5.2.5 "Wordfence Upgrade not run. Please modify your .htaccess" Continual Alerts

Hi

We’re sorry you are having issues with Wordfence. What exactly does the alert say that you are getting? I want to make sure I understand the problem so I can better help you.

Thanks!

tim

Hi.

The exact message is pasted below. Again, please note that the “fix” described in your support bulletin at the link provided in the alert email HAS been applied. This has not abated these alert emails.

—-

This email was sent from your website “[website name]” by the Wordfence plugin at Thursday 25th of September 2014 at 11:42:25 PM
The Wordfence administrative URL for this site is: https://www.[domain].com/wordpress/wp-admin/admin.php?page=Wordfence

To preserve the integrity of your website we are not running Wordfence auto-update.
You are running the LiteSpeed web server which has been known to cause a problem with Wordfence auto-update.
Please go to your website now and make a minor change to your .htaccess to fix this.
You can find out how to make this change at:
https://support.wordfence.com/solution/articles/1000129050-running-wordfence-under-litespeed-web-server-and-preventing-process-killing-or

Alternatively you can disable auto-update on your website to stop receiving this message and upgrade Wordfence manually.

NOTE: You are using the free version of Wordfence. Upgrading to the paid version of Wordfence gives you
two factor authentication (sign-in via cellphone) and country blocking which are both effective methods to block attacks.
A Premium Wordfence license also includes remote scanning with each scan of your site which can detect
several additional website infections. Premium members can also schedule when website scans occur and
can scan more than once per day.

As a Premium member you also get access to our priority support system located at https://support.wordfence.com/ and can file
priority support tickets using our ticketing system.

Click here to sign-up for the Premium version of Wordfence now.
https://www.wordfence.com/wordfence-signup/

—
To change your alert options for Wordfence, visit:
https://www.[domain].com/wordpress/wp-admin/admin.php?page=WordfenceSecOpt
To see current Wordfence alerts, visit:
https://www.[domain].com/wordpress/wp-admin/admin.php?page=Wordfence

So, have you upgraded the plugin manually and the emails persist? I know that doesn’t fix the upgrade problem but I do want to address the annoyance factor as well.

tim

Hi Tim,

Exact same issue here and all updates have been made as per the email instructions.

Regards

Dan

Don’t understand your question, Tim. WF does not appear to be trying to push a new update through WordPress. I have therefore assumed that I already have the most current version. As I mentioned in the title of this post, I have 5.2.5. I have made the appropriate .htaccess modifications and nevertheless am receiving continual emails like the one I posted above – and this is slamming my inbox from several WordPress sites I manage multiple times a day.

Maybe I don’t understand what’s triggering this. I had thought that I could either 1) make the .htaccess modification, or 2) just turn off auto update because auto update would fail without the .htaccess mod on a LiteSpeed server. I modified .htaccess file because I wanted auto update to run without fail and did not turn off auto update.

Am I missing something here?

Tom

Tom
As I understand it Lightspeed causes the auto-update to fail, no matter what. The fix is to manually update the plugin at this time. I believe the dev team is looking into this. I’ll ask and update this ticket but likely it will be Monday before I hear back.

tim

Thank you, Tim.

As I have other auto-updating plugins, and even WordPress now auto updates itself on my LiteSpeed server without fail, it would seem this should be surmountable. And as for the WordPress auto updates, no .htaccess modifications were requited for it to work in my environment.

In the interim, what do you mean by “manually update the plugin”? Are you saying wait till a push notification alerts to a new update as with the vast majority of plugins, and then just tell WordPress to update the plugin?

Or are you saying Deactivate/Delete the plugin in WordPress and then go through the Add New/Activate process all over again?

Tom

Do you have ssh or ftp access? I almost never use the plugin installer, mostly because I manage a few sites with multiple app servers without a mounted plugins folder. I’ll be getting further clarification on this issue when I get in touch with the dev team. I’ll let you know what I find out.

tim

Any news from your dev team, Tim?

Hey Tom

Its been a busy weekend for us so I apologize for not getting back to you.

I meant actually ftp’ing a new version of the plugin to the plugins directory. There is something about Lightspeed that the dev guys are trying to hash out.

Something else to try, did I ask you to disable config caching on the options page? I’m wondering if something is just hung up and not seeing that you have updated (btw, 5.2.6 is out now)

tim

np Tim.

Okay, so apparently the auto update thing is working fine, but then to my knowledge it always did. My flagship web property, my internet radio station at https://www.girlsrockradio.com is auto updating.

Oh wait – I just looked and the auto update feature is turned off (the checkbox that says “Automatically updates Wordfence to the newest version within 24 hours of a new release.” is unchecked. huh? idk. Maybe it updated before I turned Auto Update off?

I’m going to turn it back on.

You did not previously ask me to disable config caching. It was unchecked, but is now checked.

Okay to recap then, on the Girls Rock Radio website:
Auto Update is CHECKED
Disable Config Caching is CHECKED
WordFence is still complaining about .htaccess with the message “Warning: You are running LiteSpeed web server and you don’t have the “noabort” variable set in your .htaccess.” which is displayed directly below the Auto Update checkbox.

The .htaccess file contains the following line:
RewriteRule .* – [E=noabort:1]

From what I can tell, having the Auto Update turned off silenced the email alerts on this site (other of my websites with it still checked are now and always have been complaining) but still allowed the auto update to 5.2.6. Having turned Auto Update back on, I am once again receiving email alerts from Girls Rock Radio’s website.

Yeah, turn the auto update off since that seems to be the issue.

So auto-update off
disable config caching checked
htacess rule in place

Is that right?

tim

And btw I liked the site. Good music. ??

Okay, I can maybe live with the auto update off, but I still haven’t got a clear understanding of what it looks like on the other side of that, and when I asked you about how to do updates when auto update is off, you answered with another question, lol.

So, does Wordfence push update notifications through the standard WordPress plugin update system so I can “manually” update Wordfence just like I would update any other plugin?

Thanks for stopping in and giving the station a listen. Glad you enjoyed your visit to Girls Rock Radio. Stop by anytime! ??

Never heard of Ladyhawke before today (the movie is another story. I saw that in the theater!) and loved her music. It was a welcome change to have some new stuff to listen to today. I may steal a banner and add it to a site or two I have. ??

Wordfence will still alert you that it needs an update, it just wont happen behind the scenes automatically. And. yes, you should be able to update it like you would any other plugin.

Oh, and I was asking that in case you had to ssh or ftp to the server and replace the plugin. You can probably do it through the update interface just fine.

tim

Yes, Ladyhawke has a great alternative sound. And I think if you come around and listen a little bit over several days, you’ll find Girls Rock Radio has a really amazing playlist with lots of moods and many unfamiliar, yet wonderful artists. Kind of addicting actually. Oh, and thanks for the banner support. I really ought to refresh the ones I have up there for you to “steal.” ??

I do have ftp access, but actually I use InfiniteWP (https://infinitewp.com/) to handle updates across all my websites. Since you run updates through the WordPress Repository, IWP should pick them up and take care of the update for me.

Thank you so much for all the help, Tim, and keep listening! ??