For site owners and developers looking to bolster their security, a common question is whether they can install Monarx directly on an individual website.
The short answer is: Monarx is a server-level security solution.
Unlike a standard WordPress plugin that you install via a dashboard, Monarx operates at the root level of your hosting environment to provide deeper, more comprehensive protection.
Infrastructure Requirements
Because Monarx integrates deeply with the operating system to monitor processes and files, it requires administrative access to the server. To use Monarx, your environment must meet the following criteria:
Operating System: A Linux-based web server. We officially support Debian, Ubuntu, CentOS, CloudLinux, AlmaLinux, and Rocky Linux.
Access Level: You must have root access (SSH) to the server to perform the installation.
Web Server: Compatible with standard Apache, Nginx, or LiteSpeed configurations.
Note on Windows: Unfortunately, Windows Server environments are not supported at this time. Monarx is currently optimized exclusively for Linux ecosystems.
Note on Ubuntu: We only support Ubuntu LTS versions.
Our Security Products
When you install Monarx on your server, you gain access to our two primary protection engines:
1. Monarx Antivirus (On-Disk Protection)
This is our core file-scanning and remediation engine. It uses AI to catalogue every file on the server and identify malicious code. As a client, you have full control over how it behaves:
Directory Scoping: Choose exactly which directories the engine should monitor.
Remediation Actions: Set the engine to Quarantine or Delete threats automatically, or set it to Detect Mode if you prefer to review findings manually before taking action.
2. Monarx ThreatShield (Real-Time RASP)
ThreatShield is our Runtime Application Self-Protection (RASP) and specialized WAF. Instead of just looking at files on the disk, it monitors the execution of PHP scripts in real-time to stop exploits as they happen.
For a deep dive into how ThreatShield protects your active traffic, visit our ThreatShield Add-on Overview.
Coming Soon: SmartWAF (Beta)
We are currently in active development of a third service: SmartWAF.
While ThreatShield focuses on the application layer (PHP), SmartWAF is our Network Layer Firewall. It is designed to filter traffic at the perimeter based on IP reputation and global threat intelligence.
Status: SmartWAF is currently in Beta and is available for testing by select partners and is not available during trials.
ThreatShield vs. SmartWAF: What’s the difference?
It is important to understand that these two products protect different parts of your stack.
ThreatShield is surgical; it lives inside the PHP engine to stop code-level exploits.
SmartWAF is broad; it lives at the network edge to block malicious IPs and bots before they reach your site.
For a detailed comparison of these two layers, please see our guide: Differences between SmartWAF and ThreatShield.
How to Get Started
If you are a website owner using a shared hosting provider, check with your host to see if they already offer Monarx. If you manage your own VPS or Dedicated Server and meet the Linux requirements above, contact our sales team to begin your deployment.