Ubuntu 24.04 | CP v2.4.4 | File Manager -> Fix Permisions = 403 Forbidden

Hello,

I am facing strange issue with Ubuntu 24.04 | CP 2.4.4
When I upload files to my website I always go to File Manager → Fix Permissions and this fix all permissions issues and I can see website. But now when I go to File Manager → Fix Permisions = 403 Forbidden. Why?

I know that Ubuntu 24.04 is fully supported since CyberPanel v2.4.4 version and why Fix Permissions button is messing all files permissions and makes website 403 error?

If I run manually command via SSH:
chmod -R 777 /home/domain.com/public_html/
I can access website again, but why I need 777 permissions? I never had issues with Ubuntu 22.04 and using Fix Permissions button via File Manager. What has been changed here?

The issue you’re describing on Ubuntu 24.04 with CyberPanel 2.4.4 is related to permission handling changes in the latest Ubuntu release combined with how OpenLiteSpeed runs PHP processes under user isolation.

In Ubuntu 24.04, the default umask and file ownership model are slightly different, and when CyberPanel’s “Fix Permissions” button is used, it applies ownership recursively but may assign files to root or reset group permissions incorrectly — especially if the virtual host user (e.g. domain.com) isn’t properly mapped to the web server user (nobody, www-data, or nobody:nogroup depending on setup).

That’s why the site returns 403 Forbidden — the web server loses read access after “Fix Permissions”.

Those two commands are the correct and secure way to restore file and folder permissions.

• The first command

find /home/domain.com/public_html -type d -exec chmod 755 {} \;

sets all directories to 755 (readable and executable by everyone, writable only by the owner), which is required for the web server to access them.

• The second command

find /home/domain.com/public_html -type f -exec chmod 644 {} \;

• sets all files to 644 (readable by everyone, writable only by the owner), which is standard for web content.

Using these permissions is much safer than chmod -R 777, and it should fix the 403 errors as long as the files are owned by the correct user (for example, domain.com:domain.com or the user that runs the website).

That’s not the case. I have two servers on Ubuntu 24.04 and on one Fix Permissions working just fine and on the latest 2nd server it’s not. The problem is not chown (user group), the issue is in chmod and I know that these commands are safer:

find /home/domain.com/public_html -type d -exec chmod 755 {} \;
find /home/domain.com/public_html -type f -exec chmod 644 {} \;

But the reality is that these doesn’t work and still causing 403 error. Only this command fixes and make site accessible again, but why?

chmod -R 777 /home/domain.com/public_html/

How it is possible that on one Ubuntu server it’s working and on another it’s not. I don’t get it..