The Security Level in Cloudflare controls how aggressively Cloudflare challenges visitors based on their behavior and the perceived threat level. You can adjust the Security Level for your domain directly via cPanel if your hosting provider has integrated Cloudflare.
Step 1: Log in to cPanel
- Open your browser and navigate to your cPanel login page (e.g.,
https://yourdomain.com:2083). - Enter your username and password, then click Log in.
Step 2: Access the Cloudflare Tool
- Scroll down to the Domains section in the cPanel dashboard.
- Click on the Cloudflare option to open its management interface.
Step 3: Select Your Domain
- In the Cloudflare interface, locate the domain for which you want to change the Security Level.
- Click on the domain name to access its specific settings.
Step 4: Change the Security Level
- In the Cloudflare management dashboard, find the Security Level setting.
- This may be under a Security or Settings tab, depending on your cPanel integration.
- Choose the desired Security Level from the available options:
- Essentially Off: Minimal protection; only severe threats are challenged.
- Low: Fewer challenges, allowing most traffic through.
- Medium: A balanced level of security; some visitors may be challenged.
- High: Most visitors will be challenged unless they have a good reputation.
- Under Attack: Maximum protection; visitors must pass a CAPTCHA before accessing your site.
- Save or apply the changes.
Step 5: Verify Changes
- Test your website after changing the Security Level to ensure visitors can access it as intended.
- If you set the level to Under Attack, check that visitors see the interstitial page and CAPTCHA challenge.
Tips for Adjusting Security Levels
- Balance Security and Usability: Choose a level appropriate for your site's traffic. For example, a blog with low threat levels may work fine with Low or Medium, while an e-commerce site may need High or Under Attack during security events.
- Monitor Traffic: Use Cloudflare's analytics to understand how the Security Level impacts your traffic and user behavior.
- Temporary Settings: Use Under Attack Mode temporarily during DDoS attacks or suspicious activity, and revert to a lower level afterward.
By adjusting the Security Level via cPanel’s Cloudflare tool, you can customize the protection for your website based on its needs and visitor activity.
