If you’re developing or using any PHP applications that need to be secured, you may want to install ionCube Loader. ionCube Loader can be used to encode and secure PHP files.
It’s used chiefly with commercial PHP applications to provide another layer of security in an unpredictable world of website security. On Linux systems, including Ubuntu, it’s installed on the webserver (Physical) and made available to PHP configuration.
This brief tutorial shows students and new users how to download and install ionCube Loader on Ubuntu 16.04 / 17.10 and 18.04 servers with PHP 7.1 / 7.2 installed.
To install this PHP tool, follow the steps below:
Download ionCube Loader
There are other ways to install ionCube Loader; however, downloading and installing it manually is the safest way.
On 64-bit systems, use the link below:
cd /tmp && wget http://downloads3.ioncube.com/loader_downloads/ioncube_loaders_lin_x86-64.tar.gz
On 32-bit systems can use this link.
cd /tmp && wget http://downloads3.ioncube.com/loader_downloads/ioncube_loaders_lin_x86.tar.gz
After downloading the version for your platform, run the commands below to extract the loader.
tar xfz ioncube_loaders_lin_*.gz
After extracting the list of all ionCube versions.
ls ioncube
Validate PHP Version Installed
Before you begin using a particular ionCube loader version, you must validate the PHP version installed on the system. Then use that special loader for the specific PHP version.
To see which version of PHP is installed, run the commands below. You should see the PHP version installed on your system.
php -v
Output:
PHP 7.2.3-1ubuntu1 (cli) (built: Mar 14 2018 22:03:58) ( NTS )
Copyright (c) 1997-2018 The PHP Group
Zend Engine v3.2.0, Copyright (c) 1998-2018 Zend Technologies
with Zend OPcache v7.2.3-1ubuntu1, Copyright (c) 1999-2018, by Zend Technologies
Next, find the PHP extensions directory on the system by running the commands below
php -i | grep extension_dir
Output:
extension_dir => /usr/lib/php/20170718 => /usr/lib/php/20170718
You should see the directory PHP uses for its extensions.
Next, copy the ionCube loader into the PHP directory above by running the commands below. Do this for each loader for the particular PHP version.
sudo cp /tmp/ioncube/ioncube_loader_lin_7.1.so /usr/lib/php/20170718/ sudo cp /tmp/ioncube/ioncube_loader_lin_7.2.so /usr/lib/php/20170718/
When finished, open the default PHP config file and include the loader.
Use ionCube Loader with PHP
Now that you’ve downloaded, extracted, and copied the ionCube loader to the PHP directory, open the PHP configuration file and include the loader.
PHP with Nginx
sudo nano /etc/php/7.2/fpm/php.ini
PHP with Apache2
sudo nano /etc/php/7.2/apache2/php.ini
PHP with CLI
sudo nano /etc/php/7.2/cli/php.ini
PHP with CGI
sudo nano /etc/php/7.2/cgi/php.ini
Then add a line in the file to include the ionCube loader. It can be anywhere in the file below the [PHP] line. However, you’ll need to specify the exact location of the loader you copied above.
zend_extension = /usr/lib/php/20170718/ioncube_loader_lin_7.2.so
Save the file and restart PHP and the web server.
sudo systemctl restart apache2.service sudo systemctl restart php7.2-fpm.service
Now check PHP to see all modules installed. You should see the output below when you run the PHP CLI command if you add it to the CLI config.
php -v
Output:
PHP 7.2.3-1ubuntu1 (cli) (built: Mar 14 2018 22:03:58) ( NTS )
Copyright (c) 1997-2018 The PHP Group
Zend Engine v3.2.0, Copyright (c) 1998-2018 Zend Technologies
with the ionCube PHP Loader (enabled) + Intrusion Protection from ioncube24.com (unconfigured) v10.2.0, Copyright (c) 2002-2018, by ionCube Ltd.
with Zend OPcache v7.2.3-1ubuntu1, Copyright (c) 1999-2018, by Zend Technologies
Enjoy!
Thank you
Tried this a few times. Can’t get it working. The output of the php -v command doesn’t include “with the ionCube PHP Loader (enabled) + Intrusion Protection from ioncube24.com (unconfigured) v10.2.0, Copyright (c) 2002-2018, by ionCube Ltd” after I took all the steps of above. Tips?
i have the same problem. Did you find a soulution?
Try this link: https://kb.virtubox.net/knowledgebase/install-ioncube-loader-php72-ubuntu-18-04-lts/
Too good and simple steps. I used for my server after full day working. Its worked like champ!!!
Could you please tell me or explain how to use it ?, I can not find any practical example on the internet how to use this library, I want to encrypt my php code, thanks.
very good installation tutorial, could someone tell me or explain please how to use ?, I do not find any practical example on the internet how to use this library, I want to encrypt my php code, thanks.
I am using php 7.3 and the latest version comes with a .so file for it. You should add this to your post:
sudo cp /tmp/ioncube/ioncube_loader_lin_7.3.so /usr/lib/php/20170718/