Prevent Apache from showing first virtual host if domain does not exist?

Gavin

3/16/24, 3:43 PM

Not sure when but WHM/cPanel and/or Apache have changed how they handle requests for domains that do not exist.

Previously it would redirect to http://requested-domain.tld/cgi-sys/defaultwebpage.cgi however it will now simply show the content of the first domain listed in the virtual hosts without changing the domain.

I've tried adding variations of the following to:

/etc/apache2/conf.d/includes/pre_virtualhost_2.conf
/etc/apache2/conf.d/000-default.conf

<VirtualHost *>
  ServerName subdomain.server-domain.tld
  RedirectPermanent / /cgi-sys/defaultwebpage.cgi
  #RewriteEngine on
  #RewriteCond %{HTTPS} on
  #RewriteRule (.*) http://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [R=301,L]
  #RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off
  #RewriteRule ^/(.*)$ /cgi-sys/defaultwebpage.cgi [L,R=302]
</VirtualHost>

Neither redirect the request to http://requested-domain.tld/cgi-sys/defaultwebpage.cgi

Does anyone have any suggestions?

163

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apache-2.4

cpanel

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whm

vidarlo

3/16/24, 4:04 PM

We don't do questions that involve cpanel.

Gavin

3/16/24, 4:07 PM

Hi @vidarlo, I'll re-post on SO.

ezra-s

3/16/24, 4:10 PM

apache has always selected the first virtualhost when no match is found for requested Host. Not new behaviour, you can not change that and there is no need. Just use the appropiate redirects to handle requests.

Gavin

3/16/24, 6:33 PM

@DanielFerradal Apache is ignoring my attempts to inject a VirtualHost before all the others and I'm not able to find any documentation that covers how to handle scenarios where a customer leaves, we remove their account but they don't update their DNS. This results in the domain rendering a completely unrelated website.

ezra-s

3/17/24, 10:45 AM

Change the mindset, it is not ignoring anything, you are doing it wrong. Apache loads virtualhost in alphabetical order by name if there are many files in the same Include, so file names may be important. In any case check the results with "apachectl -S" command.

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Server

Gavin

3/22/24, 11:57 AM

Adding the following to /etc/apache2/conf.d/includes/pre_virtualhost_global.conf resolved the issue:

<VirtualHost xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx:80>
    ServerName xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx
    DocumentRoot /var/www/html
</VirtualHost>

<VirtualHost xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx:443>
    ServerName xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx
    DocumentRoot /var/www/html
    <IfModule suphp_module>
        suPHP_UserGroup nobody nobody
    </IfModule>
    <Directory "/var/www/html">
        AllowOverride All
    </Directory>
    <IfModule ssl_module>
        SSLEngine on

        SSLCertificateFile /var/cpanel/ssl/cpanel/cpanel.pem
        SSLCertificateKeyFile /var/cpanel/ssl/cpanel/cpanel.pem
        SSLCertificateChainFile /var/cpanel/ssl/cpanel/cpanel.pem
        SSLUseStapling Off
    </IfModule>
    <IfModule security2_module>
        SecRuleEngine On
    </IfModule>
</VirtualHost>

For servers with multiple IP addresses, you are required to replicate for each IP.

https://support.cpanel.net/hc/en-us/articles/360061002473-How-do-I-set-a-default-VirtualHost-for-each-IP-address-

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