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Imunify · AI-Bolit · Remote Code Execution · Server Takeover

Your Security Scanner Has a Backdoor. Critical Flaw in Imunify AI-Bolit Lets Hackers Take Full Control of Your Server.

The malware scanner that was supposed to protect millions of Linux servers just turned into a potential rootkit delivery system. A critical vulnerability in Imunify’s AI-Bolit engine means that, under the right conditions, a crafted “malware sample” can trick the scanner into executing attacker-controlled code as root. In this CyberDudeBivash deep-dive, we break down what went wrong, why shared hosting platforms are at risk, and the exact steps hosting providers and sysadmins must follow today.By CyberDudeBivash · Founder, CyberDudeBivash Pvt LtdLinux server security · Hosting providers · Incident response

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Affiliate & Transparency Note: Some outbound links in this article are affiliate links from trusted partners (courses, VPS providers, hardware, security tools and more). If you purchase via these links, CyberDudeBivash may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. That helps us keep deep-dive incident analysis and server-hardening content free for the community.

SUMMARY – Yes, Your Security Scanner Became an Attack Vector.

A critical vulnerability in the AI-Bolit component of ImunifyAV / ImunifyAV+ / Imunify360 allows attackers, under the right conditions, to execute arbitrary code during malware scans.
Because the vulnerable logic runs with high privileges, successful exploitation can lead to full server takeover – including all websites on a shared hosting node.
The bug lives in AI-Bolit’s deobfuscation code, where strings pulled directly from scanned content can end up being executed as PHP functions.
CloudLinux / Imunify shipped a fix on 23 October 2025 (AI-Bolit v32.7.4.0 and later); most servers should auto-update, but unpatched hosts remain exposed.
Action now: confirm your Imunify / AI-Bolit version, verify patch deployment across all fleets, review suspicious scans and logs, and implement a hardened upload + monitoring strategy going forward.

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Alibaba – Scale-Out Infrastructure for Secure Hosting

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1. Context: When the Scanner Becomes the Threat

In the modern Linux hosting stack, security scanners like ImunifyAV / Imunify360 sit in a privileged position: they see every file, every upload, every obfuscated payload. They run scheduled and on-demand scans with deep hooks into the filesystem and web stack. That makes them powerful defenders – and terrifying single points of failure when their internal logic is flawed.

The AI-Bolit vulnerability turns this power upside down. Instead of catching malware, the scanner can unintentionally execute attacker-controlled code during “analysis”, effectively acting as a remote execution trampoline into your server.

2. What Is Imunify AI-Bolit and Where Is It Used?

AI-Bolit is a malware scanning engine used by Imunify products to detect infected PHP files, webshells and malicious code fragments inside web hosting environments. It ships as part of:

ImunifyAV (free antivirus for Linux web servers)
ImunifyAV+ (paid edition with extra features)
Imunify360 (full server security suite widely used on cPanel and shared hosting platforms)

Because Imunify is embedded into hosting panels and provider stacks, a single bug in AI-Bolit’s logic potentially cascades into millions of websites and thousands of servers.

3. The Bug at a Glance – Deobfuscation Logic Gone Wrong

The vulnerable logic lives in AI-Bolit’s deobfuscation functions. During scanning, AI-Bolit attempts to decode and analyse obfuscated code. The problem: certain helper functions ended up calling PHP functions built from strings taken directly out of scanned content.

Under the hood, these functions passed untrusted strings into an execution wrapper that eventually used dynamic function calls. A well-crafted payload inside a PHP file or database entry could abuse this path so the scanner would effectively run the attacker’s code with elevated privileges.

In Imunify360, the risky deobfuscation mode is enabled by default for all scan types (background, on-demand, user-initiated, rapid scans), which is why this bug is so serious for hosting providers.

CyberDudeBivash Ecosystem · For Hosting Providers & Platform Teams

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If you run Imunify across hundreds or thousands of servers, we can help you design a repeatable incident workflow for this and the next “security tool gone wrong” advisory.Talk to CyberDudeBivash About Imunify Risk →

4. Who Is Affected? Versions, Products, and Realistic Risk

In short, any server running affected versions of AI-Bolit inside ImunifyAV, ImunifyAV+ or Imunify360 is in scope. CloudLinux has stated that:

The vulnerability affects AI-Bolit versions before 32.7.4.0.
A patch was released on 23 October 2025, and most servers have already picked it up automatically.
As of mid-November 2025, there is no confirmed exploitation in the wild reported by the vendor.

That said, public write-ups and proof-of-concept research show that if an attacker can upload specially crafted content to a vulnerable server (for example via a compromised website or weak upload controls), they can chain that into remote code execution and potential root privilege escalation.

5. Attack Scenarios: From Malicious Upload to Root Shell

High-level, a realistic attack path looks like this:

Attacker → Uploads crafted PHP / payload to site
        → Imunify / AI-Bolit scans file with deobfuscation enabled
        → Vulnerable function executes attacker-controlled PHP
        → Code runs with elevated / root privileges
        → Full server & multi-tenant compromise possible

On a single-tenant VPS, this means that one compromised app could give an attacker full control of the entire virtual server. On shared hosting, one vulnerable tenant can become a pivot point to every other website on that node, depending on isolation and configuration.

6. Detection & Forensics: What to Look For

Detection details will vary by environment, but at a high level:

Review Imunify / AI-Bolit logs around the window in which you were running vulnerable versions.
Look for unexpected PHP executions spawned under scan processes or during mass scan windows.
Inspect web roots for highly obfuscated PHP files that appeared before patching and were later removed by attackers.
Correlate new root-level activity (new users, new SSH keys, unexplained cron jobs) with scan times.
Validate that no suspicious outbound connections or reverse shells originated from the host during those periods.

Even if you find no evidence of exploitation, documenting this review is essential for audit and customer communication.

7. Patch & Hardening Checklist (Immediate Actions)

A practical, vendor-aligned plan for sysadmins and hosting providers:

Confirm version: Check your Imunify / AI-Bolit version and ensure you are on 32.7.4.0 or later.
Force updates: If you’re running custom repos or pinned packages, manually trigger the vendor-recommended update path.
Audit high-risk tenants: Identify customers with file upload-heavy apps (CMS, e-commerce) and review their activity.
Harden uploads: Tighten webserver and app-level upload validation, and restrict where PHP is executable.
Improve logging: Ensure you have sufficient logs on scan events, web uploads and privilege escalations for future incidents.

8. CyberDudeBivash Recommended Hosting Security Stack

No single scanner will ever be perfect. These tools and services help you build layered defence around your Linux hosting and DevOps pipelines. They are affiliate links; using them supports CyberDudeBivash at no extra cost.

Edureka – DevSecOps, cloud security and Linux hardening tracks.
AliExpress WW – Lab hardware for test nodes, routers and IDS experiments.
Alibaba WW – Enterprise servers and storage for secure hosting clusters.
Kaspersky – Endpoint and server protection to detect exploit chains and malware.
Rewardful – Build your own security SaaS affiliate program for hosting add-ons.
HSBC Premier Banking [IN] – Banking for digital businesses with advanced fraud controls.
Tata Neu Super App [IN] – Everyday spending management for engineers and founders.
TurboVPN WW – Extra privacy for admins managing panels and control planes remotely.
Tata Neu Credit Card [IN] – Rewards on infra, SaaS and security subscriptions.
YES Education Group – Global education and language upgrades for tech teams.
GeekBrains – IT & cybersecurity training from beginner to advanced.
Clevguard WW – Monitoring for family devices and exec personal endpoints.
Huawei CZ – Devices and connectivity where available.
iBOX – Fintech rails for digital and hosting businesses.
The Hindu [IN] – Quality coverage on tech, policy and cyber incidents.
Asus [IN] – Reliable laptops and monitors for NOC / SOC desks.
VPN hidemy.name – Another VPN option for remote admin work.
Blackberrys [IN] – Formalwear when you brief boards after incidents.
ARMTEK – For fleets and on-road ops teams impacted by outages.
Samsonite MX – Travel gear for conferences and incident-response travel.
Apex Affiliate (AE/GB/NZ/US) – Offers for supported regions.
STRCH [IN] – Stretchwear for long NOC/SOC shifts.

9. FAQ: Exploitation, Shared Hosting Risk and Responsibility

Q1. Is this a “backdoor” planted on purpose?

No. This is a vulnerability created by unsafe design in the deobfuscation logic, not a deliberate backdoor. The “backdoor scanner” language describes the effect: under certain conditions, AI-Bolit could be abused to execute attacker code as if a backdoor existed.

Q2. Are my sites already hacked if I was vulnerable?

Not necessarily. Being vulnerable does not automatically mean being compromised. You should, however, treat this as a serious incident: patch, review logs, check high-risk tenants and document your response.

Q3. Who is responsible: the hosting provider or the scanner vendor?

The vendor is responsible for safely designing and patching their scanner. Hosting providers are responsible for timely patching, architecture, and communication with customers. From a risk perspective, your users see both logos—so both need to respond professionally and transparently.

10. Related Reads & CyberDudeBivash Ecosystem

Work with CyberDudeBivash Pvt Ltd

If you run hosting infrastructure, SaaS platforms or high-traffic Linux environments and want a second pair of eyes on your exposure to issues like the Imunify AI-Bolit flaw, CyberDudeBivash can help. From fleet-wide patch hygiene and log reviews to playbooks and training, we turn advisories into action.

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