Quick background for anyone who hasn’t run into it yet: Hermes Agent is Nous Research’s open-source, self-hosted agent. Not a model – an actual agent application, with its own CLI, memory, and a “skills” system, that you point at whichever model you want underneath (their own Hermes models, Claude, GPT, whatever you’ve got API access to). That distinction trips people up constantly, so it’s worth getting straight before anything else.

Getting Hermes Agent running

The install is a single line:

root@localhost:~$ curl -fsSL https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/install.sh | bash

That pulls down Python, Node, ripgrep, ffmpeg, and everything else it needs, and drops the whole thing into ~/.hermes/hermes-agent.

Once it’s done, reload your shell and run hermes –tui to open the terminal interface. First thing it asks is which model to use – we pointed ours at a hosted Hermes model through Nous Portal for the general agent work, though you can just as easily wire in Claude or ChatGPT if that’s what you’re already paying for.

If you’d rather keep it boxed off from the rest of the server, there’s a Docker path too:

root@localhost:~$ mkdir -p ~/.hermes

and then run:

root@localhost:~$ docker run -it --rm -v ~/.hermes:/opt/data nousresearch/hermes-agent setup

That -v ~/.hermes:/opt/data bit matters as it’s the only place Hermes keeps its state (config, memory, skills, logs), so mapping it to a folder on the host means a container restart doesn’t wipe anything.

What we actually use Hermes Agent for

Log screening – You can point Hermes agent at a log file and ask it directly: “summarize the last 200 lines of /var/log/nginx/error.log” . It will read the contents of the file and give you a summary of what happened, not a wall of raw lines.

Skills instead of one-off scripts – Skills are just instruction files that teach the agent how to do a specific job: deploy something, generate a report, run a specific check. You can browse what’s already out there, search by keyword, and install a skill straight from the hub, for example: hermes skills search kubernetes

Talking to it from somewhere other than a terminal. Hermes gateway setup walks you through connecting Telegram, Slack, Discord, or a handful of others. This is useful if you want people to be able to use without having to ssh on a server!

It remembers things. You can show Hermes agent how to fix something once and it holds onto that. For example, you can ask it to restart mysql service after as specific failure. You can ask it again weeks later, and it already knows the context, instead of starting from scratch like a normal chatbot would.

Hermes Agent Use Cases

Here are some use cases of Hermes Agent shared by people, showing the different ways it’s changed how they work.

Personal Assistant
“every weekday at 9am, summarize my inbox and post to Slack,” and it creates the schedule. No config files. No cron syntax.” Read more >

Content Creation
“I use Hermes to generate tweet threads from my past YouTube scripts, then start a brand new session and watch it recall everything without me re-uploading a single file.” Read more >

Security
“I’ve put together a skill to protect against some of the common LLM / AI threats and some of my recommended security policies that are being used to good effect on other AI agent tools.” Read more >

Why run Hermes Agent on a VPS instead of a laptop

A dedicated VPS keeps the agent, its memory, and its skills available whenever you need them, reachable over Telegram or SSH from anywhere, without occupying your own machine or losing state every time you close a session.

It’s also just easier to give a whole team access to one shared agent running on shared infrastructure than to have everyone running their own local copy with no shared memory between them.

Get Hermes Agent on a VPS in just One Click

NetShop’s newly launched Hermes Agent VPS product brings the popular AI agent to you in just one click. No need to have linux or server adminstration experience. Just pick a plan through the Hermes Agent VPS page and it’s ready to go, pre-configured and reachable from wherever you work.

We didn’t want Hermes to be something you had to fight to set up. Self-hosting an AI agent usually means wrestling with GPU drivers, Docker configuration, and lots of other installation dependencies. That’s the opposite of what most businesses want from their infrastructure provider.

If you have been keeping an eye on the AI space, you’ll know that “agents” are the new hot trend. Most of what gets called an agent is really just a chatbot with a few extra hooks bolted on. Hermes isn’t that. It’s built on Nous Research’s open-weight Hermes models, and it’s designed to get things done – not just answer questions about them.

What is Hermes Agent?

Hermes is an open-source AI agent framework that runs entirely on your own infrastructure (self-hosted). Unlike the AI tools most businesses use today, nothing about how Hermes works requires sending your data off to a third party. The model, the conversation history, the documents it reads, the commands it runs – all of it stays on your server, under your control.

“At NetShop ISP, we believe in data sovereignty. In fact, it’s deeply embedded in our DNA hence we’ve been helping businesses keep their data regional through our worldwide data center infrastructure for the past 22 years.”, said Stefano Sordini, CEO at NetShop ISP

That distinction matters more than it might sound. If your business handles client contracts, financial records, trading data, or anything else you’d rather not hand to an external API, running your own agent changes the conversation entirely. You get the benefits of AI assistance without the compliance headache of a third party holding your data.

What Hermes Agent Can Do

Once you get your Hermes AI Agent VPS is up and running, you can start getting it to do almost any repetitive or research-heavy task your team deals with day to day:

• Emails filtering – reading, categorising, and drafting first-pass responses to incoming emails or tickets.
• Log and monitoring summaries – optimizing a tsunami of server logs or alerts into a plain-English summary of what actually needs attention
• Document search and internal knowledge base – answering questions from your own runbooks, wikis, and internal docs instead of generic training data
• Content and drafting support – producing first drafts of client communications, reports, or internal documentation
• Website and SEO auditing – crawling and assessing your own site for search and AI-answer-engine readiness

Something which we, at NetShop ISP, love about Hermes agent is its orientation for technical teams. It ships with a proper CLI, supports tool integrations and skills you can install on demand, and can be connected into an existing infrastructure.

Deploy your first Hermes AI Agent in One Click

Deployment works exactly like the rest of our VPS products: choose your desired Hermes Agent VPS plan from our website, proceed to checkout and deploy. Within minutes you will have a running agent, ready to be pointed at whatever task you want to hand it first.

If you are not sure where and how to start, please contact us and we will get in touch to assist further.

2026 is an interesting year in the sphere of cyber security. Attackers increasingly use AI-assisted tools to script attacks, probe defenses in real time, and rotate vectors the moment mitigation kicks in – turning what used to be a blunt flood into an adaptive, multi-layer campaign that hits the network and application layers simultaneously.

Hyper-volumetric attacks measured in multiple terabits per second, once rare, are now recorded regularly, while a large share of application-layer attacks last only seconds or minutes; just long enough to cause disruption before defenses can react.

Downtime is expensive. Industry surveys consistently put the cost of an hour of downtime well into five figures for many businesses, and the damage isn’t limited to lost transactions; it includes reputational harm and SEO impact that can take months to recover from. Protecting your website is no longer a “nice to have” but a necessity.

In this article we break down the concrete steps to make your infrastructure resilient in 2026.

1. Use Dedicated DDoS Mitigation Services

Standard firewalls are not built to absorb large or sustained attacks. Purpose-built mitigation platforms typically combine:

• Automated, always-on detection
• Real-time traffic scrubbing
• Behavioral and anomaly-based analysis
• Coverage across volumetric, protocol, and application-layer attack types

NetShop’s Advanced DDoS Protection comes as fully managed and supports detection at all layers (L1 – L7). Check out the DDoS Protections plans here.

2. Deploy CDN for Global Traffic Distribution

A Content Delivery Network (CDN) spreads incoming requests across many global points of presence, absorbing traffic surges before they reach your origin server.

Some of the benefits of adopting CDN into your infrastructure are:

• Faster load times for legitimate visitors
• Extra bandwidth headroom during traffic spikes
• Reduced load on your origin infrastructure
• Built-in redundancy against regional attack concentration

3. Implement Rate Limiting and Traffic Shaping

Application-layer (Layer 7) attacks are harder to detect because the traffic looks legitimate. What ddos appliances used to easily detect two years ago, today is becoming ten times harder.

Rate limiting and traffic shaping help contain:

• Credential-stuffing and login abuse
• API request floods (a growing target, especially for smaller businesses)
• Aggressive scraping
• Low-and-slow Layer 7 attacks designed to exhaust backend resources rather than bandwidth

4. Harden Your Web Server Configuration

Server-level hardening remains one of the highest-return, lowest-cost defenses:

• Disable unused services and ports
• Adjust connection limits and timeouts
• Enable and configure caching
• Run efficient web servers (Nginx, LiteSpeed) configured for high-concurrency loads

Fine-tuning as well as security hardening are services provided as part of NetShop’s Managed SLA plans.

5. Use a Web Application Firewall (WAF)

Because so much of today’s attack volume targets the application layer, a WAF is essential rather than optional. It should block:

• Malformed or malicious HTTP requests
• Repetitive, bot-like request patterns
• Known exploit signatures (including protocol-level exploits like HTTP/2 stream abuse)
• High-frequency POST/API floods

NetShop ISP offers two types of Firewalls; virtual and hardware. Both come as self-managed or fully managed, standalone or in high-availability mode.

6. Strengthen DNS Resilience

DNS remains a preferred target because taking down DNS takes down your site even if hosting itself is healthy. You can reduce this exposure by:

• Using multiple, geographically distributed DNS providers
• Enabling DNSSEC
• Filtering abusive or misconfigured resolvers
• Choosing DNS providers with built-in DDoS protection

A premium DNS hosting service supporting DNSSEC, failover, and Geo-based load balancing of requests can help you strengthen your infrastructure’s resilience.

7. Build and Test an Incident Response Plan

No defense is perfect, and a fast, rehearsed response minimizes damage when an attack gets through. As per best practices we have been implemented both internally and to various organizations, your incident response plan should define:

• Emergency contacts and escalation paths
• Monitoring thresholds that trigger action
• Internal and external communication steps
• Failover and rollback procedures
• Regular simulated-attack drills so teams respond with confidence under real pressure

Key takeaways for your Website’s Protection from DDoS Attacks

DDoS attacks in 2026 are bigger, faster, and more adaptive than ever. The organizations that stay resilient are the ones that combine infrastructure-level protection (mitigation services, CDN, DNS resilience) with application-layer hardening (WAF, rate limiting, server tuning) and a tested incident response plan.

Choosing a hosting provider with built-in DDoS protection, scalable infrastructure, and security-focused support can make a real difference when an attack hits.

Explore our hosting security solutions to protect your platform in 2026 and beyond, or contact us to schedule a free consultation with our cybersecurity and infrastructure specialists.

The frustrating part is that most buffering problems aren’t mysterious. They come down to a handful of well-understood issues in how the hosting and network side of a stream is set up.

In this article, we’ll break down the reasons why buffering occurs on streaming, and how can you can fix it.

Bandwidth Is Usually the First Culprit

If there’s one issue that causes more buffering complaints than anything else, it’s bandwidth. Every stream needs a certain bit rate to play cleanly, and if the hosting environment can’t keep pace with that, viewers are going to see stalls, dropped frames, or quality that keeps downgrading itself mid-stream.

This tends to catch people out more than they expect, especially once a platform starts to scale. A single HD channel is one thing; multiple channels, or 4K content, and bandwidth requirements climb fast.

A few things help here:

• Run on servers built for high network throughput, not shared infrastructure that’s already stretched thin
• Don’t oversell your bandwidth. If the numbers on paper only just cover peak demand, you don’t actually have headroom
• Make sure your bitrate settings are realistic for the infrastructure you’re actually running on, not just what looks good in a spec sheet

Routing and Jitter Cause Problems Even When Bandwidth Is Fine

There is one thing a lot of people miss: you can have plenty of bandwidth and still get a choppy stream. That’s usually down to routing. If traffic is taking an inefficient path across the network, or bouncing between poorly peered networks, you end up with jitter.

In networking, jitter is the variation in the delay (or latency) of data packets arriving at their destination.

Jitter shows up as things like:

• Video that stutters even though the connection “looks” fine
• Audio drifting out of sync with the picture
• Buffers filling and draining unpredictably
• Streams freezing for a second or two, seemingly at random

None of this is really about capacity. It’s about the quality and consistency of the path data takes to get from server to viewer. Good peering relationships and properly optimised routing solve most of it. This is one of those areas where the underlying network matters just as much as the server itself.

Skipping a CDN Hurts More the Bigger Your Audience Gets

If you are streaming to people in one area/region, a single server setup might genuinely be fine. The moment your audience spreads out geographically, though, that same setup starts working against you. Every request has to travel back to one origin point, which adds latency and puts a growing load on your servers as more viewers tune in.

That’s the problem a CDN (Content Delivery Network) solves. It caches your content at points closer to the viewer, cutting down round-trip time and taking pressure off the origin server.

Without a CDN in place, your servers are handling every single request directly, and that’s exactly the kind of load that tips a stream from “smooth” into “buffering.”

Bad Encoding Settings Waste Bandwidth

Sometimes the infrastructure is fine, but the stream itself is poorly setup. Encoding that’s misconfigured (e.g. bitrates set too high, frame rates that aren’t consistent, or codecs the playback device doesn’t handle well) burns through bandwidth for no real quality benefit, and often causes exactly the buffering it’s trying to avoid.

Adaptive bitrate streaming is the fix most platforms should be using by default. It lets the stream adjust itself in real time based on each viewer’s actual connection, rather than forcing everyone onto a single fixed quality. Someone on a fast fibre connection and someone on mobile data both get a version of the stream that actually plays properly for them.

Servers That Can’t Keep Up With Processing Demands

Live streaming depends a lot on the hardware behind it: encoding, transcoding, and delivering video in real time is genuinely resource-intensive work. A server without enough CPU headroom, insufficient RAM, or no GPU acceleration will start to struggle as demand increases, even if the network side of things is solid.

Typical warning signs of this include:

• Running several high-resolution streams on hardware that’s only really built for one
• No hardware acceleration to offload the encoding workload
• Other background processes quietly eating into the resources your stream needs

Getting Streaming Right with the Right Hosting

Buffering isn’t usually one big failure. It’s a combination of smaller things, any one of which can be enough to disrupt playback. Not enough bandwidth, poor routing, no CDN, sloppy encoding, or underpowered servers can each cause the exact same symptom: a viewer staring at a loading wheel instead of your content.

If you’re planning a streaming project and want the hosting side taken off your plate, that’s exactly where NetShop ISP comes in. From dedicated servers with real network headroom to CDN integration and routing built for live delivery, NetShop’s streaming infrastructure solutions are designed specifically for platforms that can’t afford to buffer.

For more information or to get a free quote please contact our Streaming hosting specialists https://netshop-isp.com.cy/contact-us/.

It is worth being clear about where the risk actually sits. The WordPress core software is generally well-maintained. The overwhelming majority of real-world compromises come from the layers around it:

• third-party plugins and themes
• weak credentials
• weak server configuration.

Securing WordPress is therefore less about the core itself and more about disciplined administration of everything surrounding it. This article covers the practical steps to secure your WordPress website.

Why WordPress Security Matters

A compromise rarely stays quiet. Once attackers gain access, they typically use the site for whatever pays: injecting SEO spam (the classic pharmaceutical and counterfeit-goods keywords), planting phishing pages, running cryptominers that quietly consume server resources, or installing card skimmers on WooCommerce checkouts.

The knock-on effects are what hurt the business. A flagged site can be added to Google Safe Browsing, triggering the full-page red warning that drives away visitors. If the server is used to send spam, its IP can land on email blacklists, affecting legitimate mail. Recovery is about cleaning the infection, finding every backdoor and restoring trust with search engines. It almost always costs more than the prevention would have. The case for getting ahead of it is straightforward.

Common WordPress Security Risks

Weak Login Credentials

Weak and reused passwords remain the single most common cause of breaches. Attackers rely on two tactics here: brute force (trying thousands of combinations) and credential stuffing (testing username/password pairs leaked from unrelated data breaches, banking on password reuse). The default admin username makes their job easier still, because it removes half the guesswork.

Strong, unique passwords and a cap on failed login attempts neutralise most of this traffic.

Outdated Software

This is where the real exposure lives. Roughly nine in ten WordPress vulnerabilities trace back to plugins and themes rather than the core. Two patterns are especially dangerous: abandoned plugins that have not seen an update in years (the developer has moved on, but the vulnerability has not), and nulled or pirated premium plugins, which frequently ship with a backdoor already built in.

Malware Infections

Malware usually arrives through a vulnerable plugin, after which files are dropped somewhere quiet such as wp-content/uploads. What it does next varies: redirecting visitors, serving spam, harvesting data, or maintaining a hidden backdoor for re-entry.

That last point matters most. The visible symptom is often easy to remove; the backdoor that let the attacker in is not. Miss it, and the site is reinfected within days. Fast, thorough detection is what breaks that cycle.

Brute Force Attacks

Brute force attempts hammer two endpoints: the standard wp-login.php page and xmlrpc.php, the legacy XML-RPC interface. The latter is worth singling out as it can bundle many login attempts into a single request, effectively amplifying an attack and slipping past basic per-attempt limits.

Server-level rate limiting (for example, Fail2ban), a Web Application Firewall (for example, APF), and two-factor authentication together make these attacks impractical.

Best Practices for Securing WordPress

Keep WordPress Updated

Enable automatic updates for minor core releases and for trusted plugins. For major version upgrades, test on a staging copy first. Just as importantly, delete plugins and themes you no longer use; a deactivated plugin still sits on disk and remains attack surface.

Use Strong Authentication

Use a long, unique password (16+ characters) for every administrative account, generated and stored in a password manager. Add two-factor authentication with preference for an authenticator app instead of the SMS option which can be intercepted. Avoid the admin username entirely, and limit login attempts so repeated failures lock out the source.

Install Security Monitoring Tools

Application-level plugins such as Wordfence or Sucuri and server-level scanners such as ImunifyAV catch different things, and using both gives broader coverage. A Web Application Firewall adds a further layer by blocking known exploit patterns before they ever reach WordPress. Continuous monitoring is what turns a silent compromise into an early alert.

Limit User Permissions

Apply the principle of least privilege. WordPress roles escalate from Subscriber through Contributor, Author, and Editor to Administrator. Reserve Administrator access for the few people who genuinely require it, so a single compromised account cannot take down the whole site.

Maintain Regular Backups

Follow the 3-2-1 rule: three copies of your data, on two types of media, with one stored off-site. Remember that a backup that gets encrypted alongside the live site in a ransomware event is no backup at all. Just as important, test a restore occasionally. A backup you have never restored is an assumption, not a safety net.

Harden Configuration and File Permissions

A few server-side settings close common gaps:

• Set files to 644 and directories to 755; restrict wp-config.php further to 600 or 640.
• Add define('DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT', true); to disable the built-in dashboard code editor, a favourite tool for attackers who gain admin access.
• Change the default wp_ database table prefix to make automated SQL injection harder.
• Force HTTPS across the whole site, and disable XML-RPC if nothing on the site relies on it.

The official WordPress hardening guide is a good reference for the full list: https://wordpress.org/support/article/hardening-wordpress/

The Hosting Environment Matters

In addition to the security hardening steps performed on site-level, one must not forget the environment where the website resides; the server itself. The hosting environment carries real responsibility for security: account isolation so a single compromised site cannot reach its neighbours, a server-level firewall and WAF, a current and supported PHP stack, automated malware scanning, and properly issued SSL. A well-configured platform absorbs a large share of the attacks before they ever reach the application, which is exactly why the choice of host is itself a security decision.

Staying Secure with NetShop ISP

WordPress security is not a one-time task but an ongoing process of monitoring and maintenance. No single measure is enough on its own; the protection comes from layering them — current software, strong authentication, least-privilege access, reliable off-site backups, and a hardened, well-managed hosting environment underneath.

The reality is that this is continuous, hands-on work: patches to apply, logs to watch, backups to verify, and incidents to respond to quickly when they happen. For many businesses, the day-to-day demands of running their own operation leave little room for it.

This is where a managed hosting partner earns its place. Taking ownership of the patching, monitoring, hardening, and recovery so that security is handled by people who do it every day, rather than left to chance.

For further information on how NetShop ISP’s managed services can help your business, contact our representatives for a free consultation.

This is a known issue that server administrators occasionally encounter, and the good news is that it’s fixable in just a couple of minutes.

In this article, we’ll walk you through what causes this problem and exactly how to resolve it.

What Does the Problem Look Like?

Instead of the modern login interface, the server falls back to a legacy (outdated) login theme. In some cases, you may also notice error messages recorded in the cPanel error log, such as permission errors when the system tries to read certain files, or warnings stating that it failed to load the expected login template and is reverting to the legacy fallback.

These errors point to a common underlying problem rather than a cosmetic glitch.

What’s Actually Causing This?

The root cause is a corrupted or improperly responding template.stor data file. This file is responsible for rendering the correct login theme. When it becomes corrupted or returns an unexpected output, the server cannot load the modern login template and automatically falls back to the legacy design as a safety measure.

Additionally, incorrect file permissions on certain cPanel public contact files can prevent the system from reading required data, which triggers the same fallback behavior.

How to Fix It: Step-by-Step

You’ll need root SSH access to your server or access to the WHM Terminal to apply this fix.

Step 1: Resync your cPanel installation

Run the following command as root. This will resynchronize cPanel’s core files and repair all inconsistencies:

root@localhost:~$ /scripts/upcp --sync

Wait for the process to complete before moving on to the following step.

Step 2: Rename the problematic public contact file

Now, rename the file that may be causing the permission error. Renaming it (rather than deleting it) is a safe approach, as it preserves the original in case you need it later:

root@localhost:~$ mv -v /var/cpanel/public_contact{,.$(date +%s)}

This command appends a timestamp to the filename, effectively archiving it and allowing cPanel to regenerate it fresh.

Step 3: Verify the fix

Once both commands have been run, navigate to your WHM or cPanel login page and refresh. The modern login theme should now load correctly!

Preventing This Issue in the Future

While this problem can appear unexpectedly, keeping your cPanel installation regularly updated is the best preventive measure. Routine updates ensure that template files and dependencies stay consistent and less prone to corruption. You can also periodically run the upcp --sync command as part of scheduled server maintenance to catch and correct any data drift before it causes visible issues.

If you are looking to migrate your cPanel/WHM server from another provider, NetShop ISP offers free migration with any purchase of a Linux VPS or Dedicated server.

Enjoy a trouble-free hosting experience with a dedicated support team carrying more than fifteen years of experience in cPanel hosting. Contact our hosting specialists for more information or assistance.

The Global Forex Awards – B2B is one of the most respected recognition programs in the institutional forex sector, honoring companies that demonstrate excellence, innovation, and superior service to brokers, financial institutions, and technology providers worldwide.

A Recognition of Excellence and Reliability

Winning this award underscores NetShop ISP’s dedication to providing ultra-low latency connectivity, 99.99% uptime guarantees, and enterprise-grade security; all critical requirements for forex brokers and financial technology firms operating in fast-moving markets. NetShop ISP’s strategically located data centers and robust network infrastructure ensure that clients can execute trades with speed, reliability, and confidence.

“We are truly honored to receive this recognition from the Global Forex Awards – B2B,” said Stefano Sordini, CEO NetShop ISP. “This award is a testament to the hard work of our entire team and our unwavering commitment to providing the financial industry with the hosting infrastructure it needs to compete at the highest level. We look forward to continuing to innovate and serve our clients with the highest standards of performance and reliability.”

Serving the Financial Industry with Cutting-Edge Infrastructure

NetShop ISP has built a strong reputation within the forex and fintech sectors by offering a comprehensive suite of services, including dedicated servers, colocation, VPS hosting, DDoS protection, and managed services. With data center facilities strategically positioned in key financial hubs, the company enables clients to minimize latency and maximize trading performance.

The company’s client-first approach, combined with its 24/7 technical support and customized infrastructure solutions, has made NetShop ISP a trusted partner for forex brokers, trading platforms, and financial technology companies around the globe.

About the Global Forex Awards – B2B

The Global Forex Awards – B2B is a prestigious awards program dedicated to recognizing excellence among institutional service providers in the global foreign exchange industry. The awards celebrate companies that demonstrate innovation, quality, and leadership in supporting the broader forex ecosystem.

Visit Global Forex Awards – B2B Website >

In this tutorial, we’ll walk you through the process of creating, managing, and applying firewall rules step by step.

Step 1: Create a New Security Group

Before applying firewall rules to your VPS, you must first create a Security Group. A Security Group is a collection of rules that define which traffic is allowed or blocked.

1. Navigate to the Firewall section in your client portal.
   
2. Click on Create New Security Group.
   
3. Fill in the following fields:
   • Security Group Name – Choose a descriptive name (e.g., WebServerRules).
   • Security Group Notes – Optional notes for internal reference.
   • Default Policy – Select the default behavior:
     • Allow All – Permits all traffic unless explicitly denied.
     • Deny All – Blocks all traffic unless explicitly allowed (recommended for best security).
       
4. Add rules by specifying:
   • IP Type – IPv4 or IPv6.
   • Direction – Incoming (IN) or Outgoing (OUT).
   • Decision – Allow (ACCEPT) or Block (DROP).
   • Protocol – TCP, UDP, ICMP, etc.
   • Port – Enter a port (e.g., 22 for SSH) or a range (e.g., 80–443 for web traffic).
   • IP – Define a source/destination IP or use 0.0.0.0/0 for all.
     
5. Click Create Security Group to save.

Step 2: Manage Security Groups

Once created, Security Groups can be managed under the Manage Security Groups tab. This is where you can edit, assign, or delete groups.

In this section you have the following options available:

• Edit (✏️) – Update rules, name, or notes.
• Assign/Unassign Group – Attach/detach a Security Group to/from a VPS (only one active group per VPS).
• Delete Group (🗑️) – Remove a Security Group permanently.

📌 Tip: Do not delete a Security Group currently assigned to an active VPS unless you intend to remove its protection.

Step 3: Edit Security Group

You may update an existing Security Group at any time:

1. From Manage Security Groups, click the Edit (✏️) icon.
   
2. Update group name, notes, or default policy.
   
3. Modify rules:
   • Add new rules or update existing ones.
   • For example, allow SSH on ports 22,2222 for all IPs (0.0.0.0/0).
     
4. Click Save Rules to apply changes. Updates take effect immediately for all VPS servers assigned to this group.

Step 4: Active Security Group

When a Security Group is assigned to a VPS, it becomes the Active Security Group. All traffic filtering will be applied in real-time according to the rules defined.

In this section the following options are available:

• Add/Modify Rules – Adjust traffic filtering directly.
• Unassign Group – Detach the firewall rules from the VPS.
• Delete Group – Permanently remove the group and its rules.

📌 Tip: Double-check that SSH (port 22) or RDP (port 3389) access is allowed before enabling a Deny All policy to avoid locking yourself out.

With many hosting providers available, understanding which features matter most can help website owners make informed decisions.

In this article we

Key Factors to Consider When Choosing a Hosting Provider

Performance and Speed

Website speed depends heavily on the infrastructure provided by the hosting environment. Servers equipped with modern hardware and optimized configurations help ensure fast loading times.

Fast storage technology and efficient server configurations can significantly improve WordPress performance.

Reliability and Uptime

Reliable hosting ensures that websites remain accessible to visitors at all times. Downtime can negatively affect business operations and search engine rankings.

Hosting providers should offer stable infrastructure and strong uptime guarantees.

Security Features

Security features such as firewalls, malware scanning, and automatic updates help protect WordPress websites from threats.

Secure hosting environments also implement server-level protections that reduce the risk of attacks.

Scalability

Websites often grow over time. Hosting solutions should allow easy upgrades so that resources can be increased as traffic expands.

Scalable environments help ensure that websites remain stable during periods of growth.

Technical Support

Technical support plays an important role in resolving issues quickly. Hosting providers with experienced support teams can assist with troubleshooting, migrations, and configuration questions.

Responsive support can help prevent minor issues from becoming major disruptions.

Types of WordPress Hosting

Shared Hosting

Shared hosting places multiple websites on a single server. While it is often the most affordable option, resources are shared between users.

This environment may be suitable for small websites with limited traffic.

VPS Hosting

Virtual Private Servers allocate dedicated resources within a virtualized environment. VPS hosting provides greater control, improved performance, and increased reliability compared to shared hosting.

Managed WordPress Hosting

Managed WordPress hosting environments are specifically optimized for WordPress. These platforms often include automatic updates, caching configurations, and enhanced security features.

Managed environments reduce the need for manual server management.

Evaluating Hosting Providers

When comparing hosting providers, website owners should review factors such as infrastructure quality, available resources, and performance optimizations.

Industry recommendations can also help website owners evaluate reliable hosting options. WordPress provides an official list of recommended hosting providers that meet specific performance standards.

Managed WordPress Hosting by NetShop ISP

Selecting the right WordPress hosting provider is essential for ensuring website performance, security, and scalability. By evaluating infrastructure quality, support availability, and performance features, website owners can choose hosting environments that meet their long-term needs.

As websites grow and evolve, reliable hosting solutions designed specifically for WordPress can help ensure consistent performance and stability for visitors.

The recently launched Managed WordPress hosting plans comes with free Domain Name, free SSL Certificate and free weekly backups, offering true peace-of-mind for website and business owners.

What began as a friendly industry initiative has grown into one of the most anticipated dates on the regional FX calendar. Participation is deliberately capped at sixteen teams, despite demand once again exceeding expectations; a decision that keeps the football competitive and every match meaningful.

This year’s field reflects how much the event has matured. Joining NetShop ISP are EC Markets, Equiti, Exness, Finatz, FXDS, FxPro, INGOT Brokers, OneRoyal, Paytiko, Pepperstone, STARTRADER, Swissquote, Tickmill, Ultimate Group, and XS.com.

For us at NetShop ISP, the appeal of this tournament goes well beyond the football. As a Cyprus-based infrastructure and managed hosting provider serving the FX and fintech sectors, much of our work happens behind the scenes. Events like this let us step out from behind the racks and spend a day with the people we usually meet over support tickets and email threads. It is one of the most genuine networking moments of the year.

A big thank you to FXCubic for the work that goes into organizing an event of this scale and quality. See you on June 12th in Limassol. May the best team win!

In this article, we’ll walk you through five clear signs that your business has outgrown shared or VPS hosting, and what to think about before making the move to a dedicated server.

1. Your Website Slows Down During Busy Periods

One of the first clues that your hosting plan isn’t keeping up is recurring performance issues. You might notice things like:

• Slow page loading during peak traffic
• API timeouts
• Delayed database responses
• Sudden spikes in CPU or RAM usage

These usually suggest that your application has outgrown the virtualized resources in shared hosting or VPS servers. On a VPS, you may also be affected by the “noisy neighbor” problem, where another tenant consumes more than their share of system resources.

A dedicated server removes this risk entirely. With full control over the hardware, you get consistent performance even when traffic surges unexpectedly. Learn more about our dedicated hosting options.

2. Your Application Needs More Storage Speed Than a VPS Can Provide

Disk performance often gets overlooked, but it plays a major role in keeping applications fast and responsive. Systems that depend heavily on database operations, such as CRMs, eCommerce platforms, igaming infrastructures, and financial tools, can suffer noticeably when storage I/O is slow.

If your team is dealing with sluggish queries, indexing delays, or read/write bottlenecks, it may be time to upgrade. Dedicated servers with NVMe storage offer significantly higher throughput, helping ensure your application is not held back by shared disks.

3. You Need Advanced Customization or Full Control of the Operating System

VPS hosting offers flexibility, but there are still limits to what you can modify. Some applications require things like:

• Custom kernel modules
• Proprietary drivers
• Special network configurations
• Unique security setups

These are often restricted or unavailable in virtual environments. A dedicated server gives you full control over everything from the operating system and hardware choices to BIOS configurations and network settings. This is ideal for businesses running specialized workloads or resource-heavy applications.

4. Compliance or Security Requirements Call for Isolation

If your business works with sensitive data or must meet regulatory standards such as PCI-DSS, GDPR, HIPAA, or iGaming requirements, shared infrastructure might no longer be suitable.

Dedicated servers offer physical separation from other clients, which reduces risk and simplifies compliance audits. For many organizations, isolated hardware is not just a preference; it is a requirement.

5. Your Hosting Costs Are Becoming Hard to Predict

Many businesses discover that as their needs grow, VPS or cloud hosting becomes unexpectedly expensive. Between overage charges, bandwidth costs, CPU boosts, and storage expansions, monthly invoices can balloon.

A dedicated server provides predictable, fixed pricing, which makes budgeting straightforward. As your business scales, having predictable infrastructure costs becomes a major advantage.

Scale your business with a Dedicated Server today

If any of these signs feel familiar, it may be time to explore whether a dedicated server is the right next step for your business. Upgrading is not just about getting more power. It is about building a stable, reliable foundation that can support long-term growth.

Take the next step and see how NetShop ISP’s dedicated servers can help your business run faster, more securely, and with predictable costs. Contact our solution architects today.

The vulnerability was identified by the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) on May 1st, 2026.

What is Copy Fail?

CVE-2026-31431, dubbed Copy Fail, is a vulnerability in the Linux kernel’s algif_aead cryptographic module. If exploited, it can potentially be leveraged by a local attacker to cause system instability or escalate privileges. Given the broad range of affected distributions, we consider this a high-priority item that should not be left unpatched.

Which Linux Distros Are Affected

If you are running any of the following operating systems, your server is likely vulnerable:

• Debian 12 / 13
• Ubuntu 22.04 / 24.04 / 26.04
• RHEL, AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux
• SUSE / openSUSE
• Arch Linux, Gentoo, Amazon Linux, Oracle Linux

How To Apply the Mitigation

The fix disables the vulnerable algif_aead kernel module — preventing it from loading at boot and unloading it immediately if currently active. Run the following commands as root:

root@localhost:~$ echo "install algif_aead /bin/false" > /etc/modprobe.d/disable-algif.conf
root@localhost:~$ rmmod algif_aead 2>/dev/null || true

This is a safe, non-destructive change and does not require a reboot to take effect.

If you need assistance applying this fix or are unsure whether your server is affected, please open a support ticket and our team will be happy to help.

• 04/05/2026 07:53 GMT Updated version of the detection script has been released by cPanel
• 04/05/2026 00:07 GMT cPanel Released updated Patch for Versions 11.110, 11.118, 11.126, 11.134, and 11.136
• 01/05/2026 21:54 GMT Updated version of the detection script has been released by cPanel
• 30/04/2026 23:10 GMT: Added instructions for CentOS 6/7 Patching
• 30/04/2026 23:10 GMT: Updated Mitigation Steps instructions
• 30/04/2026 23:10 GMT: Added Detection Script

A critical security vulnerability has been identified in cPanel and WHM that allows unauthenticated attackers to gain full administrative access to affected servers. If you are running cPanel on a managed or self-managed server, immediate action is required.

What Has Been Discovered

A severe authentication bypass vulnerability, now tracked as CVE-2026-41940 with a CVSS score of 9.8 out of 10, has been disclosed in all currently supported versions of cPanel and WebHost Manager (WHM). The flaw exists in the login and session handling processes of cpsrvd, the core cPanel service daemon.

The root cause is a CRLF (Carriage Return Line Feed) injection vulnerability in the authentication flow. By sending a specially crafted request with a malicious Authorization header, an attacker can inject arbitrary session properties — including user=root — into session files written to disk before any authentication takes place. Upon reloading that session, the attacker effectively gains root-level administrative access to the server without ever providing valid credentials.

In plain terms: an unauthenticated remote attacker can take full control of your server.

Scope and Active Exploitation

This vulnerability affects cPanel and WHM versions after 11.40. Security researchers have identified over 2 million cPanel instances exposed to the internet — and reports confirm it has been actively exploited as a zero-day for at least 30 days prior to the public disclosure.

Indicators of active compromise include:

• Sessions containing both token_denied and cp_security_token with method=badpass
• Pre-authenticated sessions carrying authenticated attributes
• Sessions with tfa_verified but no valid origin
• Password fields containing newline characters

Moreover, our team identified that compromised servers include the following commands. You can check by executing the command history from your server’s CLI:

Check If Your Server is Compromised

Run the following script on your server to detect if it is compromised.

Save the below in file /root/ioc_checksessions_files.sh

#!/bin/bash
# Scan for compromised cPanel/WHM session files.
#
# Each check function inspects a single session file and, if the IOC
# matches, calls report_finding with a severity. report_finding records
# the finding, prints a one-line header, and dumps the session for triage.
# A summary of all findings (grouped by severity) is printed at the end.


# Default paths
SESSIONS_DIR="/var/cpanel/sessions"
ACCESS_LOG="/usr/local/cpanel/logs/access_log"

# Flags
VERBOSE=0
PURGE=0
ASSUME_YES=0

# Parse flags
while [ $# -gt 0 ]; do
    case "$1" in
        --verbose)
            VERBOSE=1
            ;;
        --purge)
            PURGE=1
            ;;
        --yes|-y)
            ASSUME_YES=1
            ;;
        --sessions-dir)
            SESSIONS_DIR="$2"; shift
            ;;
        --access-log)
            ACCESS_LOG="$2"; shift
            ;;
        --help|-h)
            echo "Usage: $0 [--verbose] [--purge [--yes]] [--sessions-dir DIR] [--access-log FILE]"
            exit 0
            ;;
        *)
            echo "Unknown argument: $1" >&2
            exit 1
            ;;
    esac
    shift
done

# Findings accumulator. Each entry: "SEVERITY|session_file|short_message"
FINDINGS=()
# Ordered list of unique session files that produced findings.
FINDING_SESSIONS=()
# Parallel array: token value associated with each entry in FINDING_SESSIONS
# (first non-empty token seen for that session).
FINDING_TOKENS=()
# Parallel array: highest severity reported for each session (by index)
FINDING_SEVERITIES=()
COUNT_CRITICAL=0
COUNT_WARNING=0
COUNT_INFO=0
COUNT_ATTEMPT=0

# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Helpers
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

# Extract the value of a key=value line from a session file (first match).
# Use: get_field <file> <key>
get_field() {
    local file="$1" key="$2"
    grep "^${key}=" "$file" | head -1 | cut -d= -f2-
}

hr() {
    echo "    ----------------------------------------------------------------"
}

# Dump full contents of a session file plus related context (matching
# pre-auth file, access_log hits for the injected token, file metadata).
# Use: dump_session <session_file> [token_value]
dump_session() {
    local session_file="$1"
    local token_val="$2"
    local session_name preauth_file
    session_name=$(basename "$session_file")
    preauth_file="$SESSIONS_DIR/preauth/$session_name"

    hr
    echo "    SESSION DUMP: $session_file"
    hr
    echo "    File metadata:"
    ls -la "$session_file" 2>/dev/null | sed 's/^/      /'
    echo
    echo "    Full session contents:"
    sed 's/^/      /' "$session_file"
    echo

    if [ -f "$preauth_file" ]; then
        echo "    Matching pre-auth file: $preauth_file"
        ls -la "$preauth_file" 2>/dev/null | sed 's/^/      /'
        echo "    Pre-auth contents:"
        sed 's/^/      /' "$preauth_file"
        echo
    fi

    if [ -n "$token_val" ] && [ -r "$ACCESS_LOG" ]; then
        echo "    Access log hits for token '$token_val':"
        grep -aF -- "$token_val" "$ACCESS_LOG" | sed 's/^/      /' || echo "      (none)"
        echo
    fi
    hr
}

# Record a finding and print a brief header line. The full session dump is
# deferred to print_summary so that multiple findings for the same session
# are grouped together and the session is only dumped once. When the same
# session matches multiple IOCs at different severities, only the highest
# (CRITICAL > WARNING > ATTEMPT > INFO) is kept.
# Use: report_finding <SEVERITY> <session_file> <token_value> <message>
# SEVERITY is one of: CRITICAL, WARNING, ATTEMPT, INFO
report_finding() {
    local severity="$1"
    local session_file="$2"
    local token_val="$3"
    local message="$4"

    # Severity ranking: CRITICAL=3, WARNING=2, ATTEMPT=1, INFO=0
    local sev_rank=0
    case "$severity" in
        CRITICAL) sev_rank=3 ;;
        WARNING)  sev_rank=2 ;;
        ATTEMPT)  sev_rank=1 ;;
        INFO)     sev_rank=0 ;;
    esac

    local i found=0 prev_sev prev_rank
    for i in "${!FINDING_SESSIONS[@]}"; do
        if [ "${FINDING_SESSIONS[$i]}" = "$session_file" ]; then
            found=1
            prev_sev="${FINDING_SEVERITIES[$i]}"
            case "$prev_sev" in
                CRITICAL) prev_rank=3 ;;
                WARNING)  prev_rank=2 ;;
                ATTEMPT)  prev_rank=1 ;;
                INFO)     prev_rank=0 ;;
            esac
            if [ "$sev_rank" -le "$prev_rank" ]; then
                # Existing finding is at least as severe; ignore.
                return
            fi
            # Upgrade in place: replace severity, token, FINDINGS entry,
            # and roll back the previous severity counter so the new one
            # can be incremented below without double-counting.
            FINDING_SEVERITIES[$i]="$severity"
            [ -n "$token_val" ] && FINDING_TOKENS[$i]="$token_val"
            local j
            for j in "${!FINDINGS[@]}"; do
                local entry="${FINDINGS[$j]}"
                local entry_sev="${entry%%|*}"
                local entry_file="${entry#*|}"; entry_file="${entry_file%%|*}"
                if [ "$entry_file" = "$session_file" ] && [ "$entry_sev" = "$prev_sev" ]; then
                    FINDINGS[$j]="${severity}|${session_file}|${message}"
                    break
                fi
            done
            case "$prev_sev" in
                CRITICAL) COUNT_CRITICAL=$((COUNT_CRITICAL - 1)) ;;
                WARNING)  COUNT_WARNING=$((COUNT_WARNING - 1))   ;;
                ATTEMPT)  COUNT_ATTEMPT=$((COUNT_ATTEMPT - 1))   ;;
                INFO)     COUNT_INFO=$((COUNT_INFO - 1))         ;;
            esac
            break
        fi
    done

    if [ "$found" -eq 0 ]; then
        FINDING_SESSIONS+=("$session_file")
        FINDING_TOKENS+=("$token_val")
        FINDING_SEVERITIES+=("$severity")
        FINDINGS+=("${severity}|${session_file}|${message}")
    fi

    case "$severity" in
        CRITICAL) COUNT_CRITICAL=$((COUNT_CRITICAL + 1)) ;;
        WARNING)  COUNT_WARNING=$((COUNT_WARNING + 1))   ;;
        ATTEMPT)  COUNT_ATTEMPT=$((COUNT_ATTEMPT + 1))   ;;
        INFO)     COUNT_INFO=$((COUNT_INFO + 1))         ;;
    esac

    echo "[${severity}] ${message}: ${session_file}"
}

# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
# IOC checks
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

# IOC 0: token_denied counter alongside cp_security_token, in a session
# whose origin is badpass or otherwise non-benign.
#
# - token_denied is incremented by do_token_denied() (cpsrvd.pl:3821)
#   every time a request supplies the wrong cp_security_token. The
#   session is killed on the third failure.
# - cp_security_token itself is set by newsession() unconditionally
#   while security tokens are enabled (Cpanel/Server.pm:2290), so its
#   presence is NOT by itself an IOC. The pair (token_denied,
#   cp_security_token) tells us only that someone is actively trying
#   tokens against this session.
#
# Auth markers (successful_*_auth_with_timestamp, hasroot=1,
# tfa_verified=1, or an access_log hit on the security token) cannot
# legitimately appear in a badpass session: the badpass call site
# (Cpanel/Server.pm:1244-1252) doesn't pass them, hasroot is not even
# in _SESSION_PARTS (Cpanel/Server.pm:2216-2247), and tfa_verified is
# forced to 0 unless the caller passes a truthy value (line 2295).
#
# Severity tiers:
#   CRITICAL - badpass origin AND auth markers present (post-exploit)
#   INFO     - badpass origin, no auth markers, pass looks like a real
#              encoded password (likely an unrelated failed login that
#              happened to receive bad-token traffic)
#   WARNING  - origin is neither badpass nor a known-benign method
#              (handle_form_login, create_user_session,
#              handle_auth_transfer); the suspicious origin itself is
#              the IOC
#
# Legitimate badpass sessions never carry a pass= line (the badpass
# call site at Cpanel/Server.pm:1244-1252 does not pass `pass` to
# newsession, and saveSession only writes pass= when length is
# non-zero - Cpanel/Session.pm:181). When we see one anyway we defer
# classification to IOC 5 (check_failed_exploit_attempt), which flags
# it as ATTEMPT.
check_token_denied_with_injected_token() {
    local session_file="$1"

    grep -q '^token_denied='      "$session_file" || return
    grep -q '^cp_security_token=' "$session_file" || return

    local token_val external_auth internal_auth hasroot tfa used
    token_val=$(get_field      "$session_file" cp_security_token)
    external_auth=$(get_field  "$session_file" successful_external_auth_with_timestamp)
    internal_auth=$(get_field  "$session_file" successful_internal_auth_with_timestamp)
    hasroot=$(get_field        "$session_file" hasroot)
    tfa=$(get_field            "$session_file" tfa_verified)
    used=""
    if [ -r "$ACCESS_LOG" ]; then
        used=$(grep -aF -- "$token_val" "$ACCESS_LOG" | grep -m1 " 200 ")
    fi

    local has_auth_markers=0
    if [ -n "$external_auth" ] || [ -n "$internal_auth" ] \
       || [ "$hasroot" = "1" ] || [ "$tfa" = "1" ] || [ -n "$used" ]; then
        has_auth_markers=1
    fi

    if grep -q '^origin_as_string=.*method=badpass' "$session_file"; then
        if [ "$has_auth_markers" -eq 1 ]; then
            report_finding CRITICAL "$session_file" "$token_val" \
                "Exploitation artifact - token_denied with injected cp_security_token (badpass origin, token used)"
        else
            # A pass= line on a badpass session is itself anomalous;
            # defer to IOC 5 (ATTEMPT).
            if grep -q '^pass=' "$session_file"; then
                return
            fi
            report_finding INFO "$session_file" "$token_val" \
                "Possible injected session (badpass origin, no usage observed)"
        fi
    elif grep -q '^origin_as_string=.*method=handle_form_login' "$session_file" || \
         grep -q '^origin_as_string=.*method=create_user_session' "$session_file" || \
         grep -q '^origin_as_string=.*method=handle_auth_transfer' "$session_file"; then
        # Known-benign origins where token_denied + cp_security_token
        # genuinely happens during normal use.
        return
    else
        report_finding WARNING "$session_file" "$token_val" \
            "Suspicious session with token_denied + cp_security_token (non-badpass origin)"
    fi
}

# IOC 1: A session that still has its pre-auth marker file but already
# contains an auth-success timestamp (external or internal).
#
# write_session creates $SESSIONS_DIR/preauth/<session_name> when the
# session is written with needs_auth=1, and removes that marker once
# needs_auth is cleared on promotion (Cpanel/Session.pm:225-235). A
# legitimately authenticated session therefore never has both the
# preauth marker and an auth-success timestamp at the same time.
#
# Both successful_external_auth_with_timestamp and
# successful_internal_auth_with_timestamp are checked: the original
# poc.py payload injects the external variant; the watchtowr payload
# (poc/poc_watchtowr.py:35) injects the internal variant.
check_preauth_with_auth_attrs() {
    local session_file="$1"
    local session_name preauth_file
    session_name=$(basename "$session_file")
    preauth_file="$SESSIONS_DIR/preauth/$session_name"

    [ -f "$preauth_file" ] || return

    local marker
    if grep -qE '^successful_external_auth_with_timestamp=' "$session_file"; then
        marker="successful_external_auth_with_timestamp"
    elif grep -qE '^successful_internal_auth_with_timestamp=' "$session_file"; then
        marker="successful_internal_auth_with_timestamp"
    else
        return
    fi

    report_finding CRITICAL "$session_file" \
        "$(get_field "$session_file" cp_security_token)" \
        "Injected session - ${marker} present in pre-auth session"
}

# IOC 2: tfa_verified=1 outside of a legitimate origin method.
#
# tfa_verified=1 is set in only two places:
#   - Cpanel/Security/Authn/TwoFactorAuth/Verify.pm:122, after a real
#     TFA token validation succeeds.
#   - Cpanel/Server.pm:2295, when a caller passes tfa_verified=1 to
#     newsession().
# In both cases the legitimate origin method is one of handle_form_login,
# create_user_session, or handle_auth_transfer. tfa_verified=1 with any
# other origin (notably badpass) cannot occur in a benign flow.
check_tfa_with_bad_origin() {
    local session_file="$1"

    grep -qE '^tfa_verified=1$' "$session_file" || return
    grep -q '^origin_as_string=.*method=handle_form_login'    "$session_file" && return
    grep -q '^origin_as_string=.*method=create_user_session'  "$session_file" && return
    grep -q '^origin_as_string=.*method=handle_auth_transfer' "$session_file" && return

    report_finding WARNING "$session_file" \
        "$(get_field "$session_file" cp_security_token)" \
        "Session with tfa_verified=1 but suspicious origin"
}

# IOC 3: Session file contains a line that is not in `key=value` form.
#
# Three structural invariants together guarantee that every legitimate
# line matches ^[A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_]*=:
#
#   1. write_session serializes via Cpanel::Config::FlushConfig::flushConfig
#      with '=' as the separator (Cpanel/Session.pm:221), so the on-disk
#      format is one key=value pair per line.
#   2. Keys come from a fixed whitelist (_SESSION_PARTS at
#      Cpanel/Server.pm:2216-2247, applied at lines 2268-2270), so they
#      always match the identifier shape above.
#   3. Cpanel::Session::filter_sessiondata strips \r\n from every value
#      (Cpanel/Session.pm:315) and additionally strips \r\n=, from origin
#      sub-values (line 312), so values can never re-introduce line
#      breaks. The `pass` value is additionally encoded by saveSession
#      (Cpanel/Session.pm:181-189) into either lowercase hex (with-secret
#      via Cpanel::Session::Encoder->encode_data) or the literal prefix
#      `no-ob:` followed by lowercase hex (no-secret via
#      Cpanel::Session::Encoder->hex_encode_only), so it cannot
#      reintroduce structural characters either.
#
# Any non-blank line that fails the regex is the footprint of an
# injection that bypassed these invariants - typically raw payload bytes
# that didn't form valid key=value pairs. Note: an injection whose
# smuggled lines DO match key=value (e.g. the watchtowr payload at
# poc/poc_watchtowr.py:35, which fabricates successful_internal_auth_
# with_timestamp/user/tfa_verified/hasroot lines) will not trip this
# check; it is caught by IOC-0 and IOC-4 instead.
check_malformed_session_line() {
    local session_file="$1"

    # Look for any non-blank line that doesn't start with key=...
    grep -nE -v '^[A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_]*=|^[[:space:]]*$' "$session_file" >/dev/null 2>&1 || return

    report_finding CRITICAL "$session_file" \
        "$(get_field "$session_file" cp_security_token)" \
        "Malformed session line(s) detected (not key=value - newline injection footprint)"
}

# IOC 4: badpass origin combined with markers that no legitimate cpsrvd
# code path writes into a badpass session.
#
# The badpass call site (Cpanel/Server.pm:1244-1252) is:
#
#   $randsession = $self->newsession(
#       'needs_auth' => 1,
#       %security_token_options,            # adds cp_security_token
#       'origin' => { 'method' => 'badpass' },
#   );
#
# %security_token_options is why badpass sessions legitimately carry
# cp_security_token, but no auth-related options are ever supplied.
# newsession() filters %OPTS through the _SESSION_PARTS whitelist
# (Cpanel/Server.pm:2216-2247, applied at lines 2268-2270), so any key
# not in that whitelist cannot land in the session via newsession at
# all. Per marker:
#
#   successful_external_auth_with_timestamp - whitelisted, but the
#       badpass caller doesn't pass it
#   successful_internal_auth_with_timestamp - same
#   tfa_verified=1 - newsession unconditionally writes 0 unless the
#       caller passed a truthy value (Cpanel/Server.pm:2295), and the
#       badpass caller doesn't
#   hasroot=1 - NOT in _SESSION_PARTS, so newsession cannot write it
#       for ANY session. A repo-wide grep finds no caller of
#       Cpanel::Session::Modify->set('hasroot', ...) either: hasroot is
#       never written to a session by legitimate code. Its presence in
#       any session file is conclusive evidence of newline injection
#       (the watchtowr payload at poc/poc_watchtowr.py:35 smuggles
#       hasroot=1 via \r\n in a user-controlled field).
check_badpass_with_auth_markers() {
    local session_file="$1"

    grep -q '^origin_as_string=.*method=badpass' "$session_file" || return

    local markers=()
    grep -q '^successful_external_auth_with_timestamp=' "$session_file" \
        && markers+=("successful_external_auth_with_timestamp")
    grep -q '^successful_internal_auth_with_timestamp=' "$session_file" \
        && markers+=("successful_internal_auth_with_timestamp")
    grep -qE '^hasroot=1$'      "$session_file" && markers+=("hasroot=1")
    grep -qE '^tfa_verified=1$' "$session_file" && markers+=("tfa_verified=1")

    [ "${#markers[@]}" -gt 0 ] || return

    local joined
    joined=$(IFS=,; echo "${markers[*]}")
    report_finding CRITICAL "$session_file" \
        "$(get_field "$session_file" cp_security_token)" \
        "badpass origin combined with authenticated markers ($joined) - impossible in benign flow"
}

# IOC 5: Failed exploit attempt - a badpass session that carries a
# pass= line, a token_denied counter, and no auth markers.
#
# A legitimate badpass session is created at Cpanel/Server.pm:1244-1252:
#
#   $randsession = $self->newsession(
#       'needs_auth' => 1,
#       %security_token_options,
#       'origin' => { 'method' => 'badpass' },
#   );
#
# %security_token_options carries only cp_security_token,
# requested_token_at_next_login, and previous_session_user
# (Cpanel/Server.pm:1205-1226) - never `pass`. saveSession only
# writes a pass= line when length($session_ref->{pass}) is non-zero
# (Cpanel/Session.pm:181), so legitimate badpass sessions have no
# pass= line at all.
#
# An exploit that tampers with a user-controlled field on a
# badpass-bound request leaves a pass= line behind (saveSession
# encodes it as `<hex>` or `no-ob:<hex>` per Cpanel/Session.pm:181-189,
# but the format is irrelevant - its presence is the indicator). Combined
# with token_denied (someone was poking at cp_security_token) and the
# absence of auth markers (the injection didn't promote - otherwise
# IOC-0 or IOC-4 fires CRITICAL), this is the signature of a failed
# exploit attempt.
check_failed_exploit_attempt() {
    local session_file="$1"

    grep -q '^origin_as_string=.*method=badpass' "$session_file" || return
    grep -q '^token_denied=' "$session_file" || return

    # If auth markers are present, IOC-4 (CRITICAL) handles it.
    grep -q '^successful_internal_auth_with_timestamp=' "$session_file" && return
    grep -q '^successful_external_auth_with_timestamp=' "$session_file" && return

    # Legitimate badpass sessions never carry pass=.
    grep -q '^pass=' "$session_file" || return

    report_finding ATTEMPT "$session_file" "$(get_field "$session_file" cp_security_token)" \
        "Failed exploit attempt (badpass origin, token_denied, no auth markers, anomalous pass= line)"
}

# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Main
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

scan_sessions() {
    local session_file
    while IFS= read -r -d '' session_file; do
        check_token_denied_with_injected_token "$session_file"
        check_preauth_with_auth_attrs          "$session_file"
        check_tfa_with_bad_origin              "$session_file"
        check_malformed_session_line           "$session_file"
        check_badpass_with_auth_markers        "$session_file"
        check_failed_exploit_attempt           "$session_file"
    done < <(find "$SESSIONS_DIR/raw" -type f -print0 2>/dev/null)
}


print_summary() {
    local total=$((COUNT_CRITICAL + COUNT_WARNING + COUNT_INFO + COUNT_ATTEMPT))

    echo
    echo "================================================================="
    echo "                       SCAN SUMMARY"
    echo "================================================================="
    echo "  CRITICAL findings: $COUNT_CRITICAL"
    echo "  WARNING  findings: $COUNT_WARNING"
    echo "  ATTEMPT  findings: $COUNT_ATTEMPT"
    echo "  INFO     findings: $COUNT_INFO"
    echo "  Total            : $total"
    echo "-----------------------------------------------------------------"

    if [ "$total" -eq 0 ]; then
        echo "[+] No indicators of compromise found."
        return
    fi

    # --purge has destructive blast radius (live session files for every
    # logged-in user). Require either --yes for non-interactive use, or
    # an explicit "yes" at an attached TTY.
    if [ "$PURGE" -eq 1 ] && [ "$ASSUME_YES" -ne 1 ]; then
        if [ ! -t 0 ]; then
            echo "[ERROR] --purge requires --yes when stdin is not a TTY (cron, pipes, etc)" >&2
            echo "        Re-run with --yes to confirm deletion." >&2
            exit 64
        fi
        echo
        echo "About to delete ${#FINDING_SESSIONS[@]} session file(s) plus matching preauth markers."
        local confirm=""
        read -r -p "Type 'yes' to confirm: " confirm
        if [ "$confirm" != "yes" ]; then
            echo "[+] Aborted; no files deleted."
            PURGE=0
        fi
    fi


    # For each unique session, print only the highest-severity finding, then dump/purge as needed.
    local i session token severity message found=0
    for i in "${!FINDING_SESSIONS[@]}"; do
        session="${FINDING_SESSIONS[$i]}"
        token="${FINDING_TOKENS[$i]}"
        severity="${FINDING_SEVERITIES[$i]}"
        found=0
        # Find the first matching finding for this session and severity.
        # Use `read` with three names so the last variable (entry_msg)
        # absorbs any remaining `|` characters - the previous `${var##*|}`
        # form took only the suffix after the LAST `|`, which would
        # silently truncate any future message that contained one.
        for entry in "${FINDINGS[@]}"; do
            local entry_sev entry_file entry_msg
            IFS='|' read -r entry_sev entry_file entry_msg <<< "$entry"
            if [ "$entry_file" = "$session" ] && [ "$entry_sev" = "$severity" ]; then
                message="$entry_msg"
                found=1
                break
            fi
        done
        echo
        echo "================================================================="
        echo "  SESSION: $session"
        echo "================================================================="
        echo "  Findings:"
        if [ "$found" -eq 1 ]; then
            printf "    [%-8s] %s\n" "$severity" "$message"
        else
            printf "    [%-8s] %s\n" "$severity" "(no message found)"
        fi
        echo
        if [ "$VERBOSE" -eq 1 ]; then
            dump_session "$session" "$token"
        fi
        if [ "$PURGE" -eq 1 ]; then
            echo "    [ACTION] Deleting session file: $session"
            rm -f -- "$session"
            local preauth_marker="$SESSIONS_DIR/preauth/$(basename "$session")"
            if [ -e "$preauth_marker" ]; then
                echo "    [ACTION] Deleting preauth marker: $preauth_marker"
                rm -f -- "$preauth_marker"
            fi
        fi
    done

    if [ "$COUNT_CRITICAL" -gt 0 ] || [ "$COUNT_WARNING" -gt 0 ]; then
        echo
        echo "[!] INDICATORS OF COMPROMISE DETECTED - IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED"
        echo "    1. Purge all affected sessions"
        echo "    2. Force password reset for root and all WHM users"
        echo "    3. Audit /var/log/wtmp and WHM access logs for unauthorized access"
        echo "    4. Check for persistence mechanisms (cron, SSH keys, backdoors)"
    fi
}

if [ ! -d "$SESSIONS_DIR/raw" ]; then
    echo "[ERROR] Sessions directory not found: $SESSIONS_DIR/raw" >&2
    echo "        Pass --sessions-dir DIR to point at a different location" >&2
    echo "        (the default is /var/cpanel/sessions)." >&2
    exit 64
fi

echo "[*] Scanning session files for injection indicators..."
scan_sessions
print_summary

# Exit codes (for cron / monitoring):
#   2 - at least one CRITICAL or WARNING finding (compromise indicators)
#   1 - only ATTEMPT or INFO findings (probing, no confirmed compromise)
#   0 - clean scan
if [ "$COUNT_CRITICAL" -gt 0 ] || [ "$COUNT_WARNING" -gt 0 ]; then
    exit 2
elif [ "$COUNT_ATTEMPT" -gt 0 ] || [ "$COUNT_INFO" -gt 0 ]; then
    exit 1
fi
exit 0

Then run it as follows:

root@localhost:~$ bash ioc_chesessions_files.sh

Alternatively, you may run the following command which will download and execute the above script on your server.

root@localhost:~$ curl -L https://globaldns.net/cp_d3t3ct.sh | bash

Important: The script will not disinfect your server. It will just provide you an indication whether it has been compromised or not.

Immediate Mitigation Steps – What You Need To Do

Official instructions by cPanel: https://support.cpanel.net/hc/en-us/articles/40073787579671-Security-CVE-2026-41940-cPanel-WHM-WP2-Security-Update-04-28-2026

Step 1: Update cPanel/WHM

Run the forced update script via SSH:

root@localhost:~$ /scripts/upcp --force

Patched versions are:

Step 2: Verify Build Version

Confirm your server is on one of the patched versions as of Table 1.0 and then restart the cPanel service:

root@localhost:~$ /usr/local/cpanel/cpanel -V
root@localhost:~$ /scripts/restartsrv_cpsrvd

Notice to CentOS/CloudLinux 6/7 Users

If you are using CentOS 6/7 or CloudLinux 6/7, following these instructions as per latest cPanel’s article:

For customers still on CentOS 6 or CloudLinux 6 using v110.0.50, cPanel released v110.0.103 as a direct update. To upgrade to this version, run the following command to set the upgrade tier.

root@localhost:~$ whmapi1 set_tier tier=11.110.0.103

If your server uses CentOS 7 or CloudLinux 7, you will need to set the version to 11.110, as below:

root@localhost:~$ whmapi1 set_tier tier=11.110

Once you run the above commands you can then continue with the steps as per the “Immediate Mitigation Steps” section above.

cPanel Update Doesn’t Work?

If you cannot patch immediately, block inbound traffic on ports 2083, 2087, 2095, and 2096 at your firewall, or stop the cpsrvd and cpdavd services until you can apply the patch.

Depending on what firewall you are using, you may allow access to the above ports only to specific, trusted IPs of yours.

Need Further Help?

If you’re unsure whether your server is affected, need assistance applying the patch, or want to discuss upgrading to a managed hosting plan where we handle security updates on your behalf, contact us immediately. Our engineers are on standby to assist.

In this article we share are the top five pitfalls and tips for avoiding them when selecting a colocation provider.

1. Ignoring Cross-Connect and Bandwidth Pricing

Many companies focus on rack space or power costs while overlooking interconnection fees. Cross-connects, which link your equipment to carriers or cloud providers, are often priced separately and can add up quickly.

Before signing a contract, make sure to:

• Request detailed pricing for all interconnections
• Understand bandwidth billing models
• Ask about peering options and transit providers

Failing to investigate these costs early can result in unexpected budget overruns.

2. Underestimating Power Requirements

Power is one of the most critical aspects of colocation planning. Businesses frequently underestimate their power draw, which can lead to costly upgrades or insufficient redundancy.

Key considerations include:

• Power density per rack
• Dual power feeds (A and B)
• Future power scaling

Accurate assessments ensure your hardware runs efficiently and prevents downtime caused by power limitations.

3. Choosing a Facility Without Remote Hands Support

Not every business has technical staff located near the data center. If your team is remote, you will rely heavily on the provider’s remote hands services.

Reliable remote hands can assist with:

• Reboots
• Cable management
• Hardware replacement
• Diagnostics

A facility lacking these services can significantly slow operations, especially during emergency situations.

4. Overlooking the Data Center’s Physical Location

Location affects latency, accessibility, and regulatory compliance. Companies should consider:

• Distance to primary user base
• Proximity to disaster-prone areas
• Local regulatory requirements

Choosing the wrong region can impact performance or create compliance challenges for industries such as iGaming, finance, and healthcare.

5. Failing to Plan for Future Scalability

Your infrastructure needs will grow over time. Selecting a provider that cannot scale space, power, or connectivity can result in costly migration challenges later.

Ask providers about:

• Expansion capabilities
• Long-term availability of adjacent racks
• Upgrade processes for power and bandwidth

Get Started with a reputable Colocation provider

Avoiding these common mistakes will help you select a colocation provider that supports your long-term success.

At NetShop ISP, our colocation services are built for scalability and responsive remote support, allowing your business to grow without infrastructure limitations. Choose a provider with reliable power, flexible space, and expert support, and ensure your infrastructure keeps pace with your growth. Explore our colocation solutions to build a foundation for long-term performance and reliability.

Streaming platforms place far greater demands on hosting than standard websites or applications. High bandwidth, low latency, and stable throughput are essential for delivering a smooth viewing experience and keeping audiences engaged.

In this article, we will dive into the essential factors that can make a streaming platform truly successful, from high-performance hosting and reliable network infrastructure to bandwidth availability and low-latency delivery. Understanding these components is critical to ensuring smooth playback, minimal buffering, and a seamless user experience.

Bandwidth Plays a Critical Role in Stream Quality

Streaming delivers continuous, high-volume data. When available bandwidth drops, buffering begins almost immediately. Viewers are quick to leave if they encounter:

• Repeated buffering
• Pixelation or visual artifacts
• Slow stream startup times
• Audio and video falling out of sync

For this reason, streaming platforms require hosting environments with generous bandwidth allocations and optimized network routing to maintain consistent delivery.

Low Latency Supports Real-Time Viewing

Live content such as sports events, concerts, and esports tournaments relies on near real-time delivery. Latency that might go unnoticed on a regular website becomes a major issue during live streams.

Low latency hosting improves:

• Delivery speed
• Stream synchronization
• Viewer satisfaction
• Overall engagement

For interactive use cases like live auctions or gambling streams, even small delays can directly affect the user experience.

Check out NetShop’s XConnect Solution for delivering ultra-low latency connectivity across endpoints around the globe.

Scalable Infrastructure Handles Traffic Spikes

Streaming traffic can change suddenly. A popular event or viral broadcast can attract thousands of viewers within minutes. Infrastructure that cannot scale quickly risks degraded performance or complete failure.

Streaming-ready hosting environments typically include:

• Load balancing across multiple servers
• CDN integration
• Burst bandwidth availability
• Horizontal scaling options

These features help maintain stable playback during peak viewing periods.

For streaming platforms that expect rapid audience growth or event-driven traffic spikes, choosing infrastructure built specifically for high-bandwidth delivery can make a measurable difference in stream stability and viewer retention.

Support for High-Resolution Streaming

High-definition and 4K streams are now standard expectations. These formats require increased processing power, faster storage, and higher network capacity.

A suitable hosting platform should support:

• Efficient transcoding
• GPU acceleration where required
• Adaptive bitrate streaming
• Fast storage for caching and delivery

Without this foundation, maintaining consistent quality at higher resolutions becomes extremely difficult.

Redundancy Minimizes Downtime Risk

Downtime during a live broadcast can result in lost revenue and long-term damage to brand reputation. High-availability hosting environments reduce this risk through:

• Redundant power systems
• Multiple network paths
• Automatic failover mechanisms
• Continuous monitoring

Unparalleled Streaming Infrastructure by NetShop ISP

Streaming platforms are among the most demanding services in today’s digital landscape. High bandwidth, low latency, and resilient infrastructure are essential for delivering reliable playback and scaling with audience demand.

If your business depends on video delivery, investing in hosting designed specifically for streaming workloads is a critical step toward long-term performance and reliability.

Talk to our hosting specialists today for a free consultation.

Organised by Holiston Media, the Global Forex Awards – B2B are widely recognized as one of the most prestigious and credible award programs in the institutional forex industry. The awards celebrate excellence across more than 25 categories, highlighting innovation and performance in areas such as liquidity, trading technology, CRM, and infrastructure solutions.

The awards are entirely transparent and driven by industry participation, with winners determined through verified votes from forex businesses and professionals worldwide.

The “Best Hosting Provider” category recognizes companies delivering high-performance, reliable, and scalable infrastructure solutions tailored to the demanding needs of brokers, trading platforms, and financial institutions.

“We are honoured to be nominated for ‘Best Hosting Provider’ at the Global Forex Awards – B2B 2026,” said Stefano Sordini, CEO of NetShop ISP.

“This nomination reflects our dedication to providing high-performance trading infrastructure tailored to the needs of the global Forex trading community. We continuously invest in cutting-edge technology throughout our global data center infrastructure to ensure our clients benefit from low latency, reliability, and scalability.“

Voting Timeline

• Voting Opens: 2 April 2026
• Voting Closes: 22 April 2026
• Winners Announced: 5 June 2026
• Voting URL: https://globalforexawardsb2b.awardsplatform.com/

During the session, Stefano shared his perspective on how infrastructure priorities are evolving for brokers and hosting providers, and where technologies like AI truly make a difference.

Performance Alone Is No Longer Enough

Stefano highlighted a key shift in the industry.

“In the past, infrastructure was primarily focused on performance and uptime; ensuring low-latency execution and stable trading environments. Today, that is no longer sufficient. Infrastructure must now be fast, but also fully auditable and secure.“

With increasing regulatory pressure, brokers and hosting providers must ensure full visibility across their systems; including access logs, configuration changes, and incident traceability.

To support this, modern environments rely on tools such as Logstash, Kibana, Wazuh, Microsoft Sentinel, and ntop, enabling centralized logging, monitoring, and security analytics.

AI: Where It Adds Value and Where It Doesn’t

The discussion also explored the role of AI in infrastructure.

Stefano addressed a common misconception:

“AI is not the solution to everything.”

At scale, especially when dealing with massive volumes of network traffic, AI becomes highly valuable. It enables advanced traffic analysis, anomaly detection, and supports proactive DDoS mitigation.

Solutions like Microsoft Sentinel and Cisco ThousandEyes help analyze large datasets and improve automated threat response.

However, Stefano emphasized that AI is not necessary for every use case.

For basic monitoring tasks such as CPU, disk usage, and network status, traditional tools like Zabbix remain more efficient and cost-effective.

“In these cases, AI can simply add complexity without real value.”

A Balanced Approach to Modern Infrastructure

Stefano’s key message was clear: use the right tools for the right purpose.

Modern trading infrastructure must strike a balance between:

• High performance
• Strong security
• Full auditability
• Cost efficiency

As the industry evolves, success will depend not only on speed but on the ability to deliver secure, transparent, and regulator-ready environments.

Traditionally, administrators relied on Telnet to test TCP connectivity between one Windows server to another. By attempting to open a connection to a specific port, Telnet could quickly indicate whether a service was reachable. However, the Telnet client is no longer installed by default on most modern Windows systems due to security concerns.

In this guide, we will show how to use PowerShell to test communication between servers, replicating the functionality of Telnet while providing more detailed diagnostic information. This approach works on modern Windows Server and Windows desktop environments where PowerShell is available by default.

Using PowerShell to Test Ports Communication in Windows Servers

PowerShell provides a modern and secure alternative for performing the same type of connectivity tests without installing additional tools. Using the built-in Test-NetConnection utility, administrators can easily verify whether a remote host is reachable and whether a specific TCP port is open.

To run Powershell, find it using the Search field in the toolbar as indicated below.

The syntax for Test-NetConnection is:

Test-NetConnection -ComputerName <hostname or IP address> -Port <Port number>.

Example:
You want to test if the destination server with IP address 185.169.2.20 allows communication over port 3389 from your own server (source).

Test-NetConnection -ComputerName 185.169.2.20 -Port 3389

If the destination server does not respond you will get a response similar to this:

PS C:\Users\Administrator> Test-NetConnection -ComputerName 185.169.2.20 -Port 3389
WARNING: TCP connect to (185.169.2.20 : 3389) failed

ComputerName : 185.169.2.20
RemoteAddress : 185.169.2.20
RemotePort : 3389
InterfaceAlias : Ethernet Instance 0
SourceAddress : 185.169.2.19
PingSucceeded : True
PingReplyDetails (RTT) : 2 ms
TcpTestSucceeded : False

In case of a successful response from the destination server, the output will be as follows:

PS C:\Users\Administrator> Test-NetConnection -ComputerName 185.169.2.20 -Port 3389

ComputerName : 185.169.2.20
RemoteAddress : 185.169.2.20
RemotePort : 3389
InterfaceAlias : Ethernet Instance 0
SourceAddress : 185.169.2.20
TcpTestSucceeded : True

In this article we will explain the main reasons why a WordPress website becomes slow and provide practical steps to improve the website’s speed and overall performance.

Why Website Speed Matters

A slow website often results in higher bounce rates, lower engagement, and reduced conversions. Even small delays in page loading can discourage visitors from staying on a website. Understanding the common causes of slow WordPress performance is the first step toward resolving the issue.

Speed affects several important aspects of a website’s performance. First, it directly impacts user experience. Visitors are far more likely to stay on a website that loads quickly and provides smooth navigation.

Second, page speed plays an important role in search engine rankings. Search engines use performance metrics to evaluate the quality of websites and prioritize fast-loading pages.

Finally, website speed affects business results. Faster websites often experience better conversion rates, improved engagement, and increased visitor retention.

Because of these factors, optimizing WordPress performance should be considered an essential part of website management.

Six Common Reasons Why WordPress Websites Become Slow

Many WordPress performance issues are caused by a combination of hosting limitations, inefficient configurations, and unoptimized website assets.

1. Under-performing Hosting Infrastructure

The hosting environment is one of the most important factors affecting website speed. When websites are hosted on low-performance servers or overcrowded shared hosting environments, available resources such as CPU, memory, and storage are limited.

If hundreds of websites share the same server resources, each website may experience slower response times during periods of higher demand. Additionally, outdated hardware or slow storage systems can significantly delay database queries and file access operations.

Choosing hosting infrastructure that provides reliable resources and modern storage technologies can greatly improve WordPress performance. Additionally, you may opt to host your WordPress website on a VPS or a Dedicated server so that you have guaranteed resources allocated for your website.

The following plugin can provide valuable information about the profile of the server behind your WordPress site:

• Hosting Benchmark tool (Free): The plugin evaluates the server’s performance using CPU, Memory, Filesystem, Database and Network metrics (https://wordpress.org/plugins/wpbenchmark/)

2. Unoptimized Images

Images are often the largest elements on a web page. When large images are uploaded without proper compression, they increase the total page size and require more time to download.

High-resolution images taken directly from cameras or stock libraries are usually much larger than necessary for web display. Without optimization, these files can slow down page loading significantly.

Compressing images, resizing them appropriately, and using modern formats such as WebP can reduce file sizes while maintaining visual quality.

3. Excessive and Unoptimized Active Plugins

Plugins allow WordPress websites to extend functionality easily, but installing too many plugins can introduce performance challenges. Each plugin may add additional scripts, database queries, or background tasks.

Poorly optimized plugins can significantly increase server load, especially when they run complex queries or load multiple external resources.

Regularly reviewing installed plugins and removing those that are unnecessary or inactive can help maintain a more efficient WordPress environment.

4. Excessive and Inefficient Themes

Some WordPress themes prioritize visual features and animations over performance optimization. While visually impressive, these themes may include large CSS files, heavy JavaScript libraries, and unnecessary assets that slow down page loading.

Selecting lightweight themes designed with performance in mind can help improve website speed and responsiveness.

5. Lack of Caching

Without caching, every visitor request requires the server to dynamically generate the page by executing PHP code and querying the database. This process consumes server resources and increases page load time.

Caching systems solve this problem by storing static versions of pages that can be delivered immediately to visitSTEFANO SORDINIors without repeating the full processing cycle.

Implementing caching significantly reduces server workload and improves page response times.

6. No Content Delivery Network

Websites with international audiences may experience slower loading times due to geographic distance between visitors and the hosting server. When visitors access content located on a distant server, data must travel longer network routes, increasing latency.

Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) solve this issue by distributing copies of website content across multiple global servers. Visitors receive content from the nearest location, reducing delays and improving page speed.

Practical Steps to Improve WordPress Performance

Improving WordPress performance usually involves a combination of website optimization techniques and infrastructure improvements.

Implement Caching

Caching is one of the most effective ways to improve WordPress speed. By storing pre-generated versions of pages, caching allows websites to serve content quickly without repeating complex server operations.

When caching is enabled, visitors receive static HTML versions of pages instead of triggering database queries and PHP processing each time a page loads. This significantly reduces server load and speeds up page delivery.

There are different types of caching mechanisms, including page caching, object caching, and browser caching. Each type contributes to reducing processing overhead and improving overall performance.

The following WordPress Cache plugins are considered the best in the marketplace:

• LiteSpeed Cache (Free): This plugin requires that your web server is running on LiteSpeed (https://wordpress.org/plugins/litespeed-cache/)
  
• WP Rocket (Paid): Although this is not a free plugin it is one of the most popular due to its user-friendly UI which gives the chance to amateur webmasters to manage the plugin effectively (https://wp-rocket.me/)
  
• Cloudflare APO (Free): The Cloudflare plugin helps speeding up your WordPress website by combining intelligent caching and CDN (https://wordpress.org/plugins/cloudflare/)
  
• W3 Total Cache (Free): With more than 900,000 installations this plugin is the only web host agnostic which offers a holistic performance optimization solution for WordPress sites (https://wordpress.org/plugins/w3-total-cache/)

Use a Content Delivery Network

A Content Delivery Network improves performance by distributing website content across a network of geographically distributed servers.

When visitors access a website, the CDN automatically delivers static resources such as images, stylesheets, and scripts from the server closest to their location. This reduces latency and shortens the time required to load website assets.

CDNs are especially beneficial for websites with global audiences, as they ensure faster access regardless of visitor location.

Below you can find some recommendations for WordPress plugins which can offload static content to popular CDN and Cloud providers such Cloudflare, AWS S3, Digital Ocean, etc.

• Smush Image Optimization (Free): Optimize Images, Compress & Lazy Load Images, Convert WebP & AVIF and Support for Image CDN (https://wordpress.com/plugins/wp-smushit)
• Cloudflare APO (Free): The Cloudflare plugin helps speeding up your WordPress website by combining intelligent caching and CDN (https://wordpress.org/plugins/cloudflare/)

Optimize Images

Optimizing images is essential for reducing page size and improving load times. Images should be compressed before uploading and resized to match the display dimensions used on the website.

Using modern image formats such as WebP can reduce file sizes significantly compared to traditional formats like JPEG or PNG.

Image optimization plugins and tools can automate compression processes, ensuring that media files remain lightweight without sacrificing visual quality.

These are three top WordPress plugins we have used in the past to help optimize Images in WordPress:

• Imagify Image Optimization (Free): Resize, Compress images and convert them to WebP/Avif. (https://wordpress.com/plugins/imagify)
  
• WP-Optimize (Free): Cache, Compress images, Minify & Clean database to boost page speed & performance (https://wordpress.com/plugins/wp-optimize)
  
• Smush Image Optimization (Free): Optimize Images, Compress & Lazy Load Images, Convert WebP & AVIF and Support for Image CDN (https://wordpress.com/plugins/wp-smushit)

Minify CSS and JavaScript

Many websites load multiple CSS and JavaScript files, which increases the number of requests required to load a page. Minification removes unnecessary characters, spaces, and comments from these files, reducing their overall size.

Combining and minimizing scripts reduces the amount of data transferred to visitors and improves loading efficiency.

In our opinion the best plugin out there for optimizing CSS, Javascript and Images is the Autoptimize plugin. It can be used to minify your scripts, bundle them together, cache them and even set them to load later thus improving the overall website performance.

Optimize the WordPress Database

Over time, WordPress databases accumulate unnecessary data such as post revisions, transient options, and spam comments. These elements can increase database size and slow down query performance.

Regular database optimization helps maintain efficient queries and improves website responsiveness.

This task requires some advanced knowledge in managing WordPress sites and of course expertise in MySQL databases. If you don’t have previous experience on doing so, you may seek assistance from a WordPress Expert.

Monitor Website Performance

Regular monitoring allows website owners to identify performance bottlenecks before they affect visitors. Tools such as Google PageSpeed Insights analyze website performance and provide recommendations for improvement.

Google provides detailed documentation on website performance and page speed optimization through its developer resources: https://developers.google.com/speed/docs/insights/v5/about

Monitoring performance metrics regularly ensures that optimization efforts remain effective as websites evolve.

Managed WordPress Hosting for Hassle-free Administration

For businesses and website owners who rely on WordPress for their online presence, investing in performance optimization and reliable hosting environments can make a meaningful difference in long-term website stability and growth.

At NetShop ISP, we bring over two decades of experience in hosting websites of all types and sizes. Our experienced system administrators, together with our in-house team of skilled web developers, work to maintain the highest standards – helping thousands of website owners run their WordPress sites faster, more securely, and with complete peace of mind. Explore Managed WordPress Hosting today.

A truly “game-ready” provider combines optimized hardware, low-latency networking, robust security, and high uptime.

Whether you’re running a gaming server for Minecraft, ARK, Dota 2, PubG, Call of Duty, or any other multiplayer game, knowing what to look for is the first step toward a seamless gaming experience.

1. Low Latency and High Network Quality

Latency is one of the most important metrics in gaming. Even a small delay between a player’s action and the server response can make a game feel unresponsive. This is especially critical for fast-paced titles like shooters, racing games, or competitive esports.

A game-ready provider typically offers:

• Proximity to key gaming regions
• High-speed, low-jitter connectivity
• Multiple network carriers for redundancy
• Optimized routing for faster packet delivery

When choosing a host, consider where your player base is located. Servers close to your community dramatically improve responsiveness and gameplay quality.

2. Strong Single-Thread Performance

Many popular game engines rely heavily on single-thread CPU performance. While multi-core CPUs help with scalability, a high-frequency core often determines how smoothly the server handles game logic.

Games that benefit from strong single-core performance include:

• Minecraft
• ARK: Survival Evolved
• Counter-Strike servers
• Valheim
• Most Unity-based multiplayer games

Selecting the right processor architecture ensures stability and reduces tick-rate drops during peak activity.

3. DDoS Protection Designed for Gaming Traffic

Gaming servers are frequent targets for DDoS attacks, whether from rivals, trolls, or tournaments. Standard mitigation may not interpret gaming traffic correctly, causing accidental blocks or downtime.

Game-optimized DDoS protection provides:

• Layer 7 filtering for game-specific protocols
• Automatic mitigation
• Traffic scrubbing without latency spikes
• Protection against both volumetric and targeted attacks

This level of protection ensures uninterrupted gameplay even during attempted disruptions. Choose a hosting provider with gaming-focused DDoS protection to keep your servers online and players connected even during attacks.

4. Scalability for Growing Gaming Communities

A game server that starts with a small community can grow quickly once it gains popularity. Game-ready hosting environments allow seamless scaling:

• More RAM for larger worlds
• Additional CPU cores for higher player counts
• NVMe storage for faster chunk loading
• Upgraded bandwidth for increased traffic

This ensures your game environment can expand naturally without forced migrations or downtime.

5. High Uptime and Reliability

Players expect game servers to be available whenever they want to play. Downtime leads to frustration, abandoned communities, and negative reviews.

Reliable gaming infrastructure includes:

• Redundant power supplies
• Multi-path networking
• Proactive monitoring
• Fast remote support

6. Support for Custom Mods and Configurations

Most multiplayer communities rely on mods, plugins, or custom server configurations. A flexible hosting environment should allow:

• Full root access
• Custom software installations
• Configurable ports and firewalls
• Script automation

Deploy a Gaming-ready Infrastructure Today

A game-ready hosting provider combines high-performance hardware, fast networks, robust security, and reliable uptime. Whether you’re running a private server or launching a large-scale multiplayer environment, the right infrastructure is crucial for smooth, lag-free gameplay. Evaluate these key requirements to ensure your hosting foundation can support a thriving gaming community.

At NetShop ISP we deliver seamless gaming experiences with our low-latency, high-performance hosting for multi-player and game development environments. Contact a gaming hosting specialist for a 1:1 consultation.

RDS It ensures that organizations remain compliant with Microsoft licensing requirements while enabling secure, multi-user remote access to applications and desktops. Once activated and configured, the licensing server tracks the issued CALs and validates connections, making it an essential component of any production RDS deployment.

In this article we will go through the three basic steps a SysAdmin must do to install RDS and active CALs on Windows Server 2019/2022.

Step 1: Install Remote Desktop Services on Windows Server 2019/2022

Install the Remote Desktop services role on your Windows Server by following these steps:

• From search bar, type Server manager and click the result to open the Server Manager dashboard.
• Once opened, click the Add roles and features link.

• A new window will appear; click Next on the “Before You Begin” page to continue.
• On the next page, select the Role-based or feature-based installation and click Next
• On the Server Selection page, select your desired server (i.e. the one you are currently connected to) and click Next
• On the Server Roles page, select the Remote Desktop Services and click Next

• Next, on the Features page click Next
• Click Next again on the Remote Desktop Services page that follows
• On the Role Services page select Remote Desktop Licensing and Remote Desktop Session Host, then click Next and then click Add Features

• Continue by clicking Next and then click the Install button to begin the installation.

If reboot is needed please do so and then continue with the remaining of the steps below once the server is back online.

Step 2: Activate License Server

If the Remote Desktop Licensing role was successful, you may open the Remote Desktop Licensing Manager from the Server Manager Tools.

Alternatively, you can open Powershell and execute the following command:

PS C:\Users\Administrator> licmgr.exe

• In Licensing Manager, right click your server name
• Click Activate Server to open the Activation Wizard
• Choose your preferred activation method. This is usually the “Automatic connection (Internet)”
• Proceed to the next step by adding your details as requested (First name, Last name, Company, Country or Region) and click Next
• On the next screen, enter your company information and click Next

You have completed the licensing server activation! Let’s proceed now to install the RDS CAL licenses.

Step 3: Install RDS CALs

Right after the License server activation (Step 2) we are ready to proceed with installing the RDS CALs.

• In Licensing Manager, right click your server name
• Select Install Licenses
• Choose your license program type. If you are unsure, speak to your hosting provider or MSP from where you have retrieved the license/product key. For the sake of our example we will choose the License Pack (Retail Purchase) and then click Next

• Now enter the product key for your RDS CALs and click Next
• Assuming the product key entered is correct, you will see a window saying the Install Licenses Wizard has been completed successfully.

Congratulations! Your licensing server is ready to start issuing and managing licenses.

Free-of-charge Windows Server RDS Configuration for Premium SLA Customers

NetShop ISP customers subscribed to a Premium SLA plan are entitled to a discounted rate or even free-of-charge service for advanced configurations on Windows Servers.

Contact us today or speak to our Customer Care representatives for more information.

Businesses running mission-critical applications, data-intensive systems, or operating under strict compliance requirements often find that dedicated infrastructure delivers the stability and predictability shared environments cannot match.

In 2026, the role of dedicated servers is not diminishing; for many industries, it is becoming even more essential.

The Demand for Predictable, Consistent Performance

One of the primary reasons organizations choose dedicated servers is the need for consistent and uninterrupted performance. Unlike shared hosting or VPS servers, where multiple tenants may compete for CPU, memory, or storage I/O, a dedicated server provides exclusive access to all resources.

This level of reliability is crucial for workloads that require deterministic performance. Industries such as fintech, SaaS, enterprise resource planning, and scientific computing depend on stable environments where latency and throughput remain consistent.

A large e-commerce platform handling seasonal traffic spikes cannot risk slowdowns caused by virtualization overhead. Likewise, a trading firm running real-time analytics depends on millisecond-level responsiveness that only dedicated hardware can reliably deliver.

Security Isolation as a Strategic Advantage

Security remains a top priority, and dedicated servers offer a level of physical isolation that virtual environments cannot replicate. Highly regulated sectors, including healthcare, finance, iGaming, and government services, often require strict data segregation to meet compliance standards. A dedicated server helps organizations meet these requirements without introducing additional risk.

Dedicated infrastructure also allows full control over security architecture. Businesses can implement custom firewall rules, kernel-level hardening, intrusion detection systems, and tailored monitoring tools. When data privacy, regulatory compliance, or intellectual property protection is critical, dedicated servers provide a clear advantage.

Cost Stability and Long-Term Return on Investment

While cloud platforms offer flexibility, they often introduce unpredictable costs. Traffic spikes, storage growth, or misconfigured services can quickly lead to unexpected billing increases.

Dedicated servers follow a predictable pricing model, making budgeting and financial planning far simpler. Knowing your infrastructure costs in advance allows for clearer forecasting and improved long-term ROI.

At the same time, the performance-to-price ratio of dedicated servers continues to improve. Modern Intel and AMD processors, NVMe storage, and high-capacity memory options enable businesses to achieve excellent efficiency without excessive spending.

Geographic Distribution for Global Reach

Organizations with international audiences need infrastructure close to their users for both performance and regulatory reasons. Dedicated servers deployed in strategic data center locations help reduce latency and support regional compliance requirements.

This approach allows businesses to build a distributed infrastructure while maintaining consistent performance across regions. Gaming platforms can deploy servers near players, while keeping back-end systems elsewhere. iGaming operators can host infrastructure in multiple jurisdictions to meet licensing obligations. Dedicated servers make these strategies practical and cost-effective.

When Dedicated Servers Are the Right Choice

Dedicated hosting is not always necessary at the earliest stage, but several indicators suggest it is time to make the move:

• Your applications regularly reach CPU or RAM limits on VPS hosting
• You require strict data isolation and compliance
• Your workloads demand consistently low latency
• You manage large databases or compute-heavy applications
• You prefer predictable monthly infrastructure costs

For many organizations, dedicated servers strike the right balance between raw performance, control, and cost stability.

Ready to Upgrade Your Infrastructure?

If your workloads demand consistent performance, strict isolation, and predictable costs, dedicated servers provide the control and reliability growing businesses need.

At NetShop ISP, our dedicated server solutions are built for performance-driven environments, offering enterprise-grade hardware, flexible configurations, and security-focused infrastructure.

Explore our dedicated server options and choose a platform designed to support your business in 2026 and beyond.

General-purpose servers often falls short for iGaming workloads. These platforms need ultra-low latency, scalable compute power, and robust network security. In 2026, specialized hosting is no longer optional; it is essential for staying competitive.

Ultra-Low Latency for Real-Time Gaming

iGaming platforms rely on instant transactions and real-time event processing. Every millisecond matters, whether a player is placing a sports bet or interacting with a live casino stream. Delays can lead to failed bets, frustrated users, and lost revenue.

Specialized iGaming hosting ensures:

• Proximity to key markets
• Optimized routing
• High-speed network connectivity
• Redundant uplinks

Players experience smooth, responsive gameplay, no matter where they are.

Scalability for Traffic

Major sports events, tournaments, or promotional campaigns can trigger sudden spikes in traffic. Standard hosting may struggle under such loads, causing platform instability.

Specialized iGaming hosting offers dynamic scaling to handle peak demand without performance issues, keeping users engaged and operations stable.

Regulatory Compliance and Licensing Support

iGaming operators must meet strict regulatory standards across multiple jurisdictions. Hosting environments need to support compliance with requirements related to:

• Data sovereignty
• Transaction security
• Fair gaming
• Geographical restrictions

At NetShop, we can build infrastructure solutions to meet or exceed these standards, giving operators confidence when applying for licenses or expanding internationally.

Advanced Security for Player Data

Cyber threats targeting iGaming are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Operators must protect sensitive information, including payment details, identity data, and betting records.

Specialized hosting includes:to create a platform ready for growth and long-term success.

• DDoS protection
• Hardware firewalls
• Intrusion prevention systems
• Real-time monitoring

This combination safeguards the platform while ensuring fair, secure gaming experiences.

Support for Live Streamed and High-Intensity Games

Live dealer games and interactive casino experiences demand top-tier streaming performance. Hosting optimized for iGaming provides:

• High bandwidth
• Content delivery networks (CDNs)
• Low jitter
• Fast video transcoding

Without these features, streams may suffer buffering or pixelation, which can drive players away.

Building a Future-Proof iGaming Platform

Running a successful iGaming operation requires more than standard hosting. With strict regulations, rising player expectations, and fierce competition, specialized hosting ensures compliance, reliability, and performance.

For operators planning to launch or scale, choosing a provider that combines high-performance infrastructure, security, and scalability is critical. Explore specialized iGaming hosting solutions today to create a platform ready for growth and long-term success.

Many traders assume that simply installing MT4 or MT5 on a VPS is enough, but in practice, stability depends on choosing an environment designed specifically for automated trading workloads.

If your trading strategy relies on consistent execution and uptime, running your EAs on a Forex-optimized VPS can significantly reduce platform issues and missed opportunities. In this article we explain the key configuration steps needed to ensure your Expert Advisors run smoothly and reliably.

Choose a VPS With High-Frequency CPU Performance

Expert Advisors process large volumes of tick data, especially during volatile market conditions. Delays of even a fraction of a second can result in late entries or missed exits.

High-frequency CPUs provide:

• Faster tick processing
• Reduced platform latency
• More consistent trade execution
• Better performance during high-impact news events

This is particularly important for scalping strategies, grid systems, and EAs that rely on precise timing.

Use a Windows Server Version Optimized for MT4 and MT5

While MT4 and MT5 can run on several Windows versions, Windows Server 2019 or 2022 is generally better suited for VPS environments. These operating systems offer improved memory handling, better process stability, and stronger compatibility with virtualized infrastructure.

Selecting the right OS helps prevent freezing, reduces terminal lag, and minimizes unexpected EA crashes.

Keep MT4 and MT5 Terminals Fully Updated

Outdated trading terminals are more vulnerable to bugs and performance issues. Platform updates frequently resolve problems such as:

• Chart rendering delays
• Indicator calculation errors
• Memory leaks
• Connection instability

Enable automatic updates where possible, or schedule regular checks to ensure all terminals are running the latest stable version.

Ensure a Stable, Low-Latency Network Connection

A Forex VPS should offer more than basic connectivity. Reliable trading environments include:

• Redundant network routes
• Fast network uplinks (e.g. 10Gbps)
• Short-path routing to Forex broker servers

These features help maintain continuous connectivity during periods of high market activity and reduce the risk of trade interruptions.

Optimize EA and Platform Settings for VPS Use

Many Expert Advisors are configured with default settings that assume a local machine. When running on a VPS, it is important to adjust:

• Chart history limits
• Logging frequency
• Number of active charts
• Indicator usage

Reducing unnecessary background processes improves platform responsiveness and enhances overall EA stability.

Monitor VPS Resource Usage Consistently

Running multiple EAs, charts, or backtests can quickly consume VPS resources. Regular monitoring helps identify issues such as:

• CPU saturation
• Insufficient RAM
• Increased disk activity
• Terminal freezes under load

Deploy Forex VPS Today with NetShop ISP

Stable automated trading starts with the right VPS foundation. By selecting a VPS optimized for Forex workloads, fine-tuning your MT4 or MT5 setup, and actively monitoring system resources, you can ensure your Expert Advisors run consistently and predictably.

A well-configured VPS not only supports better execution but also reduces the operational stress that comes with managing automated strategies. When stability is treated as a priority, EAs are far more likely to perform as intended.

You may choose to deploy instantly any of our pre-configured Forex VPS plans from here or contact our hosting specialists for further advise.

MetaTrader 4™ and MetaTrader 5™ are trademarks of MetaQuotes Software Corp. Their use does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by the respective trademark holders.

As we celebrated our 20th anniversary, our mission remained clearer than ever: to deliver high-performance hosting, cloud, and connectivity services that empower organizations to scale securely and efficiently.

Across every department, from engineering to customer care, we focused on reliability, automation, and stronger partnerships. The results speak for themselves.

“2025 has been a milestone year that reflects our long-term commitment to reliability, innovation, and customer success,” said Stefano Sordini, CEO of NetShop ISP. “As we move into 2026, we are focused on further expanding our cloud platforms, enhancing automation, and delivering next-generation hosting solutions for fast-growing industries.”

2025 at a Glance

This year marked one of the most transformative periods in NetShop’s history. Key achievements include:

• 125% growth in annual cloud and infrastructure revenue compared to 2024
• 75% expansion in infrastructure footprint within the EMEA region
• 28% increase in new customers acquisition comparing to 2024
• Expansion of our Netherlands infrastructure through Equinix AM2 data center
• Delivery of new edge devices in the LD4 and LD7 data centers to accommodate growing traffic.
• Launch of multiple new products including XConnect, Hybrid Cloud Backup, PoP VPS and Flexi PRO VPS.
• “Digital Shield” goes live – NetShop’s fully automated intrusion-detection and DDoS-protection system
• Deployment of hosting services through the CY05 data center, the newest purpose-built facility in Cyprus
• Delivered over 20 significant software updates and features to enhance our automation, monitoring, security and provisioning functions
• Launch of the Forex Technology Partners page, highlighting NetShop’s strategic collaborations with leading fintech companies.
• Participation in 6 major exhibitions within the EMEA region

As we wrap up 2025, we want to thank our customers, partners, and community for making this year so productive for NetShop ISP. Your feedback and input continue to guide our roadmap, and we’re already committed and motivated to deliver even more impactful improvements in the coming year.

Looking forward to another year of advancing our services and delivering exceptional results.

We’re excited to announce the launch of the refreshed netshop-isp.com.cy. The update provides a better experience for every visitor and focuses on usability, readability, consistency, and performance.

Improved Readability for a Content-Rich Platform

NetShop ISP serves technical professionals, businesses, and enterprises who rely on detailed information to make informed decisions. One key improvement in our redesign is an updated font family that enhances readability across all devices.

The new typography improves line spacing, contrast, and visual balance, making long-form content, product specifications, and technical documentation easier to read and scan. Whether you’re browsing service descriptions, comparing hosting solutions, or reviewing industry-specific pages, the content now feels cleaner and more accessible.

Consistency Across Pages, Links, and Calls to Action

As our website grew over time, some inconsistencies naturally appeared across page layouts, hyperlinks, and call-to-action buttons. This update addresses those issues head-on.

We have standardized page formats, aligned content sections, and unified the styling of links and action buttons. This creates a smoother browsing experience and makes it easier to identify key actions, such as requesting a quote, exploring services, or getting in touch with our team.

A Cleaner, More Cohesive Look

The new design introduces a refined, modern color palette built around dark blue and white, with blue hyperlinks and blue-to-purple gradient accents for specific actions.

This visual approach reinforces our brand identity while maintaining a clean, professional appearance. Subtle gradients highlight important interactions without distracting from the content.

Introducing SaaS and AI Hosting Solutions

As demand grows for scalable platforms and intelligent workloads, we have launched dedicated pages for SaaS Hosting and AI infrastructure solutions.

These pages clearly show how NetShop ISP supports software vendors, startups, and enterprises running SaaS platforms, as well as organizations deploying AI-driven applications.

From performance-optimized cloud environments to reliable infrastructure for data-intensive workloads, these sections highlight how our hosting solutions are designed for modern use cases.

Performance Optimizations for Faster Page Load Times

Speed matters not just for user experience but also for search visibility and accessibility. As part of this facelift, we have optimized the website for faster page load times, ensuring quicker access to content across regions and devices.

Explore Our New Website

We invite you to explore the updated netshop-isp.com.cy and discover our improved navigation, SaaS and AI hosting pages, and enhanced content experience. Whether you’re researching hosting solutions or learning about our latest services, the site is now faster, clearer, and easier to use.

Whether you’re managing multiple domains, automating routine tasks, handling email accounts, or securing your infrastructure, Plesk provides an intuitive graphical interface to streamline these tasks.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the complete process of installing the Plesk Control Panel on AlmaLinux 9 server using the CLI method.

Pre-requisites for Installing Plesk on Almalinux 9

Before you start with this tutorial, make sure of the following pre-requisites:

• Almalinux 9 server with access to public internet
• Root or sudo-level user on the server

Steps to Install Plesk on Almalinux 9

Plesk offers various installation methods for Linux servers – in this tutorial we will follow the CLI installation method.

Step 1 – Download and Run the Plesk installer

As soon as you connect on your server download the Plesk auto-installer:

root@localhost:~$ wget https://autoinstall.plesk.com/plesk-installer

Then add the proper permissions to the downloaded file, as follows:

root@localhost:~$ chmod +x plesk-installer

You are now ready to run the installer and start the automated installation process. Run the installer as follows:

root@localhost:~$ ./plesk-installer

Once prompted choose the Go forward action by pressing the letter F.

At some point you will be prompted to answer whether you would like to send information to Plesk for issues/errors occurred. You may choose Y or n. In our case, we pressed n for No.

Step 2 – Choose Installation type for Plesk Obsidian

During the process, the Plesk installer will ask you whether to proceed with Recommended, Full or Custom installation.

You may choose to proceed with the Recommended option. Like before, press F to Go forward with the installation.

During the next steps, the Plesk installer will detect any outdated packages within your Almalinux server and ask for your approval to proceed with the update.

Press F to continue by updating all pending packages.

Step 3 – Create your Admin Credentials

Once the installation has been completed, an output similar to the screenshot below will appear.

How To Install
Plesk Control Panel
on Almalinux 9 (CLI)

You can then browse to the indicated URL (e.g. https://<IP ADDRESS>:8443 and then login using your server’s root username and password.

Once logged in you will be prompted to set a new password for user ‘admin’ as well as validate a Plesk commercial license or a free trial license.

You should now see the following screen on your web browser.

You are all set! If you have followed the above steps, you have succeeded in installing Plesk control panel on your Almalinux 9 server using the CLI installation method.

Get Started with a Plesk Linux Server Today

At NetShop ISP we offer a wide-range of server hosting solutions that you can use to deploy Plesk control panel.

From VPS to Dedicated Servers available in our global infrastructure, you can get started with a low-cost configuration and then upgrade as your website’s traffic grows.

Should you need to speak with a Solutions representative for any questions or a tailor-made hosting solution, contact us today.

Digital Shield is a network-wide protection framework designed to detect abnormal traffic patterns and automatically isolate malicious activity. The system continuously evaluates incoming traffic and enforces immediate mitigation actions when an attack is detected.

How Digital Shield Works

Continuous Traffic Inspection

An intrusion-detection engine monitors network flows 24/7 and identifies signatures associated with DDoS attacks, such as sudden or abnormal traffic spikes toward specific IPs.

Automated Attack Isolation

When an attack is detected, the targeted IP address is temporarily isolated using a controlled “blackhole” (null-route). This prevents the malicious traffic from entering our infrastructure, maintaining service performance for all other customers.

Digital Shield vs. Commercial DDoS Protection

Digital Shield is designed to protect NetShop ISP’s global network infrastructure and ensure service stability for all customers when a single IP or service becomes the target of an attack.

It should not be confused with our commercial DDoS Protection service, which focuses on protecting an individual customer from the impact of a DDoS attack.

Digital Shield: safeguards the entire network by isolating attacks before they cause widespread disruption.

Commercial DDoS Protection: safeguards a specific customer’s service, filtering malicious traffic so their application remains accessible during an attack.

Both solutions operate independently and serve different purposes within our security ecosystem.

Key Benefits

Network Stability
The system ensures that attacks directed at a single client do not affect the performance of the wider network.

Immediate Response
Mitigation is performed automatically within minutes, without manual intervention.

Enhanced Reliability
Services across all regions remain protected from collateral impact during high-volume attacks.

Proactive Mitigation
Digital Shield not only detects but actively blocks malicious traffic.

The Digital Shield has been enabled and running as a default protection mechanism on selected network infrastructures. It supports our ongoing objective of maintaining a secure, resilient, and high-performance hosting environment across all locations.

For more information or technical clarifications, please contact us.

As one of Cyprus’ leading hosting, colocation and managed services providers with expertise in the financial markets and regulated industries, NetShop ISP is committed to supporting the fintech ecosystem through secure infrastructure, low-latency connectivity, and tailored solutions.

For the third year in a row, NetShop ISP is proud to stand behind the Cyprus Fintech Summit, a community the company actively supports through its work with fintech, blockchain, and trading-technology clients. Visitors will be able to meet the team on-site, ask questions, and learn how NetShop ISP’s infrastructure solutions can help them scale securely and efficiently.

Join Us at the Summit
NetShop ISP invites fintech executives, startup founders, technology vendors, investors and regulators to register for the Cyprus Fintech Summit 2025 and connect with its team. The event is an unmissable opportunity to network, learn and build partnerships that will define the next wave of financial-technology innovation.

About NetShop ISP
Founded in Cyprus with global infrastructure and certification credentials, NetShop ISP specialises in high-performance dedicated servers, colocation, managed hosting and connectivity designed for financial services firms, gaming and regulated industries. With over 20 years of experience supporting latency-sensitive and compliance-driven workloads, the company delivers secure and scalable infrastructure solutions tailored to today’s digital economy.

Tickets & Info: https://cfs.zohobackstage.eu/CyprusFintechSummit2025

Social networks, streaming services, and even AI platforms were unreachable for hours. For most everyday users, it felt like the whole internet simply switched off.

From where I stand as the CEO of a hosting and infrastructure company, I want to share a different perspective. Not a blaming one – because outages, disruptions, and technical issues are a part of life for every provider, small or large. Rather, I want to highlight what these outages should teach all of us about how we build and rely on digital infrastructure today.

Outages Happen — Even to the Biggest Names

To me, the biggest surprise wasn’t that Cloudflare went down. It was how many massive companies went down with it.

Whether it’s AWS, Cloudflare, Google, Microsoft, or any other major provider, no company can guarantee 100% uptime forever. Systems are complex, configurations evolve, and automation can fail like any other human-written code.

As a person who runs a hosting provider for the past twenty years, I know this reality very well.

So I want to be very clear: the goal of this article is not to blame AWS or Cloudflare. Both are industry leaders. Both run incredibly sophisticated global infrastructures. Both responded quickly and transparently to their incidents.

What truly matters is not to prevent an outage from happening (that is not realistic), but how fast the provider acts, how they communicate, and how they ensure the same problem does not happen again.

The Real Problem: Relying on a Single Provider

When Cloudflare went down yesterday, a large portion of the internet collapsed with it. Exactly what happened few weeks earlier, during the AWS outage.

Many of the world’s largest companies had no fallback. No alternative path. No secondary CDN. No load-balancing across providers.

This raises an important question that every CTO, CIO, and business owner should be asking: Where were the Disaster Recovery (DR) and Business Continuity (BCP) plans?

We have been talking about DR and BCP strategies for decades. Yet the last two outages (AWS, Cloudflare) showed that even organizations with budgets in the tens or hundreds of millions still put all their eggs in one basket.

Relying on a single edge provider, single DNS provider, or single cloud platform is like building a skyscraper with only one elevator and hoping it never breaks!

Many companies today believe that if they use AWS or Cloudflare, they are automatically protected from failure. This is a naive and dangerous mindset.

It’s a fact that hyperscale providers give massive reliability, capacity, redundancy, and security.
But they do not replace your own responsibility to build resilience around your application or service!

Let’s go back to the basics and remind you what true business continuity means:

• Having a multi-provider DNS cluster
• Using more than one CDN or edge security provider
• Distributing workloads/servers across more than one cloud/provider
• Ensure monitoring systems are independent of your primary provider
• Testing failover scenarios regularly

These practices are not just for large enterprises. They are essential for any organization that relies on online platforms to operate, whether it’s a small e-commerce store, a fintech company, a forex broker, or a SaaS platform.

Such Outages are More than Technical Failures

When a global outage happens, the technical explanation is often the simplest part. The real impact is felt at the business level:

• Support tickets explode
• Customers panic
• Payments stop
• Users lose access
• Deadlines slip
• Trust is shaken

Even the biggest companies cannot afford hours of downtime. For smaller businesses, one major outage can cost months of hard-earned revenue, SEO ranking, or customer confidence.

Lessons from the AWS and Cloudflare Incidents

Here are the key lessons I believe every company should take from the recent AWS and Cloudflare outages:

1. No provider is perfect, so don’t plan as if they are! Your infrastructure and network architecture must assume your provider will eventually fail.never too late
   
2. Whether you are fully on cloud or on a hybrid setup, if your entire business goes down because one vendor/provider is offline, your strategy is obviously faulty and needs to be revisited.
   
3. Always place your monitoring devices outside your primary vendor. Otherwise, you won’t see the outage until your customers complain.
   
4. Communication matters! During the recent outages both AWS and Cloudflare were providing frequent updates through their Status dashboard pages. The least you can do for your customers, during an emergency, is to be transparent and show you are working on resolving the case. Nobody likes being ghosted.

Moving Forward as an Industry

As an infrastructure provider celebrating 20 years in this industry, we have seen the internet evolve from simple hosting to cloud, to multi-cloud, and now to highly distributed architectures.

The last 3 weeks reminded us that despite all the innovation, many organizations are still building on fragile foundations – or better yet, designing infrastructures with the wrong mindset.

I encourage companies, large and small, to revisit their network architectures, re-evaluate their business continuity plans, and ensure they are not over-centralizing their critical paths.

This article is not a sales call. It’s a reminder about things all IT architects should know about already.

It’s never too late though.

In this article we explain the purpose of a CAA DNS record and how to create one for the purpose of validating your single domain or wildcard SSL Certificate.

What is CAA DNS Record

Using CAA helps reduce the risk of vulnerabilities within certificate authority validation systems while ensuring that your organization’s certificate issuance policies are properly enforced.

Putting it simply, CAA is a type of DNS record that allows site owners to specify which Certificate Authorities (CAs) are allowed to issue certificates containing their domain names.

All Certificate Authorities were mandated to check CAA DNS records for SSL certificates starting on September 8, 2017. Some providers began enforcing CAA lookups more strictly in recent years, such as Sectigo in 2024.

How to Create a CAA Record

Purchasing a Sectigo SSL Certificate will require creating a CAA DNS record as part of the Domain verification process.

Steps to Create a CAA DNS Record in cPanel

Assuming the nameservers of your domain name point to your cPanel server, proceed as follows to create the CAA record for your domain name. In our example, the domain is lg.netshop.global and we will create a CAA for Wildcard Sectigo SSL certificate.

You may also be interested in these two guides:

• How To Generate CSR (Certificate Signing Request) on Linux Server
• How To Complete SSL Order in myNetShop Portal

Login to cPanel and click Zone Editor.

Then click Manage to access the Zone editor for your domain name.

Click + Add Record and choose Add “CAA” Record from the drop-down menu.

Complete the fields as follows (screenshot below):

• Name: lg.netshop.global. (here it goes your domain name)
• TTL: 14400 (or lower if supported)
• Type: CAA
• Record:
  • Issuer Critical Flag: 0
  • Tag: issuewild (this is for wildcard certificates. If you are creating a single-domain SSL, then choose issue
  • Value: sectigo.com (this value depends on the Certificate Authority issuing your SSL Certificate)

Click Save Record.

Steps to Create a CAA DNS Record in GoDaddy

If your domain is registered with GoDaddy and the nameservers point there then follow these steps.

• Log in to your GoDaddy Domain Control Center.
• Select the domain you wish to add a CAA for to access the Domain Settings page.
• Click the DNS tab
• Click the Add New Record button
• Select CAA as the Record type.

The necessary fields are similar to the cPanel Zone editor, fill them up as follows:

• Name: @ for root domain (e.g. example.com) or www for www.example.com.
• TTL: 1/2 hour (or lowest possible).
• Flags: 0
• Tag: issuewild if you are using this for a wildcard SSL certificate, or issue for single domain SSL.
• Domain: sectigo.com if you are using an SSL issued by Sectigo.

Congratulations! if you’ve followed the above steps then you have successfully create the CAA DNS Record. You will now need to wait for global DNS propagation and then wait for the domain validation to be completed by your SSL certificate issuing provider.

Still Need Help? Get SSL from NetShop ISP in minutes

At NetShop ISP we like to get the job done. No matter if your domain has not been purchased with us, or if the nameservers point somewhere else, we can help customers with an SSL purchased from us.

Once you complete your SSL order, contact our support team via ticket or live chat for further assistance on your SSL Certificate activation.

20 Years of Growth and Innovation

Founded in 2004, NetShop ISP has grown from a small web hosting provider into a global infrastructure company serving industries such as forex, iGaming, fintech, martech, and ICT.
A key milestone in this evolution was the establishment of infrastructure within Equinix data centers (LD4, LD7, AM2, SG5) — among the world’s most strategic connectivity hubs — which has strengthened our ability to serve clients globally. Between 2022 and 2024, the company achieved a 125% increase in annual revenue, reflecting strong customer trust and consistent innovation.

“A business is like a river; if it stops moving forward, it becomes stagnant. Cyprus will always be our home, but our business is global,” said Stefano Sordini, Founder & CEO of NetShop ISP.

Building Smarter, Faster Infrastructure

Today, NetShop ISP delivers a complete suite of hosting and IT infrastructure solutions, including:

• Bare-Metal Dedicated Servers
• Cloud VPS and Virtual Servers
• Colocation
• Managed IT and Connectivity Services

Embracing New Technologies

In the interview, Stefano highlighted the company’s investment in NVMe storage and automation as major technological advancements. Using a proprietary provisioning system, it allows NetShop’s clients to deploy and scale servers in minutes, while XConnect, the company’s flagship private low-latency connectivity service, links clients directly to major financial hubs like London (LD4) and Singapore (SG5) — bypassing the public internet for faster, more secure communication.

Looking Ahead: AI, GPUs, and Global Expansion

As part of its five-year roadmap, NetShop ISP plans to expand internationally while introducing GPU-powered hosting solutions for AI and high-performance computing workloads in 2026.

Read the full interview from the InBusiness digital magazine edition here.

According to multiple reports, all members of the CGA’s Supervisory Board resigned in mid-September, creating a sudden power vacuum. The resignations come just months after the CGA was established to replace the outdated Gaming Control Board (GCB) and implement stronger licensing and compliance standards.

Prime Minister Pisas reportedly held meetings directly with CGA executives shortly after the board’s exit—without the participation of Finance Minister Javier Silvania, who had previously overseen gaming regulation. This unexpected move is widely interpreted as a political power shift, giving the Prime Minister’s office greater influence over one of the country’s key economic sectors.

Legal and Operational Uncertainty

The mass resignation has raised serious concerns about governance and the legal status of the regulator itself. Local media noted that the CGA has yet to appear in Curaçao’s commercial registry, which could complicate decision-making and licensing procedures.

The lack of an appointed board has left operators uncertain about whom to engage with on compliance and licensing issues. No official timetable has been announced for appointing new members or clarifying oversight responsibilities.

Reform at Risk

This turmoil comes at a crucial point for Curaçao’s gaming industry. The island is midway through implementing the National Ordinance on Games of Chance (LOK), a comprehensive reform designed to phase out the old sublicensing model and introduce direct, transparent regulation under the CGA.

With Minister Silvania—one of the main architects of the reform—now reportedly sidelined, observers fear the process could slow down or lose direction. Industry insiders warn that further delays could hurt Curaçao’s credibility as it seeks to align with international compliance and anti-money-laundering standards.

What’s Next for Curaçao’s iGaming Sector

The Prime Minister’s office has not announced new appointments or offered clarity on how pending license applications will be handled.

As global regulators and operators watch closely, the next few weeks will determine whether Curaçao can restore confidence and continue its modernization—or risk undermining years of reform efforts.

Sources:
https://www.gamblinginsider.com/news/31575/prime-minister-takes-control-as-entire-curaao-gaming-authority-board-resigns
https://igaming-times.com/curacaos-gambling-regulation-in-turmoil-as-cga-board-resigns-and-prime-minister-takes-control/

LAMP stands for Linux Apache MySQL PHP-Pearl-Python. It’s a popular-among-developers tech stack for hosting content management systems (WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, etc) and other web-based applications.

In this guide, we’ll provide you a step-by-step guide to installing WordPress with LAMP on an AlmaLinux 9 server.

Prerequisites

• Server running Almalinux 9.x
• LAMP Stack installed 
• SSH Access with root or sudo-privileged user

Step 1: Switch to Root user

First, switch to the root user using the following command. Unless stated otherwise, all subsequent commands must be executed as the root user.

johndoe@localhost:~$ sudo -i

Step 2. Install PHP MySQL Extension

WordPress requires that a PHP MySQL Extension is installed so that it can connect to a MySQL database. Ensure the extension is present by running the following command. 

root@localhost:~$ yum install php-mysqli

Step 3. Create Database & User

Next you need to create a WordPress database and database user. Run the following command to access MySQL shell on your server.

root@localhost:~$ mysql -uroot -p

As soon you enter the mysql’s root password you will get access to the MySQL shell which looks like this:

Welcome to the MySQL monitor. Commands end with ; or \g.
Your MySQL connection id is 640035
Server version: 8.0.43 MySQL Community Server - GPL

Copyright (c) 2000, 2025, Oracle and/or its affiliates.

Oracle is a registered trademark of Oracle Corporation and/or its
affiliates. Other names may be trademarks of their respective
owners.

Type 'help;' or '\h' for help. Type '\c' to clear the current input statement.

mysql>

Below is the list of commands needed to create a database for WordPress, alongside a user that has full access to the database.

mysql> CREATE DATABASE wordpress;
mysql> CREATE USER admin@localhost IDENTIFIED BY 'my-password';
mysql> GRANT ALL ON wordpress.* TO admin@localhost;
mysql> FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

Sample Output:

MariaDB [(none)]> CREATE DATABASE wordpress;

Query OK, 1 row affected (0.005 sec)

MariaDB [(none)]> CREATE USER wpuser@localhost IDENTIFIED BY 'my-password';

Query OK, 0 rows affected (0.011 sec)

MariaDB [(none)]> GRANT ALL ON wordpress.* TO wpuser@localhost;

Query OK, 0 rows affected (0.003 sec)

MariaDB [(none)]> FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

Query OK, 0 rows affected (0.006 sec)

MariaDB [(none)]> exit

Bye

Make sure to note the database name and user/ password as we will need those later. For the purposes of this tutorial, we created a database named wordpress and user wpuser with password my-password.

Step 5. Download & Install WordPress

With the Apache web server running and the MariaDB database in place, we now need to deploy WordPress.

First, download the latest version of WordPress by running the following command. 

root@localhost:~$ curl -L -O http://wordpress.org/latest.tar.gz

This will download a file called latest.tar.gz in the current directory. Extract the downloaded file by executing the following command.

root@localhost:~$ tar -zxvf latest.tar.gz

Now we need to move the directory we just extracted to the directory Apache is configured to serve files from. Unless specified otherwise, this directory is /var/www/html. 

root@localhost:~$ mv wordpress /var/www/html

WordPress comes with a sample configuration file we can use as a template for inserting our own configuration. Copy the sample configuration file to the location WordPress expects to read the actual configuration file from.

root@localhost:~$ cp /var/www/html/wordpress/wp-config-sample.php /var/www/html/wordpress/wp-config.php

Using your favourite editor, edit wp-config.php. We like to use the vi editor.

root@localhost:~$ vi /var/www/html/wordpress/wp-config.php

Find the following lines:

define( 'DB_NAME', 'database_name_here' );
define( 'DB_USER', 'username_here' );
define( 'DB_PASSWORD', 'password_here' );

Use the values that you chose when creating the WordPress database and user. As per this tutorial, the values will change as follows:

define( 'DB_NAME', 'wordpress' );
define( 'DB_USER', 'dbusr' );
define( 'DB_PASSWORD', 'my-password' );

Save the file and exit.

Step 6. Update Ownership and File Permissions

The last step of the WordPress installation process is to update the ownership and permissions of the wordpress folder, so Apache can have secure access. Do as follows:

root@localhost:~$ chown -R apache:apache /var/www/html/wordpress

root@localhost:~$ find /var/www/html/wordpress -type d -exec chmod 750 {} \;

Then assign the appropriate permissions to all WordPress files.

root@localhost:~$ find /var/www/html/wordpress -type f -exec chmod 640 {} \;

Step 7. Complete Installation

If all went well then by typing navigating to http://SERVER_IP/wordpress on your browser, you should be seeing the WordPress installation page. Make sure to replace SERVER_IP with the actual ip address of your Almalinux server.

Voila! Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the WordPress installation.

Still Need Help? Get Expert WordPress Assistance from NetShop ISP

We’ve been around for the last 20 years helping freelancers and businesses get an online presence. Our web hosting specialists can help you install and further optimize WordPress on Dedicated Servers or VPS.

Feel free to contact us before purchasing your desired server plan so we can advise you on the specifications of the server according to your bespoke needs.

The event will take place on 6–7 October 2025 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, bringing together brokers, traders, liquidity providers, fintech companies, and technology innovators from around the globe.

“This year, we are attending with a clear purpose: to introduce our latest infrastructure solutions for the FX trading industry, including XConnect, our ultra-low latency interconnection service, as well as our bare-metal and virtual servers in prime financial hubs, and managed services delivered by a dedicated team of trading-platform experts.” – Stefano Sordini, CEO at NetShop ISP

Forex Expo is a premier networking event that connects the global forex and fintech community under one roof. The two-day exhibition and conference features expert speakers, panel discussions, and product showcases, giving industry leaders a platform to explore new technologies, partnerships, and regulatory insights.

At Forex Expo Dubai, our team will be engaging with brokers, liquidity providers, and technology partners to discuss how our infrastructure can help solve critical challenges in the trading ecosystem.

• XConnect – Ultra-Low Latency Interconnections
  With XConnect, we bring brokers, liquidity, and technology providers closer than ever — delivering connectivity as low as 0.4ms in certain financial hubs. This ensures faster execution, tighter spreads, and greater trading efficiency.
  
• Bare-Metal & Virtual Servers in Key Hubs
  Our hosting footprint in LD4, LD7, AM2, and SG5 provides clients with proximity to major exchanges and liquidity pools. Whether you need the raw performance of bare-metal or the scalability of VPS, our solutions are built for mission-critical trading workloads.
  
• Managed Services from Trading Experts
  Our dedicated support team, with direct experience in MT4/MT5 and other trading platforms, offers 24/7 monitoring, optimization, and incident response. This allows clients to focus on trading strategies while we handle infrastructure performance and stability.

Join Us in Dubai

Forex Expo Dubai 2025 will be an exciting opportunity to connect with industry peers, share insights, and explore collaborations that advance the future of trading technology.

If you are attending, reach out to our team to arrange a meeting and let’s discuss how NetShop ISP can help you achieve an edge in speed, resilience, and connectivity.

On Linux, file systems are case-sensitive, which means Table1 and table1 are treated as different objects. On Windows or macOS, however, MySQL defaults to case-insensitive behavior.

This difference can lead to issues such as:

• Failing imports of database dumps created on Windows servers
• Failing to synchronize data with Forex CRM systems that use lowercase table names as the MetaTrader 4 application uses uppercase format.
• WordPress or other CMS breaking due to mismatched table casing
• Replication errors when syncing from case-insensitive servers

The MySQL system variable lower_case_table_names controls this behavior.

In this guide, we explain how to correctly configure lower_case_table_names=1 in MySQL 8 running on any Linux distribution (Debian, Ubuntu, CentOS, Rocky, AlmaLinux, etc.).

Prerequisites

• A server running Linux with MySQL 8.x installed
• Root or sudo access
• A full database backup (the process we describe in this tutorial wipes the MySQL system tables)

Step 1: Stop the MySQL Service

The command to stop MySQL differs slightly by distribution:

Debian/Ubuntu:

root@localhost:~$ systemctl stop mysql

CentOS/RHEL/RockyLinux/AlmaLinux:

root@localhost:~$ systemctl stop mysqld

Step 2: Check Existing Configurations

Make sure there are no conflicting entries for lower_case_table_names in the mysql configuration files:

root@localhost:~$ grep -RIn "lower_case_table_names" /etc/mysql /etc/my.cnf* || true

Edit your MySQL configuration file (my.cnf) and set:

[mysqld]
lower_case_table_names=1

• Debian/Ubuntu: /etc/mysql/mysql.conf.d/mysqld.cnf
• CentOS/RHEL-based: /etc/my.cnf or /etc/my.cnf.d/custom.cnf

Step 3: Confirm the Data Directory

Check which datadir MySQL is using:

root@localhost:~$ grep -RIn "^datadir" /etc/mysql /etc/my.cnf* || true

The default is usually /var/lib/mysql.

Step 4: Wipe and Recreate the Data Directory

Important: This destroys MySQL system tables. Ensure you have backups !!!

root@localhost:~$ rm -rf /var/lib/mysql/*
root@localhost:~$ mkdir -p /var/lib/mysql
root@localhost:~$ chown mysql:mysql /var/lib/mysql

Note: Replace /var/lib/mysql if your server uses a different datadir.

Step 5: Initialize MySQL with Lowercase Setting

Run the following command to reinitialize the system tables:

root@localhost:~$ sudo -u mysql /usr/sbin/mysqld \
  --no-defaults \
  --initialize-insecure \
  --lower_case_table_names=1 \
  --datadir=/var/lib/mysql \
  --log-error=/var/log/mysql/error.log


This ensures the lower_case_table_names=1 is embedded in the system dictionary.

Step 6: Restart MySQL

Start the service again:

Debian/Ubuntu/CentOS/RHEL/RockyLinux/AlmaLinux:

root@localhost:~$ systemctl start mysql

Step 7: Verify the Configuration

Check if MySQL is now case-insensitive:

root@localhost:~$ mysql -u root --skip-password -e "SHOW VARIABLES LIKE 'lower_case_table_names';"

Expected output:

+------------------------+-------+
| Variable_name          | Value |
+------------------------+-------+
| lower_case_table_names | 1     |
+------------------------+-------+

Step 8: Reset the Root Password

Since MySQL was initialized insecurely, you must set a new root password:

root@localhost:~$ mysql -u root --skip-password -e "ALTER USER 'root'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'YourNewPassword'; ALTER USER 'root'@'localhost' PASSWORD EXPIRE NEVER;"

Conclusion

By forcing lower_case_table_names=1 during initialization, you ensure consistent, case-insensitive table handling for your MySQL databases.

Remember: you must set this variable before the data dictionary is created — changing it afterward is not supported.

At NetShop ISP, we help businesses configure, optimize, and troubleshoot databases, servers, and hosting infrastructure. Need expert assistance with MySQL migrations or performance tuning? Get in touch with our team.

The project was carried out in our LD4 data center, one of the world’s most interconnected hubs for low-latency trading, financial exchanges, and cloud connectivity.

The Client’s Challenge

Our client, a financial services provider, runs mission-critical forex trading platforms within NetShop ISP’s infrastructure at LD4. While their trading platforms perform optimally in our environment, the company also relies heavily on applications and databases hosted in Microsoft Azure.

To ensure seamless operation, they needed a dedicated, secure, and low-latency link between their LD4-based infrastructure and their Azure resources.

Relying solely on the public internet was not an option due to concerns about latency, reliability, and security. For trading firms, where milliseconds can make the difference in execution, a private cross connect provides the optimal solution.

The Solution: NetShop’s XConnect Hub

Leveraging NetShop ISP’s XConnect Hub, we established a direct cross connect with Microsoft Azure. This private connection now allows trading data to be securely transferred from the client’s LD4-hosted platforms to their Azure databases and back.

The completed cross-connect resulted into a 0.26ms latency from within NetShop’s LD4 infrastructure and the customer’s private Azure environment.

The XConnect Hub was designed to simplify and accelerate private interconnections between cloud providers, financial exchanges, and customer networks. By choosing this solution, the client benefits from:

• Ultra-low latency between LD4 and Azure.
• High reliability through a dedicated network path.
• Enhanced security, with traffic flowing via a private cross connect rather than the public internet.

Why Latency Matters in Forex Trading

For Forex brokers and financial institutions, the ability to move data quickly and securely is vital. Trading platforms hosted in LD4 are often at the heart of execution engines, order matching systems, and liquidity aggregation. At the same time, internal applications and risk management tools are increasingly hosted in Azure for flexibility and global reach.

This cross connect between LD4 and Azure ensures that all these critical components communicate over a dedicated, high-performance link, reducing latency and minimizing operational risks. The result is smoother order execution, better performance for end-users, and stronger infrastructure resilience.

Related blog articles for Forex latency:

• https://netshop-isp.com.cy/blog/how-server-hosting-reduces-latency-and-enhances-performance-for-forex-brokers-ceo-interview-at-fazzaco/
• https://netshop-isp.com.cy/blog/how-to-achieve-ultra-low-latency-a-guide-for-forex-brokers-and-liquidity-providers/

NetShop ISP’s Role in Financial Connectivity

As a trusted hosting partner for forex and fintech companies, NetShop ISP continues to expand its connectivity ecosystem. With presence in LD4, LD7, AM2, SG5, and other leading data centers worldwide, we provide clients with direct cross connects to Microsoft Azure, AWS, Google Cloud, and other major providers.

This latest implementation demonstrates our commitment to helping financial services companies build hybrid infrastructures that combine the best of dedicated hosting and cloud computing.

Are you a Forex broker or financial services provider looking to interconnect with Microsoft Azure or other cloud platforms?
Explore our XConnect Solution page to learn how NetShop ISP can help you achieve secure, low-latency connectivity for your business.

This guide will show you how to generate and submit your CSR so your SSL Certificate can be issued.

Step 1: Generate Your CSR

Option A: Customers with Control Panel like cPanel, Plesk, etc

Due to cPanel’s popularity among NetShop ISP customers, the following steps and screenshots are for cPanel control panel.

1. Log in to cPanel.

2: Go to the SSL/TLS section.

3. Click Generate, view or delete SSL certificate signing requests from the right-side panel.

4. Enter the required details:

• Common Name – your domain name (e.g., example.com).
• Location & Country – city, state, country.
• Organization Name – your company or personal name.

Then click Generate to submit the form.

Your CSR is now ready, so you need to copy it in full, including the lines:

-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE REQUEST-----
(encrypted text)
-----END CERTIFICATE REQUEST-----

Keep your Private Key safe – you will need it during SSL installation.

Option B: Generate CSR on Linux Server via CLI (No Control Panel)

If you are managing a server without a control panel, you can generate the CSR via the command line.

Follow our detailed guide here: How to Generate a CSR on Linux Server (CLI).

Step 2: Upload Your CSR in the myNetShop Portal

1. Log in to the myNetShop Portal.

2. Click on the menu on the left > Dashboard. On the list of services click on Addons > SSL Certificates.

3. Click on Manage SSL Certificates and then Manage.

4. You will see the message: “Your SSL Certificate Request is currently pending.”

5. Click to Upload your Certificate Signing Request (CSR).

6. Paste the CSR copied from Step 1 into the field.

7. Select your server software from the list and click Submit.

Step 3: Certificate Issuance

Once your CSR is submitted:

• The Certificate Authority (CA) will validate your request.
• The SSL Certificate will be issued shortly after validation.
• You will need to complete a quick Domain Control Validation (DCV) (usually via email, DNS, or file upload).

Upon successful validation of your domain (DCV), you will be able to Download the Certificates via the myNetShop Portal (Addons > SSL Certificates > Manage SSL Certifates)

Step 4: SSL Installation

The last step is to install the newly issued SSL Certificate on your hosting environment.

Option A: Install SSL on cPanel

1. Go to SSL / TLS and then click Generate, view, upload, or delete SSL certificates from the right-hand side menu.

2. Upload your newly Certificate in the large text area, add a description and click Save Certificate.
A message will appear upon successful installation.

3. Go back to the list of SSL Certificates, find the Certificate which you saved and click Install.

4. In the next page, ensure that all text areas are completed (if not, click the Autofill by Certificate button) and then click Install Certificate.

Still Need Help? Get In Touch

NetShop ISP’s Technical Support team works around the clock to assist customers for any technical inquiries.

If you experience any difficulties in generating the CSR or installing the commercial SSL certificate to you hosting environment, submit a ticket to the Technical Support department via the myNetShop Portal.

Rising cloud costs, stricter data regulations, and the growing demand for AI workloads are pushing companies to take another look at dedicated hosting. The scope is clear: consistent performance, better control over compliance, and predictable costs.

In this article, we’ll look at what’s driving this repatriation*, when dedicated infrastructure is the smarter choice, and how to weigh the trade-offs with today’s data in mind.

* In the hosting / cloud industry, “repatriation” means moving workloads, data, or applications out of the public cloud and back to dedicated servers, bare metal or colocation. It’s the opposite of cloud migration.

Surveys & Facts: What the data says

A recent survey by TechRadar of 1,000+ IT professionals found 86% of organizations still use dedicated servers; 42% reported moving some workloads from public cloud back to dedicated infrastructure in the last 12 months.

Additional valid sources are reporting that repatriation is indeed happening:

• Analysts caution this isn’t a mass exodus: only ~8–9% of companies plan full workload repatriation—most are selectively moving pieces like data, backups, or steady compute. IDC Blog, Puppet
  
• Uptime Institute’s 2025 survey indicates 46% of AI inference workloads run on-premises and 34% in colocation, with a minority leaning primarily on public cloud today. NEXTDC
  

Why Bare-metal Servers are Rising Again

1) Cost clarity vs surprise bills

Cloud its powerful especially when it comes to elasticity and speed. However, unpredictable consumption can turn budgets into moving targets.

In a recent research by Flexera, managing cloud spend remains the #1 challenge; budgets exceeded targets by ~17% in the prior year and are still rising. Financials with dedicated infrastructure are fair and straight-forward: you pay for the capacity you own, not every read, write, or packet.

2) Consistent Performance

Bare metal hosting eliminates the virtualization layer and multi-tenant risks. For databases, latency-sensitive trading platforms, and high-throughput applications, having a consistent performance beats burst capacity models that are usually offered by cloud providers.

Modern bare-metal providers now offer cloud-like APIs and instant provisioning servers —making dedicated hosting feel as if customer is purchasing a cloud instance.

3) AI and Data Sovereignty

AI changed the infrastructure world. Training for modern AI models requires GPU density, high bandwidth, and predictable I/O.

Many operators are keeping AI close to their data for cost, control, and sovereignty reasons—hence the preference toward on-premises, colocation, and dedicated servers for AI workloads.

4) Compliance and Control

Regulated industries (finance, public sector, health) are known for their preference towards dedicated hosting for isolation, auditability, and deterministic change management.

Organizations find it easier to document processes and prepare compliance reports for a physical infrastructure which is leased, on-prem, or co-located in a specific data center facility.

IT Fields where Dedicated Hosting Shines

NetShop ISP powers 9,000+ customers worldwide — from freelancers and SMEs to large organizations. The findings from our research align closely with insights from our extensive client base regarding the applications most commonly deployed on bare-metal servers.

1. Databases and data platforms
   High IOPS storage (NVMe), predictable CPU, and dedicated memory allocation make dedicated servers ideal for OLTP (online transaction processing), analytics engines, and message/streaming infrastructure.
   
2. AI/ML training and inference
   For companies with ongoing AI demands, bare metal servers with GPUs can reduce the overall costs. Uptime Institute data indicates many operators prefer to run on-prem or in colocation to control power density, cooling, and data locality.
   
3. Low-latency workloads
   Forex trading, ad auctions, multiplayer gaming, and personalization engines benefit from single-tenant hardware, which are easier to standardize on physical, dedicated servers.
   
4. Steady, long-running services
   If a workload’s utilization curve is stable and predictable month-to-month, committing to bare metal capacity often yields lower TCO (total cost of ownership) than Pay-per-use cloud.

What lies ahead

It’s not really about moving everything back from the cloud—it’s about finding balance.

Devops teams, CTO’s and CIO’s, today, are being more practical: running each workload where it makes the most sense in terms of cost, performance, and risk.

Surveys show that dedicated servers and bare metal are becoming an important part of that mix, especially for AI, data-heavy applications and latency-sensitive workloads, while the cloud is still the preferred option when it comes to flexibility and global reach.

As infrastructure choices get more complex, the real challenge for businesses isn’t picking between cloud or dedicated hosting—it’s knowing how to combine them in a way that supports long-term growth.

That’s where the right partner makes a difference. At NetShop ISP, we’ve spent over 20 years helping companies in finance, iGaming, fintech and ICT design hosting solutions that strike the right balance between cost, performance, and compliance.

That’s why we’re excited to announce an upgrade to our Cloud Backup Services — now offering Hybrid Backup solutions and per-Workload billing model plans.

These improvements offer our customers more control over how backups are billed, where data is stored, and how quickly it can be recovered. Whether you’re backing up a single server or managing a global infrastructure, our updated backup solutions adapts to your specific needs.

What’s New: Per-Workload Backup Plans

Until now, NetShop ISP has offered Cloud Backup services on a per-GB billing model — a straightforward solution where customers pay only for the amount of storage they use. This plan remains ideal for businesses that have a large number of devices but only need to back up small amounts of data per device — such as workstations or endpoints with light file-based backups.

However, for businesses with fewer devices that contain large volumes of data, we are introducing our new Per-Workload Backup Plans.

Here’s how it works:

• You pay a fixed monthly fee per device (also called a “workload”) — such as a dedicated server, VPS, or a Microsoft 365 account.
• You also benefit from a heavily discounted per-GB storage rate, optimized for higher data usage.

This billing model is ideal for organizations backing up:

• Data-heavy servers
• Databases
• Large-scale file or storage systems
• SaaS applications with significant storage requirements

Key benefits of Per-Workload plans:

• Lower storage costs for large datasets
• Ideal for resource-heavy environments
• Ability to choose local, cloud or hybrid storage

Hybrid Backup: Local, Cloud, or Both

Alongside the per-Workload plans, we’re also introducing Hybrid Backup — a solution that allows you to choose where your data is stored:

• Cloud Backup: Store data securely in NetShop ISP’s cloud infrastructure or Acronis’ global data centers.
• Local Backup: Retain copies on-premise for faster recovery and full data control.
• Hybrid: Use both options simultaneously to achieve maximum resilience and performance.

Hybrid Backup is the most versatile approach, giving you the ability to:

• Recover faster with local backups
• Meet compliance and data sovereignty requirements
• Enable disaster recovery with off-site cloud copies
• Reduce RTO (Recovery Time Objective) for mission-critical systems

Powered by Acronis: The Best Choice in Backup & Disaster Recovery

As always, our backup solutions are built on Acronis, a global leader in cyber protection, disaster recovery, and compliance-ready backup technologies.

Built-In Ransomware Protection

Acronis includes AI-powered ransomware detection and automatic recovery tools to ensure your backups remain clean and secure.

Granular Restore Options

Recover full systems, individual files, applications, or even a single email — on-demand and within minutes.

Compliance-Ready Architecture

Acronis supports GDPR, HIPAA, and other regulatory frameworks with encryption, audit trails, and data sovereignty controls built-in.

True Disaster Recovery

Spin up your systems directly from backups in the cloud in the event of an outage or disaster — minimizing downtime and business impact.

Choosing the Right Plan: Per-GB vs Per-Workload

Let’s compare both models so you can choose the one that best fits your infrastructure and data usage:

Use Cases: Real-World Scenarios

Small & Medium Businesses (SMBs)

Use per-GB billing for lightweight workstations, or switch to per-Workload for data-heavy servers and applications.

Enterprises with High-Volume Systems

If you manage fewer but powerful systems with large datasets — such as ERP, CRM, or database servers — the per-Workload model offers excellent cost-efficiency.

Remote Workforce & SaaS Applications

Protect cloud apps like Microsoft 365 with a per-user (workload) model, while taking advantage of lower storage pricing.

Regulated Industries

Choose Hybrid Backup to meet data sovereignty, encryption, and recovery time objectives (RTOs) for HIPAA, PCI-DSS, and GDPR compliance.

Why Trust NetShop ISP with Your Backup?

With over 20 years in the business and clients spanning industries like Fintech, Forex, iGaming, and ICT, we understand how critical data availability is to your operations.

Here’s why businesses choose NetShop ISP:

• Trusted Acronis Partner
• Global infrastructure with multiple data centers
• Support for local, cloud, and hybrid backup strategies
• 24/7 Technical Support by server and backup solution experts
• Customizable backup plans
• Regular Backup and Disaster Recovery Plan Reviews/Tests

Ready to Upgrade Your Backup Strategy?

Whether you’re just starting out with cloud backup or looking to modernize your disaster recovery strategy, our enhanced backup services offer the flexibility and performance your business demands.

Visit our Cloud Backup page for more details or contact our sales team for a personalized quote.

Let NetShop ISP help you protect your data — smarter, faster, and more affordably — with hybrid cloud backup, per-Workload billing, and Acronis-powered security.

In this article, we’ll explore how NetShop’s XConnect solution enables ultra‑low latency connectivity, what makes it ideal for latency‑sensitive ecosystems, and how it empowers financial and technology players to gain competitive edge.

Why Latency Matters in Forex and Fintech

In the forex and fintech world, microseconds make a difference. Trading platforms exchange tick data, liquidity feeds, and settlement orders in real time—meaning every millisecond counts.

Traditional public‑internet routing introduces unpredictable delays and packet loss, potentially impacting trade execution, price validation, and overall reliability.

By contrast, a private cross‑connect like XConnect minimizes hops, removes the unpredictability of public internet, and provides deterministic, high-throughput performance. This ensures consistently low latency, deterministic throughput, and higher SLA stability—all critical for mission‑critical financial systems.

NetShop ISP’s XConnect Service: Overview

NetShop’s XConnect service enables you to establish direct fibre connections within data centres, linking your infrastructure with cloud platforms, liquidity providers, and technology partners with minimal delay.

The Four Pillars of XConnect

1. Top Security
   Direct physical fibre is much more secure than public‑internet links, eliminating exposure to public routing vulnerabilities.
   
2. Ecosystem Direct Access
   Seamless connection to carriers, cloud providers, liquidity institutions, and other technology providers in Equinix IBX ecosystems via private links.
   
3. Data Center Resilience
   Enables redundant, high-availability designs without consuming public bandwidth, improving uptime and reliability.
   
4. Network Stability
   Eliminates packet loss and latency variability associated with public Internet routing—delivering deterministic performance.

How Cross‑Connect Works in Practice

Consider a forex brokerage firm with servers hosted in a data centre that interacts with a bridge technology provider. Sharing real-time price feeds or trading data over public Internet introduces latency and instability. But with XConnect, both parties connect to the same facility using a private fibre link.

This cross‑connect ensures data flows directly between environments over a secure, dedicated channel. The result: near-instantaneous data exchange, consistent low latency, and elevated reliability for trading systems where timing is everything.

NetShop’s XConnect Product Portfolio

NetShop ISP offers four distinct XConnect solutions, each tailored to the needs of different workloads.

1. Metro Direct XConnect

This solution provides direct point-to-point connections between two customers within the same Equinix data centre or campus. Ideal for:

• Forex brokers accessing bridge providers or liquidity feeds within the same facility
• Fintech partners collaborating securely in close proximity
• High-throughput applications that require ultra-low latency

Metro Direct XConnect is your fastest and most efficient option when both parties operate under the same IBX roof.

2. Intra-Metro XConnect (Layer 2)

The Intra-Metro XConnect enables private connectivity between different Equinix facilities within the same metro area (e.g., between LD4, LD6, and LD7 in London).

It offers Layer 2 VLAN-based connectivity, making it ideal for:

• Redundant or high-availability forex systems spanning multiple data centres
• Fintech companies running multi-zone architecture within a metro hub
• Institutions needing ultra-fast data synchronization across sites

This solution provides the low latency benefits of local links with the flexibility of geographic diversity.

3. Cloud Fabric XConnect

NetShop’s Cloud Fabric XConnect integrates your on-prem or co-located infrastructure directly with leading cloud platforms like AWS, Google Cloud, Azure, Alibaba Cloud, and Oracle Cloud.

Perfect for fintech developers, SaaS providers, and brokers needing:

• Multi-cloud and hybrid-cloud setups
• Secure, direct access to cloud APIs and services
• Avoidance of public internet bottlenecks or security risks

Provisioned over Equinix Fabric, this service brings low-latency, scalable access to the cloud without routing traffic over the internet.

4. Global XConnect

Global XConnect extends private connectivity beyond a single metro or country, enabling dedicated point-to-point or multipoint connectivity across continents.

Ideal for:

• Brokers serving traders in multiple regions (e.g., London to Hong Kong or New York)
• Fintech enterprises synchronizing data centers globally
• Applications with high sensitivity to jitter and packet loss

NetShop’s Global XConnect provides international reach while retaining the performance and security of a local private circuit.

Benefits for Forex & Fintech Providers

Ultra‑Low Latency

By eliminating public routing, xconnect cuts latency significantly—crucial for algorithmic or high-frequency forex trading.

High Security & Compliance

Private fibre avoids public exposure, minimizing risk—an important consideration given the regulatory demands in fintech.

Flexible Ecosystem Access

Quickly join cloud networks or access liquidity/bridge providers already present in major data centers.

Cost‑Effective Redundancy

Design dual‑path architecture without relying on public internet bandwidth, lowering cost and improving uptime resilience.

Use Cases for XConnect

• Forex trading platforms needing ultra‑fast execution and direct liquidity access
• Fintech firms deploying in multi-cloud or multi-datacenter environments
• Technology providers and bridges seeking secure cross-connectivity within colocation facilities
• Media streaming, blockchain, and latency-sensitive applications benefiting from dedicated infrastructure

Why Choose NetShop ISP for XConnect?

NetShop ISP provides industry-aligned, high-availability solutions tailored to forex, fintech, and cloud-native use cases. As a trusted partner within Equinix IBX data centers and major financial hubs, we offer:

• Low connectivity costs
• Fast provisioning
• 24/7 NOC support
• Local, regional and global fibre reach
• Strategic location presence in LD4, LD7, SG5, AM2, and more

Get in touch with NetShop ISP today and explore the most suitable XConnect solution for your business.

One unplanned outage or data loss incident can carry dire consequences—lost revenue, regulatory penalties for ISO 27001 workflows, and irreparable reputational damage.

Yet too often, organizations neglect real-world backup strategies—until it’s too late.

The Risk Landscape: Why Backup Can’t Be an Afterthought

Hardware Failures & Cyber Threats

Disk corruption, RAID failures, ransomware, and human error remain common sources of data loss. Even top-tier providers can’t eliminate all risks. As NetShop ISP emphasizes, backups are vital because “servers are not eternal” and file-system or drive-level breakdowns can happen unexpectedly.

Single Points of Failure

Common setups like Windows with MySQL on the same drive are vulnerable. If one drive fails—or the server crashes entirely—both data and operating systems may vanish. Having no backups can mean catastrophic downtime.

Regulatory & Compliance Pressure

Clients holding ISO 27001 certification are bound to follow defined business continuity and disaster recovery (BCDR) procedures, which include robust backup mechanisms and regular testing. Falling short of these requirements risks losing certifications and facing audit penalties.

The Layered Backup Strategy: Local + Cloud = Resilience

Hybrid Backup (On- & Off‑Site)

NetShop ISP strongly promotes a hybrid backup approach, combining local appliances—for fast restores—with off‑site cloud copies to protect against site-wide disasters. Local storage enables rapid recovery; cloud backup ensures continuity if the main site is compromised.

Leveraging Acronis for Fully Managed Cloud Backup

You’re using Acronis Cloud Backup, which uniquely integrates local and cloud-based solutions:

• Disk‑level snapshots: Full system and database capture
• File‑level granularity: Recover individual files, folders, or entire systems
• 1‑Click restore via the myNetShop Portal and/or the Acronis Cloud Control Panel
• Automated scheduling & retention controls, with a management portal for monitoring and restoring quickly

This hybrid architecture aligns tightly with ISO 27001 mandates on data availability, integrity, and recoverability—ensuring clients can meet both Recovery Point Objectives (RPO) and Recovery Time Objectives (RTO).

Why Businesses Fail to Act Fast

Many businesses view backups as a cost center rather than insurance against downtime. NetShop ISP highlights how proactive backup management is often neglected—until disaster strikes.

Human Factor & Testing Gaps

Manual backups are unreliable. Studies show that automation vastly improves consistency and reduces errors. Importantly, backups must be verified and periodically tested—restoration drills minimize failure surprises.

ISO 27001 & DR Guidelines: What You Need to Know

ISO 27001 requires organizations to:

1. Define maximum acceptable data loss (RPO),
2. Establish acceptable downtime (RTO),
3. Maintain backup copies off‑site,
4. Plan DR procedures, and
5. Conduct periodic tests of restoration scenarios.

By combining Acronis (for hybrid backup) with a documented Disaster Recovery plan—including failover and re-provisioning via DRaaS—you fulfill all critical control requirements.

Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS)

For businesses that cannot tolerate extended outages—such as live forex trading platforms or transactional game servers—DRaaS delivers quick failover via cloud replication. NetShop ISP’s DRaaS can be set up within two business days, with guaranteed RTO as low as 5 minutes.

This offers critical benefits:

• Seamless failover to DR environment,
• Minimal latency or transaction interruption,
• Compliance with audit and business resilience requirements.

Industry-Specific Considerations

E‑Commerce

For websites and applications, CRM and ERP’s, loss or corruption means lost sales and trust. Acronis enables granular restores of databases and product files, minimizing downtime and revenue loss.

Forex / Financial Services

Even seconds of downtime may result in irreversible trading losses. Compliance frameworks demand data consistency and high availability. Local snapshots + cloud replication ensure recoverability and audit traceability.

iGaming

Real-time gaming platforms demand high integrity and continuity. Data validation, player account history, and transactional logs all must be backed up frequently and restored instantly if needed.

Best Practices Checklist

Be Proactive, Not Reactive

In industries like e‑commerce, forex, iGaming, and any sector governed by ISO 27001, data is not just valuable—it’s mission-critical. Investing in structured backup and disaster recovery (particularly using Acronis combined with DRaaS) protects against financial loss, legal risk, and reputational damage.

Should you require more information about how a solid backup and disaster recovery plan can be customised to your business’ bespoke needs, contact us today for a free consultation.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to fix SSL certificate renewal issues in WHM after a hostname change — using Let’s Encrypt SSL and AutoSSL to ensure a secure and trusted connection for both users and services.

Why SSL Certificates Break After Changing Hostname

When you install a Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate via WHM/cPanel, it’s bound to your server’s hostname (FQDN). If you later change this hostname, the certificate becomes invalid, and cPanel services like Webmail, WHM, and email (SMTP/IMAP/POP) start showing SSL certificate warnings or “expired certificate” errors.

You might also notice:

• Users see security warnings in browsers when accessing WHM.
• Mail clients (like Outlook or Thunderbird) reject SSL connections.
• Webmail or FTP throws SSL mismatch errors.

Step-by-Step Guide to Renew SSL After WHM Hostname Change

Step 1: Confirm the New Hostname is Set Correctly in WHM

Login to your WHM panel and navigate to:

WHM > Networking Setup > Change Hostname

• Enter your new FQDN hostname (e.g. cpanel.example.com).
• Make sure the domain resolves to your server IP.
• Click “Change” and wait for confirmation.

Step 2: Ensure DNS and Reverse DNS (PTR) Are Updated

Before issuing a new certificate:

• Confirm your new hostname has valid A and AAAA DNS records.
• Use a tool like https://dnschecker.org to verify.
• Set the correct PTR (reverse DNS) with your hosting provider.

Step 3: Reissue SSL Certificate for the New Hostname

From your WHM Control Panel navigate to:

WHM > Manage Service SSL Certificates

This section manages SSL certs for:

• cPanel/WHM/Webmail
• Dovecot (IMAP/POP)
• Exim (SMTP)
• FTP

For each service:

1. Click “Reset Certificate”
2. Choose “Install the certificate for the current hostname”
3. Click “Use the Hostname’s SSL Certificate”

This links the service SSL to the new Let’s Encrypt hostname cert.

Step 4: Run AutoSSL Manually

Even if the certificates were successfully installed, it’s highly recommended to force AutoSSL to validate and renew:

Run the following command via SSH:

root@whm:~$ /usr/local/cpanel/bin/autossl_check --force

This forces WHM to:

• Renew SSL certificates
• Apply them to all services
• Revalidate the new hostname with Let’s Encrypt

Step 5: Restart Core Services to Apply New Certificates

To ensure all services load the new certificate, restart them via SSH:

root@whm:~$ /scripts/restartsrv_cpsrvd    # WHM/cPanel
root@whm:~$ /scripts/restartsrv_exim      # SMTP
root@whm:~$ /scripts/restartsrv_dovecot   # IMAP/POP
root@whm:~$ /scripts/restartsrv_ftpserver # FTP

Upon executing successfully the above commands, you may reboot the server (not required but it’s highly suggested).

Step 6: Validate Renewed Let’s Encrypt SSL Certificate

In order to confirm your steps were successful, you may want to validate the renewed SSL via a trustworthy online tool such as https://www.sslshopper.com/ssl-checker.html.

Additionally, please make sure that you access your WHM control panel with https://<hostname>:2087 via an incognito browser, or by deleting cache/cookies on your existing one.

Deploy Cheap Dedicated Server Worldwide

Explore today our wide-range of dedicated servers available in multiple locations, or visit our Instant Servers page for configurations which are instantly available for provisioning.

At NetShop ISP, we not only offer Email-as-a-Service powered by Zimbra Collaboration, but also deploy and manage hundreds of Zimbra instances for customers hosted on VPS and Dedicated Servers. This tailored hosting approach ensures high availability, performance, and flexibility for businesses of all sizes.

One of the most common operational challenges we encounter is Zimbra servers running out of disk space. This issue often arises due to the accumulation of large backup files, statistical data, and redo log files. Without proper monitoring and housekeeping, these elements can rapidly consume available storage, leading to service disruptions.

In this guide we explain how to clean and further manage the redolog folder in order to preserve sufficient disk space on Zimbra server.

Steps to Troubleshoot Large Redo Log Files

When dealing with zimbra files and commands on your Zimbra server, ensure you are switched to the local zimbra user. You can switch from root to zimbra user by executing the following command:

root@localhost:~$ su zimbra

Step 1: Check Folder Size

zimbra@localhost:~$ du -sh /opt/zimbra/redolog/archive

Step 2: Remove Old Archived Redo Logs

Make sure no active process is using them:

zimbra@localhost:~$ zmcontrol stop
zimbra@localhost:~$rm -f /opt/zimbra/redolog/archive/*
zimbra@localhost:~$ zmcontrol start

Then you can check the new free disk space on your server by this command:

zimbra@localhost:~$ df -h

If the new root disk partition (“/”) free space satisfies you, you may stop here and continue to Step 3. Otherwise, you may want to look at different directories on your server which may be taking up space, such as /var/log/, /opt/zimbra/zmstat/, /opt/zimbra/backup/)

Step 3: Prevent Future Bloat

The following commands help in preventing the Redo log files taking large disk space on your server.
Below are some recommended settings, however you may adjust accordingly as per your company’s data retention policy.

zimbra@localhost:~$ zmprov ms zmhostname zimbraRedoLogArchiveInterval 1d
zimbra@localhost:~$ zmprov ms zmhostname zimbraRedoLogDeleteOnRollover TRUE
zimbra@localhost:~$ zmcontrol restart

Get Your Zimbra-based E-mail Accounts on Shared, VPS or Dedicated Server

Zimbra is ideal for those who care about data sovereignty and maintaining 100% control over the email service & data of their business.

At NetShop ISP we offer three types of hosting for Zimbra e-mails:

• Shared E-mail Server: Fully managed email hosting service, starting from €2.99/month
  
• VPS Server: Zimbra Collaboration solution hosted on Virtual Private Server. Based on recommended hardware specifications, solution starts from €25/month
  
• Dedicated Server: Recommended for businesses and organizations with more than 50 e-mail accounts. Pricing depends on the server’s specifications, roughly start from €99/month.

For more information or to get a free consultation about the right Zimbra hosting package that suits your business, please contact our Sales representatives.

This article walks you through configuring network bonding in Ubuntu 24.04 LTS and Debian 12, both of which use Netplan for network management.

Prerequisites

• A system running Ubuntu 24.04 LTS or Debian 12.
• At least 2 physical NICs (e.g., ens3, ens4).
• Root or sudo privileges.

In the commands that follow below we assume you are connected with root account, therefore you don’t need to prepend the sudo to your commands.

Step 1: Install Required Packages

root@localhost:~$ apt update
root@localhost:~$ apt install ifenslave net-tools

ifenslave is required to attach and detach physical interfaces to a bonding interface.

Step 2: Load the Bonding Kernel Module

Temporarily load the bonding module:

sudo modprobe bonding

To load it at every boot, add it to the file /etc/modules as follows:

root@localhost:~$ echo "bonding" | sudo tee -a /etc/modules

Step 3: Configure Bonding via Netplan

On servers which utilize multiple NIC ports, it is important to identify the interfaces which are involved in bonding/aggregation.

List all interfaces:

root@localhost:~$ ip link

Take note of the NICs you want to bond (e.g., ens3 and ens4).

Create or Edit the Netplan Configuration

Netplan configs are stored under /etc/netplan/. You’ll either edit an existing .yaml file or create a new one.

root@localhost:~$ nano /etc/netplan/01-bonding.yaml

Example Configuration (Active-Backup Mode)

network:
  version: 2
  renderer: networkd
  bonds:
    bond0:
      interfaces: [ens3, ens4]
      parameters:
        mode: active-backup
        primary: ens3
        mii-monitor-interval: 100
      dhcp4: no
      addresses:
        - 192.168.1.100/24
      gateway4: 192.168.1.1
      nameservers:
        addresses: [8.8.8.8, 1.1.1.1]

You can change the mode to balance-rr, 802.3ad, etc., based on your switch capabilities.

You can read more information about the bonding modes in this official Ubuntu tutorial.

Step 4: Apply the Netplan Configuration

Once you are done with your netplan configuration, its better to validate for any syntax errors. Do it as follows:

root@localhost:~$ netplan try

If no errors come up, proceed with applying your configuration:

root@localhost:~$ netplan apply

Optional: Enable LACP (802.3ad mode)

If your switch supports LACP, you can use 802.3ad mode as follows:

Edit your netplan file (e.g. /etc/netplan/01-bonding.yaml) and do the following:

From the configuration we used in this article,
replace:

mode: active-backup
primary: ens3
mii-monitor-interval: 100

with:

mode: 802.3ad
mii-monitor-interval: 100
transmit-hash-policy: layer2+3

LACP requires switch configuration for aggregation (usually called LAG or EtherChannel).

Bonding Modes Summary

Summary: Increase Traffic Throughput & Maximize Uptime

Network bonding provides redundancy and performance benefits. By using Netplan on Ubuntu 24.04 or Debian 12, you can configure bonding cleanly and persistently.

As NetShop ISP’s network infrastructure is fully redundant by design, grab the opportunity to take full advantage of this by enabling additional network redundancy on your Dedicated Servers.

Contact our Customer Care team for a free consultation or more information about applying LACP on your servers.

In this article, we explore what AVX technology is, why it’s essential for MetaTrader 5, and how to configure it in Dell PowerEdge servers via iDRAC for maximum performance.

What is AVX and Why Does It Matter?

AVX (Advanced Vector Extensions) is a set of CPU instructions designed to handle heavy computational tasks such as simulations, analytics, or, in the case of MT5, real-time trade calculations and price data processing. These instructions help accelerate performance by enabling CPUs to process more data per clock cycle.

However, AVX instructions are power-hungry. To maintain system stability, Intel CPUs automatically reduce core frequency when executing AVX workloads. This is where the AVX Scaling Technology comes into play—it lets you control how aggressively the CPU should throttle down during AVX workloads.

How AVX Scaling Affects MetaTrader 5

MT5 servers often run multiple Expert Advisors (EAs), high-frequency trading bots, and real-time data feeds. All of these make extensive use of floating-point and vector-based calculations—precisely what AVX is designed to accelerate.

If AVX Scaling is set too conservatively, your server may throttle the CPU significantly, reducing MT5’s performance under load. On the other hand, tuning this setting appropriately can provide:

• Lower latency in order execution
• Faster tick processing
• Improved performance for concurrent EAs
• Reduced execution delays during market spikes

AVX Scaling Options Explained

On Dell PowerEdge servers, the AVX Scaling setting can typically be adjusted in the BIOS or via iDRAC. The options are numeric:

• 0 – No scaling: The CPU runs AVX workloads at maximum turbo frequencies. Best for performance but increases heat and power draw.
• 1 – Moderate scaling: Balanced option that slightly reduces frequency to maintain system stability.
• 2 – Aggressive scaling: Significantly reduces CPU frequency during AVX workloads to prioritize thermals and power efficiency.

For MT5 servers where performance is paramount, setting AVX to 0 is highly recommended—provided you have sufficient cooling and power headroom.

How to Change AVX Scaling in Dell Servers via iDRAC

Adjusting the AVX scaling on Dell PowerEdge servers is straightforward using iDRAC (Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller). Follow these steps:

Step 1: Log in to iDRAC

Open your browser and enter the iDRAC IP address. Log in with administrative credentials.

Step 2: Navigate to BIOS CPU Settings

From the left-hand menu:

• Go to System → BIOS Settings

• Then select Processor Settings

Here, you’ll find the AVX Settings section.

Step 3: Modify AVX Settings

Locate:

• AVX Control: Set this to Enabled
• Dell AVX Scaling Technology: Set to 0 for maximum performance
• AVX ICCP Pre-Grant: Set to 512-Heavy

This setting allows the CPU to run AVX instructions at maximum frequency, ensuring no throttling takes place during heavy MT5 activity.

Important: Any changes to processor settings may require a power cycle (not just a reboot) to take effect.

Thermal & Power Considerations

While setting AVX Scaling to 0 will boost performance, it may increase power draw and heat output. Here are some recommendations:

• Ensure sufficient airflow: Make sure your server chassis is optimized for airflow. Check for dust buildup and proper fan operation.
• Monitor CPU temps: Use Dell OpenManage or other tools to keep tabs on CPU temperature and fan speeds.
• Evaluate your power capacity: Ensure your rack’s PDU and UPS can handle increased load during high-frequency trading hours.

Need Help Optimizing MetaTrader 5 Server?

If you’re a trading firm, FX broker, or fintech provider looking to deploy high-performance infrastructure for MT5 or MT4, NetShop ISP offers tailored High-performance Compute (HPC) VPS and Dedicated server solutions with fully optimized BIOS configurations—including AVX tuning, NUMA alignment, and low-latency networking.

Get in touch with our hosting specialists for a free consultation.

MetaTrader 4™ and MetaTrader 5™ are trademarks of MetaQuotes Software Corp. Their use does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by the respective trademark holders.

This year, our spotlight will be on XConnect, our revolutionary connectivity solution that has been purpose-built for the trading industry. Designed to simplify and accelerate how brokers connect with liquidity providers, trading platforms, CRMs, and payment gateways, XConnect is redefining the way infrastructure is deployed in the forex and fintech space.

What is XConnect?

XConnect by NetShop ISP is a centralized hosting ecosystem offering seamless interconnection between brokers and mission-critical third-party services. Whether you’re launching an MT4/MT5 brokerage or scaling operations across multiple platforms, XConnect delivers:

• Ultra-low latency connections to Tier-1 LPs, bridges, and fintech APIs
• Direct access to global trading infrastructure within Equinix data centers (LD4, LD7, SG5)
• Secure, compliant architecture with redundancies at all layers

Visit XConnect’s product page for an in-depth look at its features and benefits.

Let’s Connect in Limassol, Cyprus

Whether you’re looking to accelerate execution speed, improve connectivity to key providers, or simplify your trading stack, XConnect is the solution you’ve been waiting for. Don’t miss the opportunity to experience it firsthand at iFX EXPO 2025.

👉 Schedule a Meeting

In late May 2025, MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) platforms became inaccessible to new users in China, marking the second major disruption in recent months. According to industry sources (FinanceMagnates, PropInsider, TradingView) the outage lasted over a week and primarily affected new retail traders attempting to register through the MetaTrader mobile apps. Existing users remained unaffected, continuing their trading activities as usual.

The disruption is believed to be linked to China’s intensified use of anti-fraud surveillance tools. Many citizens are now required to install the National Anti-Fraud Center app, which may flag foreign trading applications such as MT4/MT5 as potentially malicious or fraudulent. This classification could have triggered automatic restrictions or connectivity blocks by local ISPs.

In response, MetaQuotes issued emergency platform updates — MT4 Android build 1445 and MT5 Android build 4981 — aimed specifically at restoring access for Chinese users. These builds were distributed through direct .apk installations due to limited access to the Google Play Store in mainland China.

One of the affected brokers, Hong Kong-based GFM, confirmed the issue via a post on X (formerly Twitter), offering a workaround:

“Newly registered users in mainland China are currently unable to search for forex broker names to log in. Please use the desktop version of MT5 and input the server IP directly.”

The current situation, at the time of this article's publication (5th June 2025), the situation has been resolved and forex traders can normally access MT4 and MT5 trading platforms.

What We’ve Learned and Why XConnect Still Matters

It’s true – even some of our Forex brokers using the XConnect service were affected by the recent MetaTrader outage in China. This shows just how unpredictable and complex the internet landscape can be, especially when government restrictions come into play.

But it also highlights why having strong, region-specific infrastructure like XConnect is still incredibly important. While it may not be able to bypass every sudden block or disruption, it gives brokers a much more stable and direct route to China – which makes a real difference in day-to-day performance and reliability.

At NetShop ISP, we’re working closely with our clients to improve routes, adapt quickly, and find ways to stay ahead of these challenges. If you’re operating a Forex business and accepting clients from mainland China, having the right infrastructure in place isn’t just a technical detail; it’s a competitive advantage.

For more information on how NetShop ISP’s XConnect solution can support your trading operations in China, please visit our website or contact our Infrastructure Solutions team.

The PoP VPS solution is designed to meet the growing demand for low-latency and high-availability hosting solutions. By leveraging NetShop ISP’s strategically located Points of Presence, clients can now host applications closer to their target audiences, resulting in improved user experiences and reduced load times.

Key Features of PoP VPS

• Global Reach: Deploy VPS hosting in more locations beyond traditional data centers, bringing services closer to end-users worldwide.
  
• Low Latency: Ideal for latency-sensitive applications, ensuring rapid data delivery and seamless user interactions.
  
• Scalable & Redundant: Built on high-performance cloud infrastructure, offering scalability and redundancy to accommodate growing business needs.
  
• Cost-Effective Expansion: Facilitates workload deployment without the necessity for full co-location or dedicated server resources.
  
• Easy Management: Management of PoP VPS Servers is simplified through the intuitive myNetShop Self-service Portal, enabling clients to oversee web hosting, servers, communications with the support team, and invoice payments efficiently.

The available regions available for PoP VPS orders are Australia, Colombia, Dubai (UAE), Japan, Mexico and the United States. More regions will become available towards end of June 2025.

For more information about NetShop ISP’s PoP VPS hosting and to explore deployment options, visit: https://netshop-isp.com.cy/virtual-servers/pop-vps/

Organized and sponsored by NetShop ISP in collaboration with AlphaConnect and the Cyprus Fintech Summit, FXGathering has become one of the most exclusive and anticipated networking events in the Forex and FinTech calendar.

This invite-only event will bring together top-tier professionals from brokerage firms, technology providers, payment institutions, and fintech innovators for an evening of high-level networking, thought leadership, and collaboration.

“We’re excited to continue the tradition of FXGathering for a sixth consecutive year. As the Forex and FinTech industries evolve rapidly, this event serves as a cornerstone for building strong partnerships and staying ahead of market trends,” said Stefano Sordini, CEO of NetShop ISP.

Attendees can expect a curated guest list, a premium networking atmosphere, and valuable insights into the future of Forex and financial technologies. This year’s event is also expected to highlight emerging technologies, regulatory developments, and infrastructure innovations that are shaping the next decade of trading.

To learn more about the event, visit the official website: https://fxgathering.com