How to RESET iThemes Security plugin to fix issues

  • As many others, a few of our websites got screwed by iThemes Security “upgrade”. We had login issues where we were redirected to homepage.

    There issue is somewhere in the database, it gets screwed up with an upgrade. I did not have time trying to figure out the problem, that’s for the plugin developers. BUT, I needed to fix sites. So here’s how I fixed my sites by resetting this plugin’s database.

    This is not for the faint of hearts, it requires some technical knowledge to edit your database tables.

    BACKUP DATABASE! BACKUP DATABASE! BACKUP DATABASE!
    Use phpMyAdmin to export your database. See Google for details or
    see this article https://www.techrepublic.com/blog/smb-technologist/import-and-export-databases-using-phpmyadmin/

    INSTRUCTIONS
    1. Through FTP or cPanel file manager, go to /wp-content/plugins/
    2. Rename “better-wp-security” folder to something else like “better-wp-security2”
    3. Plugin is disabled and your admin is back working.
    4. Now, the reset. You need to access your database, ideally through phpMyAdmin interface in your control panel (cPanel).
    5. If you have many websites, locate your correct database for the website you’re working on. You can match database name to the name inside wp-config.php file.
    6. Click database name to select and load it.
    7. On the right side you will see a list of tables.
    NOTE: THIS IS A GOOD TIME TO BACKUP/EXPORT YOUR DATABASE. YOU’VE BEEN WARNED.
    8. Delete tables with “itsec” – see screenshot
    https://i.imgur.com/PHLITDW.png
    9. Go to your “options” table, click it.
    10. Sort by “option_name” by clicking the header, and making sure you got rows sorted A-Z.
    11. Find option_name rows starting with letter I.
    12. Look for “itsec” options. See screenshot.
    https://i.imgur.com/MTqTn4h.png
    13. Select all of them. If you’re at the end of the current page, make sure you delete options and check next page to make sure you get them all.
    14. Once you delete these options. Go back to FTP/File Manager.
    15. Rename folder back to it’s original name “better-wp-security”.
    16. Login to your UNBROKEN website using normal wp-login.php URL.
    17. Go to Plugins and activate this nasty plugin back.
    18. It should be fine, you HAVE TO GO THROUGH SETTINGS AGAIN and set it up to protect your WordPress. We deleted all settings!
    19. Carry on WordPressing.
    20. Still here? Go.

    It fixed our homepage redirect issue, but it may fix other issues as well that you might be experiencing. Please be careful and test.

    ??

    https://www.ads-software.com/plugins/better-wp-security/

Viewing 7 replies - 106 through 112 (of 112 total)

  • This fix is working good for me.
    I have 6 websites and 3 of them ithemes security locked me out. I’m back in 2 of them and am about to fix the 3rd and final one.
    thank you

    Thread Starter Viktor Nagornyy

    (@viktorix)

    All in One is a bit better because it has brute force/login feature, but keep in mind this: if you use cookie based feature in that plugin, occasionally you will get “locked out” but you simply need to clear cache, which clears the cookie.

    buzzmandt, great, happy it worked.

    Hi Viktor,

    Wow, it is 05.40 in the morning. I haven’t slept all night, but I’ve managed to get my site back from ithemes.

    I deleted the dbase file in phpmyadmin, the .htaccess file, as well as disabled the settings in wordpress.
    There was nothing in my wp-config.php, but when I ran a debug by changing false to true I found that some items have been depreciated.
    I also received database error for the items deleted from the database.

    If I delete the plugin now, will it delete all its troubles (properties) from my site? I just want to get rid of it completely now. I’ve deleted, disabled and re-installed it several times before due to this logout problems. But now I want it gone for ever because its not worth the sleepless nights.
    Kindly let me know if I have done the right thing pls.
    Thanks

    Thread Starter Viktor Nagornyy

    (@viktorix)

    hey wtwp,
    yes, if you remove the plugin folder and delete database tables and options I listed in the original instructions – then the plugin should be gone. Do check htaccess to make sure nothing is left behind, just default WordPress rules.

    This should completely remove the plugin. I just did it on our main site, since it began causing issues with Editor role getting 404 error.

    Hi Viktor,
    Thanks for responding. Sorry I’m not that techie!
    To remove the plugin folder means delete it completely? (currently deactivated).
    Database tables have been deleted.

    The options you listed I assume are checking the wp-config.php for ssl and .htaccess files?
    I just checked those 2, and nothing there apart from a line of code in htaccess that said # END Itsec…, I have now deleted that line. The only 2 items in my htaccess folder are W3TC Page Cache… and # END WordPress …
    Also in my debug there were some things I don’t understand. For example,

    Deprecated: Assigning the return value of new by reference is deprecated in /home4/aaa/public_html/mysite.com/wp-content/plugins/dd-formmailer/dd-formmailer.php on line 2361

    Checking this plugin, it is no longer on WordPress directory (discontinued). I thought about it before now as I already deleted other obsolete plugins. Will deleting it resolve this issue? This is one of my sites built in 2011 by a developer, so now I’m remodeling it myself now.

    I have BPS installed on one site, its ok but the annoying thing is the constant log files I receive ?? Since I’ve not had any logout issue with that, i think I will have it on other sites as well.

    Once I’m sure I’m doing the right thing I will delete both plugins.
    Thanks
    Chris.

    Thread Starter Viktor Nagornyy

    (@viktorix)

    Hi Chris,
    Yes, that error means that plugin uses an old function that was replaced by a new one function. This is a notice, it still actually works for now.

    But yes, removing folders for these plugins (or using delete link in admin) will completely remove files from your system.

    For dd-formmailer plugin, deactivate it before deleting it.

    If you need more help with your sites, do check link in my profile.

    Thanks, will do ??

Viewing 7 replies - 106 through 112 (of 112 total)
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