The Sudden Shutdown Announcement
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Way To The Way Ltd, the UK company behind the bouquet of free and premium software hitherto shared and sold via configserver.com, had announced on 30 July 2025 that all its services were being shut down effective 31 August 2025. The date has now passed, and their entire website has now been replaced with a list of terse FAQs. This abrupt end of ConfigServer makes one ponder if they ever had a chance to survive the fast-evolving world of tech security.
A Legacy of Essential Server Tools
Before now, ConfigServer offered a wide range of security and utility apps that were very useful for security and managing Linux servers:
Free Software
• ConfigServer Security & Firewall (csf): A lightweight, customizable firewall and intrusion detection system for Linux servers to manage iptables rules and protect against brute-force attacks.
• ConfigServer Mail Queues (cmq): A script for viewing and managing email queues in MailScanner to monitor and clear stuck messages.
• ConfigServer Mail Manage (cmm): A tool for managing MailScanner configurations and quarantine to handle spam and virus filtering for email servers.
• ConfigServer ModSecurity Control (cmc): A control panel for managing ModSecurity rules to enhance web application firewall protection.
• ConfigServer Explorer (cse): A web-based file manager and explorer for secure file operations on servers.Premium Software
• ConfigServer eXploit Scanner (cxs): A malware and exploit scanner for detecting and removing vulnerabilities in web applications and files.
• MailScanner Front-End (MSFE): A web interface for MailScanner to simplify email scanning, configuration, and reporting for spam and virus detection.
• Outgoing Spam Monitor (osm): A monitoring tool to detect and block outgoing spam from servers by tracking email traffic patterns.Unpacking the Closure: Profitability in a Shifting Market
Why did ConfigServer close down?
ConfigServer’s parent company, Way to the Web Ltd, mentioned in their official announcement that the shutdown was due to changing market dynamics, making the business no longer profitable. This was detailed on their website and referenced across hosting forums and blogs following the July 30, 2025, disclosure.
Obviously, most of their apps were offered for free, and most of the premium ones were on a one-time fee business model.
The Flaws of One-Time Fees in a Subscription Era
One-time fees have never been a sustainable business model for software pricing, especially in the hosting industry. I had often wondered how they kept afloat and for how long further.
Intensifying Competition and Elegant Alternatives
Also, there have been changes in the business dynamics. A lot of competition had since appeared in the web hosting scene with more robust and elegant solutions, putting more pressure on ConfigServer’s lean, low-cost model.
The biggest among the competitors would be Imunify360, a Comprehensive suite with firewall, malware scanning, WAF, and proactive defence; a direct replacement for multiple ConfigServer tools. Imunify also had much more acceptance among industry big players, although their service plans are significantly more expensive.
The Technical Tipping Point: RHEL 10’s Iptables Overhaul
The final nail in the coffin for ConfigServer, it would seem, was RHEL 10 and its derivatives. The substantial change in RHEL 10 that impacted ConfigServer’s apps (particularly CSF) is the complete removal of the legacy iptables kernel module. CSF relies heavily on iptables for managing firewall rules, and with its deprecation in RHEL 9 escalating to complete removal in RHEL 10, adapting would require a fundamental rewrite of the core code to use nftables instead. This shift, combined with broader market changes and deprecations of older technologies, contributed to ConfigServer’s decision to shut down rather than invest in such extensive updates.
ConfigServer has since uploaded its code to GitHub, effectively making it open-source. Interested folks can continue to develop and use them within the GPLv3 licence restrictions.
Fare thee well, ConfigServer. It was nice knowing you.
