Title: Problem with wp-config.php permissions
Last modified: August 22, 2016

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# Problem with wp-config.php permissions

 *  Resolved [Leandro](https://wordpress.org/support/users/leandroprz/)
 * (@leandroprz)
 * [11 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/problem-with-wp-configphp-permissions/)
 * I have Remove File Writing Permissions turned on, but on my dashboard under File
   System Information it says “wp-config.php File is Writable: Yes”, under Completed
   it says “Your wp-config.php and .htaccess files are not writeable.” and under
   WordPress File Permissions it says “wp-config.php: Suggestion 444 Value 0644 –
   WARNING”.
 * Anybody else is having this problem? I’m using iThemes Security v4.6.3.
 * Thanks
 * [https://wordpress.org/plugins/better-wp-security/](https://wordpress.org/plugins/better-wp-security/)

Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)

 *  [dwinden](https://wordpress.org/support/users/dwinden/)
 * (@dwinden)
 * [11 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/problem-with-wp-configphp-permissions/#post-5721346)
 * Yes, it reproduces quite easily.
 * 1. Dashboard Completed – “Your wp-config.php and .htaccess files are not writeable.”
   
   line corresponds with Settings – “Remove File Writing Permissions” checkbox enabled.
 * 2. WordPress File Permissions – “wp-config.php\.htaccess: Suggestion 444 Value
   0644 – WARNING”
    lines correspond with the File System Information – “.htaccess\
   wp-config.php File is Writable: Yes\No”.
 * However the way it works now (4.6.4) 1 and 2 do not necessarily have to be in
   sync … it does for .htaccess but it does not (always) for wp-config.php.
 * The reason for this (besides that you can always change permissions on files 
   outside WordPress) is that enabling the “Remove File Writing Permissions” checkbox
   does nothing more than setting a write_permissions flag.
    However refreshing 
   the iTSec page (which happens automatically when settings are saved) has immediate
   effect, by using the write_permissions flag, for the permissions on the .htaccess
   file while wp-config.php permissions stay untouched … (You could argue this is
   a bug but read on … I would be interested in iThemes thoughts on this though …)
 * chmod 444 on the wp-config.php will take place when you change another setting
   that needs to be effectuated by a change in the wp-config.php
    For instance enable
   the “Disable File Editor” checkbox under the WordPress Tweaks section. Click 
   on the “Save All Changes” button. Now check the WordPress File Permissions on
   the iTSec Dashboard … Notice we now also have 0444 permissions on the wp-config.
   php file and status is OK !
 * At the bottom of the Dashboard in the “wp-config.php Rules” metabox the following
   lines are added:
 * //The entry below were created by iThemes Security to disable the file editor
   
   define( ‘DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT’, true );
 * dwinden
 *  Thread Starter [Leandro](https://wordpress.org/support/users/leandroprz/)
 * (@leandroprz)
 * [11 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/problem-with-wp-configphp-permissions/#post-5721353)
 * I already had Disable File Editor enabled, so I disabled it and re-enabled it
   and now it says “wp-config.php = 444”.
 * Thanks!
 *  [dwinden](https://wordpress.org/support/users/dwinden/)
 * (@dwinden)
 * [11 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/problem-with-wp-configphp-permissions/#post-5721358)
 * Thank you for your confirmation.
 * As it looks like your question has been answered please mark this topic as “Resolved”.
 * dwinden

Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)

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## Tags

 * [chmod](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/chmod/)
 * [permissions](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/permissions/)
 * [php file](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/php-file/)
 * [wp-config](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/wp-config/)

 * 3 replies
 * 2 participants
 * Last reply from: [dwinden](https://wordpress.org/support/users/dwinden/)
 * Last activity: [11 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/problem-with-wp-configphp-permissions/#post-5721358)
 * Status: resolved