Problems were detected with cPanel-provided files which are RPM controlled.

[regisit]

Overnight I received the folowing email:

Problems were detected with cPanel-provided files which are RPM controlled.
If you did not make these changes intentionally, you can correct them by running:

> /usr/local/cpanel/scripts/check_cpanel_rpms --fix

The following RPMs are found to be altered from their original install state:
MySQL55-client,5.5.32,1.cp1136,/usr/bin/mysql
MySQL55-server,5.5.32,1.cp1136,/usr/sbin/mysqld
MySQL55-server,5.5.32,1.cp1136,/usr/sbin/mysqld-debug
dovecot,1.2.17,3.cp1136,/usr/libexec/dovecot/dovecot-auth
dovecot,1.2.17,3.cp1136,/usr/libexec/dovecot/imap-login
dovecot,1.2.17,3.cp1136,/usr/libexec/dovecot/pop3-login
dovecot,1.2.17,3.cp1136,/usr/libexec/dovecot/ssl-build-param
dovecot,1.2.17,3.cp1136,/usr/sbin/dovecot
dovecot,1.2.17,3.cp1136,/usr/sbin/dovecotpw
exim,4.80.1,1.cp1136,/usr/sbin/exim_dbmbuild
exim,4.80.1,1.cp1136,/usr/sbin/exim_dumpdb
exim,4.80.1,1.cp1136,/usr/sbin/exim_fixdb
exim,4.80.1,1.cp1136,/usr/sbin/exim_lock
exim,4.80.1,1.cp1136,/usr/sbin/exim_tidydb

Where do I even begin to understand why this has been generated or what, if anything, needs doing about it?

Yesterday I did complete some work on the server:

1. Added MySQLi support (via EasyApache)
2. Added ConfigServer Security&Firewall
3. Added Gnome to CentOS.

Are these what has caused this? What happens if I don't run the fix command - do I keep getthing these? What If I do run the fix command, will that break something else?

Or has the server been compromised in some way? If so, where do I even begin trying to track this down?

Should someone with little/no experience of Linux(CentoOS)/WHM/cPanel even be attemtping to run a secure website on this platform, given much of what is happening on the server is an unfathomable mystery and mix of countless OpenSource components!?!

[This is a hosted dedicated server where the hosting company provided the server preinstalled but provides zero support for running this platform.]

 

[cPanelMichael]

Hello

The message you received indicates the RPMs listed were altered from the original installation state. It's possible the third-party applications you installed altered these RPMS. The following command will revert the RPMS back to how they are provided by cPanel:

/usr/local/cpanel/scripts/check_cpanel_rpms --fix

You can find more information on this at:

cPanel RPM Check

Do you experience the same issue if you update cPanel again after running the command above? Also, do you plan to stay on cPanel version 11.36 or upgrade to cPanel version 11.38?

Thank you.

 

[SashaL]

Hello Michael

The message you received indicates the RPMs listed were altered from the original installation state. It's possible the third-party applications you installed altered these RPMS.

How can I remove these files/rpms from being checked? I don't need them anymore.

cpanel-perl-514-Cache-Cache.1.06-1.cp1136
cpanel-perl-514-munin.1.4.7-8.cp1136


Thank you.

 

[cPanelMichael]

The following document explains how to override the rpm.versions system:

How to Customize and Override the rpm.versions System

Thank you.

 

[SashaL]

I've changed installed to uninstalled in /var/cpanel/rpm.versions.d/local.versions for that RPM and it looks it helped. Thank you!

 

[SashaL]

Hello Michael,
today I received the message again.

The message you received indicates the RPMs listed were altered from the original installation state. It's possible the third-party applications you installed altered these RPMS.

I checked /var/cpanel/rpm.versions.d/local.versions and found 'installed' for these pachets, but I'm pretty sure nobody tried to install them again.

the file was edited during the night, 01:11 server time. I have no idea which scheduled task did it but there are two tasks having close starting time: /usr/local/cpanel/scripts/upcp and /usr/local/cpanel/scripts/cpbackup.

I reviewed the link you provided before but it's still unclear to me what should I do so cPanel forget about those rpms.

Please help.

 

[cPanelMichael]

The following document may also be helpful:

RPM Cookbook

Is there a specific reason you need to disable these RPMs?

Thank you.

 

[SashaL]

RPM Cookbook
Is there a specific reason you need to disable these RPMs?

Thank you, will check.

The reason is that we have newer Munin on the server, whilst cPanel try to install the outdated one. This produces conflict and nervous e-mail alert.