File upload/save delay with Imunify360 real-time scanning (enable_scan_inotify) enabled [incident114]

Issue

File upload or file save operations may take around 10–15 seconds when Imunify360 scanning is enabled.

The issue can appear in one of the following scenarios:

• Uploading files through a website when Automatically scan any file uploaded using web is enabled in Imunify360
• Saving files through cPanel File Manager
• Updating files or website content through a web interface

The following error can be found in the cPanel logs when the delay occurs during cPanel File Manager save operations:

STDERR output from hook:
/usr/libexec/imunify360/cpanel_fileman_hook --save

cpanel_fileman_hook: Starting imunify fileman hook
cpanel_fileman_hook: save action
cpanel_fileman_hook: file /home/USER/tmp/TEMP_FILE is sent for scanning
Exception: timed out
cpanel_fileman_hook: internal error: timed out

File "/usr/libexec/imunify360/cpanel_fileman_hook", line 178, in aibolit_checker
  aibolit_job.notify_aibolit_start_it_if_necessary(timeout=remaining_time())

File "/opt/imunify360/venv/lib64/python3.11/site-packages/im360/aibolit_job.py", line 110, in notify_aibolit_start_it_if_necessary
  sock.send(b"1")

TimeoutError: timed out

Environment

• Imunify360
• WHM/cPanel
• cPanel File Manager
• Automatically scan any file uploaded using web enabled in Imunify360 Settings

Solution

This is a known issue currently handled by the development team.

Temporary Workaround

Disable Imunify360 real-time/inotify scanning:

imunify360-agent config update '{"MALWARE_SCANNING": {"enable_scan_inotify": false}}'

and/or:

imunify360-agent config update '{"MALWARE_SCANNING": {"enable_scan_modsec": false}}'

imunify360-agent config update '{"MALWARE_SCANNING": {"enable_scan_pure_ftpd": false}}'

After applying the workaround, reproduce the original action again:

1. Upload a file through the affected website form, or save a file through cPanel File Manager
2. Confirm whether the upload or save operation completes without the 10–15 second delay
3. Check whether the cpanel_fileman_hook --save timeout no longer appears in the cPanel logs

Cause

The delay is caused by a timeout in the Imunify360 scanning flow when the cPanel File Manager save hook or web upload scanning sends a temporary file for scanning. The logs show that the timeout occurs while communicating with the AI-Bolit scanning process.

The issue is tracked internally under the related development tasks:

• DEF-42057
• DEF-41899

Status page

• https://imunify360.statuspage.io/incidents/yfv3t4vttm9b