What is .well-known?

Ironically, not that well known – even among technies!

You’ve seen it in cPanel and you’re wondering what this new folder is. “Well known you say – certainly isn’t to me!”. As already mentioned you’re far from alone.

But have I…?

No, you’ve not. The first question you want in answering is, ‘have I been hacked’. All security-conscious website owners these days ask the very same question when random files and folders appear on their hosting area – and if they’re not, they should be!

On the contrary, having this folder is a demonstration of the fact that you are security conscious and you care about your visitors!

The reason you have your not-so-well-known well-known folder is because you are using the Comodo AutoSSL feature – a nifty little tool for effortlessly managing your websites SSL certificate. Comodo AutoSSL places text files in here that are used to validate the domain.

Why is it doing this?

Comodo AutoSSL is doing this as it uses the text files to validate your domain name. Comodo must validate your domain name prior to issuing it with an SSL certificate.

What should I do with .well-known?

Absolutely nothing. Just leave it there, let Comodo sort out your SSL’s and keep the valid and live a happy and secure web life!