Title: Plugin causes Fatal error
Last modified: March 2, 2021

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# Plugin causes Fatal error

 *  Resolved [CloudedDottedMind](https://wordpress.org/support/users/cloudeddottedmind/)
 * (@cloudeddottedmind)
 * [5 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-causes-fatal-error-7/)
 * Hi,
 * The plugin causes this error:
    PHP Fatal error: Unknown: Failed opening required‘…/
   wordfence-waf.php’ (include _path=’…/user/share/php’) in Unknown on line 0
 * We have been trying to set up a staging copy of our site for development work
   but the error is blocking this, and somehow happens despite deactivating the 
   plugin.
 * Thanks

Viewing 10 replies - 1 through 10 (of 10 total)

 *  Thread Starter [CloudedDottedMind](https://wordpress.org/support/users/cloudeddottedmind/)
 * (@cloudeddottedmind)
 * [5 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-causes-fatal-error-7/#post-14125258)
 * WordPress version 5.6.2
    Current theme: genesis customised market child theme
   by restored 316 Current plugin: Wordfence Security (version 7.4.14) PHP version
   7.3
 *  Plugin Support [wfpeter](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wfpeter/)
 * (@wfpeter)
 * [5 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-causes-fatal-error-7/#post-14127671)
 * Hi [@cloudeddottedmind](https://wordpress.org/support/users/cloudeddottedmind/),
   thanks for your question and sorry to see you’re having some trouble with the
   waf.
 * It looks to me like there is still a live path specified for the Wordfence WAF
   so it’s seeking that out when you load the staging site. As the filesystem will
   be different on your staging site, this is likely the issue. The change needs
   to be made in **.htaccess** which explains why it still occurs when Wordfence
   is disabled. If you open your .htaccess with the file manager/editor of your 
   choice and alter the `auto_prepend_file` path to `/replace/with/staging/site/
   path/wordfence-waf.php`, then this should help resolve the problem.
 * Thanks,
 * Peter.
 *  Thread Starter [CloudedDottedMind](https://wordpress.org/support/users/cloudeddottedmind/)
 * (@cloudeddottedmind)
 * [5 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-causes-fatal-error-7/#post-14128383)
 * Hi Peter,
 * thank you – do you mean I should do this on the live website? The staging site
   is generated through our web host, LiquidWeb, and it simply won’t work at the
   moment so I wouldn’t be able to do this on it.
 * Thanks
 *  Plugin Support [wfpeter](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wfpeter/)
 * (@wfpeter)
 * [5 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-causes-fatal-error-7/#post-14129074)
 * Hi [@cloudeddottedmind](https://wordpress.org/support/users/cloudeddottedmind/),
 * No, please only change the `auto_prepend_file` path for the staging site when
   you are able to. I am working on the assumption that it won’t work due to being
   a clone or backup of the live site, and the files are in a different directory
   structure to your live site.
 * The .htaccess can be changed either via FTP or in the host’s control panel (file
   manager) and does not need access to the site’s front-end or WordPress dashboard
   to change.
 * Thanks,
 * Peter.
 *  Thread Starter [CloudedDottedMind](https://wordpress.org/support/users/cloudeddottedmind/)
 * (@cloudeddottedmind)
 * [5 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-causes-fatal-error-7/#post-14129294)
 * Thanks Peter,
 * I am in the staging site’s htaccess via FTP, however I can’t see anything from
   Wordfence or a line with auto_prepend_file.
 * Thanks
 *  Thread Starter [CloudedDottedMind](https://wordpress.org/support/users/cloudeddottedmind/)
 * (@cloudeddottedmind)
 * [5 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-causes-fatal-error-7/#post-14138607)
 * Hi again, I noticed on the scan results there is a server state issue flagged,
   and when I look at the logs I see this:
 * [Mar 05 03:05:32:1614931532.238760:1:error] Scan Engine Error: The signature 
   on the request to start a scan is invalid. Please try again.
 * I’d test this by disabling plugins but cannot do it live. I tried this with the
   troubleshooting plugin but no luck.
 *  Plugin Support [wfpeter](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wfpeter/)
 * (@wfpeter)
 * [5 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-causes-fatal-error-7/#post-14141481)
 * Hi [@cloudeddottedmind](https://wordpress.org/support/users/cloudeddottedmind/),
 * Do you see a **.user.ini** file containing the auto_prepend_file code rather 
   than .htaccess?
 * For the scan engine issue, can you do the following so I can get the information
   I need to help you?
    - Kill the existing scan if it is still running (The “Start New Scan” button
      turns in to a “Stop” button while the scan is running)
    - Go to your Scan > Scan Options and Scheduling page and locate the “Performance
      Options”
       Set “Maximum execution time for each scan stage” to 20 on the options
      page
    - Click to “Save Changes”
    - Go to the Tools > Diagnostics page
    - In the “Debugging Options” section check the circle “Enable debugging mode”
    - Click to “Save Changes”.
    - Start a new scan
    - Copy the last 20 lines from the Log (click the “Show Log” link) or so of the
      activity log once the scan finishes and paste them in the post.
 * It may also be helpful to provide us with a diagnostic report to **wftest @ wordfence.
   com**. You can find the link to do so at the top of the **Wordfence Tools > Diagnostics**
   page. Then click on **“Send Report by Email”**. Please add your forum username
   where indicated and _respond here after you have sent it._
 * _**Note:** For the fastest response time, please make sure and add any information
   or questions directly to this topic and not the email address above unless asked._
 * Thanks again,
 * Peter.
 *  Thread Starter [CloudedDottedMind](https://wordpress.org/support/users/cloudeddottedmind/)
 * (@cloudeddottedmind)
 * [5 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-causes-fatal-error-7/#post-14149462)
 * Hi Peter,
 * That worked for the staging site! I found a user.ini file and replaced the path
   which fixed the problem. Thank you!
 * For the scan issue, I’ve followed the steps and emailed the scan results. There
   was no option to link to this thread however…
 * Quick something I’ve seen on the scan page is this:
 * [MAR 08 06:02:13] Notice: Undefined index: available in /home/s2/html/wp-content/
   plugins/ithemes-sync/lib/updater/information.php on line 49 Notice: Undefined
   index: package-url in /home/s2/html/wp-content/plugins/ithemes-sync/lib/updater/
   information.php on line 51 Notice: Undefined index: version in /home/s2/html/
   wp-content/plugins/wordfence/lib/wfScanEngine.php on line 1696 Notice: Undefined
   index: version in /home/s2/html/wp-content/plugins/wordfence/lib/wfScanEngine.
   php on line 1716 0
 * Thank you
 *  Plugin Support [wfpeter](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wfpeter/)
 * (@wfpeter)
 * [5 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-causes-fatal-error-7/#post-14154855)
 * Hi [@cloudeddottedmind](https://wordpress.org/support/users/cloudeddottedmind/)
   thanks for getting back to me.
 * I’m glad the staging site is fixed. The other notices you’re seeing are non-fatal
   so shouldn’t affect the running of your site but I do have some advice.
 * For the first two (‘available’ and ‘package-url’), you could try reaching out
   to the [ithemes-sync](https://wordpress.org/plugins/ithemes-sync/) developers
   to see if there is a known reason for these variable names being undefined.
 * For the third one related to Wordfence, ‘version’ being an undefined index occurs
   when Wordfence is checking whether your installed plugin versions match those
   on the WordPress.org repository. Sometimes, plugin developers mistakenly don’t
   include a version number so Wordfence is unable to check it. If you wish, you
   can disable all plugins except for Wordfence, then reenable them one-by-one to
   see when this notice occurs. Once you find the plugin responsible, you could 
   also reach out to their development team to see if they’re aware of the version
   number being omitted from their latest release.
 * Thanks again,
 * Peter.
 *  Thread Starter [CloudedDottedMind](https://wordpress.org/support/users/cloudeddottedmind/)
 * (@cloudeddottedmind)
 * [5 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-causes-fatal-error-7/#post-14154995)
 * Thanks Peter, this makes sense!

Viewing 10 replies - 1 through 10 (of 10 total)

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 * 10 replies
 * 2 participants
 * Last reply from: [CloudedDottedMind](https://wordpress.org/support/users/cloudeddottedmind/)
 * Last activity: [5 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-causes-fatal-error-7/#post-14154995)
 * Status: resolved