or call us on 1300 769 972 (Option #1).   We're experts in secure cloud and committed to helping ensure your online presence is always on and secure.

Sources

1, Fortinet, Cybersecurity Statistics 2025, <https://www.fortinet.com/resources/cyberglossary/cybersecurity-statistics>
2, SentinelOne, Key Cyber Security Statistics for 2025, <https://www.sentinelone.com/cybersecurity-101/cybersecurity/cyber-security-statistics/>