How to Disable XML-RPC in DirectAdmin

Posted on 14 February 2023

If you’re running a website using DirectAdmin, you may be concerned about security vulnerabilities related to the xml-rpc functionality. Fortunately, DirectAdmin allows you to disable xml-rpc in just a few easy steps. In this article, we’ll guide you through the process of disabling xml-rpc in DirectAdmin.

Step 1: Log in to DirectAdmin

The first step to disabling xml-rpc in DirectAdmin is to log in to your account. You’ll need your username and password to do this. Once you’ve logged in, you’ll be taken to the DirectAdmin control panel.

Step 2: Navigate to the “Server Manager” Page

Next, you’ll need to navigate to the “Server Manager” page in DirectAdmin. To do this, look for the “System Info & Files” section on the main control panel page. Click on “Server Manager” to access this page.

Step 3: Click on “Services Monitor”

On the “Server Manager” page, you’ll see a list of options on the left-hand side of the screen. Look for “Services Monitor” and click on it. This will bring up a list of all the services running on your server.

Step 4: Find the “httpd” Service

In the list of services, look for “httpd”. This is the Apache web server that runs your website. Click on the “httpd” service to bring up a list of options.

Step 5: Click on “Action” and then “Edit Configuration File”

In the list of options for the “httpd” service, click on “Action”. This will bring up a dropdown menu. From the dropdown menu, select “Edit Configuration File”. This will allow you to make changes to the Apache configuration file.

Step 6: Add a Line to Disable XML-RPC

In the Apache configuration file, you’ll see a lot of code. Look for the section that begins with “<IfModule mod_setenvif.c>“. This section controls the environment variables for Apache.

Below this section, add the following line of code:

SetEnvIf Request_URI xmlrpc.php noxmlrpc

This line of code tells Apache to ignore any requests to xmlrpc.php, which is the file that handles xml-rpc requests.

Step 7: Save the Configuration File

After adding the line of code to disable xml-rpc, save the Apache configuration file. To do this, click on “Save” in the top right corner of the page. This will save your changes and update the Apache configuration on your server.

Step 8: Restart Apache

Finally, you’ll need to restart Apache to apply the changes. To do this, go back to the “Services Monitor” page in DirectAdmin. Find the “httpd” service and click on “Action”. From the dropdown menu, select “Restart”. This will restart the Apache web server and apply the changes you made to the configuration file.

Conclusion

Disabling xml-rpc in DirectAdmin is a straightforward process that can help improve the security of your website.

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