How to Install ionCube Loader in Plesk

ionCube loader is a widely-used PHP extension designed to protect your PHP files by encoding them. It provides protection against unauthorized use and redistribution of your PHP code, making it essential for developers and businesses who distribute PHP applications. This guide will walk you through the steps to install and enable ionCube in Plesk control panel using an RDP VPS.

Prerequisites

• Access to your VPS via RDP.
• Plesk installed on your VPS.
• Administrative rights to install software and modify configuration files.

Steps to Install and Enable ionCube loader in Plesk

Download ionCube in RDP VPS

1. Login to your RDP VPS

Login to the VPS via Remote Desktop Connection application on your local machine.

2. Download the Required ionCube Version

1. Open a web browser on your RDP VPS and go to the ionCube download page.

2. Select the appropriate ionCube loader version for your PHP version and operating system.

3. Download the .zip file to a convenient location on your VPS.

3. Move the File to the Required Folder

-> Extract the contents of the downloaded .zip file.

-> Open File Explorer and navigate to the extracted ionCube folder.
-> Copy the required ioncube_loader file (e.g., ioncube_loader_win_8.1.dll for PHP 8.1).
-> Navigate to the PHP extension directory, typically located at C:\Program Files (x86)\Plesk\Additional\PleskPHP81\ext.
-> Paste the ioncube_loader file into the ext directory.

Edit the php.ini file.

Login to Plesk Control Panel

1. Login to your Plesk control panel with admin credentials.

2. Navigate to PHP Settings

1. In the Plesk control panel, navigate to Tools & Settings in the left-hand menu.
   

2. Under the General Settings section, click on PHP Settings.

3. Edit the php.ini File

1. Select the PHP version you want to modify from the list (e.g., PHP 8.1).
2. Click on PHP Settings for that version.
3. Scroll down to the Configuration section and click on View the php.ini file.
4. Add the following line to the php.ini file:

zend_extension = "C:\Program Files (x86)\Plesk\Additional\PleskPHP81\ext\ioncube_loader_win_8.1.dll"

5. Save the changes to the php.ini file.

6. Naviagte to Tools & Settings > PHP Settings and select required php version from the list.

7. Scroll down to Loaded Extensions and confirm that ionCube Loader is listed and enable the ionCube.

Restart the Web Server

1. In the Plesk control panel, go to Tools & Settings > Services Management.

2. Click on Restart to apply the changes.

Verify ionCube Extension

Verify ionCube loader as mentioned below in the screenshot.

Conclusion

By following this guide, you’ll be able to protect your PHP applications with ionCube loader on a Plesk server effectively. If you encounter any issues, consult the ionCube documentation or seek assistance from your hosting provider.

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