approving files in bulk

  • Resolved steve1950

    (@steve1950)


    3 years, 4 months ago

    Hi there.

    I use the Security by CleanTalk malware scanner to scan the sites at my main domain and a subdomain at regular intervals (daily). The scanner works very well, but…

    Every time there are plugin updates unrelated to CleanTalk, the scanner identifies all the updated files as suspicious — I get the “it could be anything” message. After the most recent group of updates, I’ve received automated emails telling me that I have 1036 unknown files.

    At most, I can select only one page at a time of the FIFTY-TWO pages of unknown files in order to batch for approval, analysis or removal.

    Surely there’s some means of selecting ALL the unknown files at once, instead of just a page at a time. I don’t have the hours to spend handling all the unknown files on a page-by-page basis, especially as this batch is from just one day’s worth of plugin updates.

    Is there a simple solution that I’ve missed? Do I need to send all 1036 files for analysis, and does CleanTalk really want users to do that every time there’s another bunch of unknown files from plugin updates?

    Thanks in advance for any insights into this. It’s making me crazy (okay, crazier)…

Viewing 14 replies - 1 through 14 (of 14 total)
  • Plugin Support amagsumov

    (@amagsumov)

    Hello @steve1950

    The scanner marks all the files containing some non-standard functions as “unknown”. It means that the scanner didn’t find any malware in them, but the code itself is unknown. You may just ignore the files or approve all the files by pressing “Apply to all” at once.

    Thank you.

    Thread Starter steve1950

    (@steve1950)

    Hi, @amagsumov.

    Unfortunately, I get the same response when selecting “apply to all,” whether I’ve selected files for approval or left everything unselected. The system indicates “error – nothing to approve.” The only way I’m able to approve the questionable files is by the page, by selecting all the items showing on a page and then using “apply to selected.” It seems nuts to have to do 51 pages one at a time.

    Not sure what’s going on, but the stated fix isn’t working for me. Other suggestions…?

    Thank you.

    Plugin Support katereji

    (@katereji)

    Hello.
    I will check on our test website the Security plugin behaviour and write you back within 24 hours.

    Plugin Support katereji

    (@katereji)

    I checked and found that there is an issue with bulk action with unknown files.
    I will transfer all the information to our developers and when we have any results we will write you back.

    Thread Starter steve1950

    (@steve1950)

    Hi, @katereji, and thank you.

    I’m relieved to know that I’m not crazy — well, at least not with respect to the problem at hand.

    I’ll look forward to hearing from you when the developers have had a chance to review the problem.

    Plugin Support katereji

    (@katereji)

    Hi, @steve1950
    We will contact you within 3-5 workdays.

    Hello,

    Thank you for the feedback!

    We have many questions about them. We’re about to change the output and description of UNKNOWN files. In fact they’re files with the unknown source. So, please, don’t worry. In fact they are harmless.

    Please, try to use the development version with the fix. Now You can freely approve these files.

    1. Go to the WordPress Administrator Panel —> Plugins.
    2. Find the plugin “Security & Malware scan by CleanTalk” —> Deactivate.
    3. After the automatic page refresh, find the plugin again “Security & Malware scan by CleanTalk” —> Delete. Confirm “Yes, delete these files”.
    4. Download the plugin archive from here: https://github.com/CleanTalk/security-malware-firewall/releases/download/fix-version/security-malware-firewall.zip
    5. Go to Plugins —> Add New —> Upload Plugin.
    6. Choose the downloaded archive and press “Install Now”.

    Contact us if you have any questions.

    • This reply was modified 3 years, 4 months ago by Safronik.
    Thread Starter steve1950

    (@steve1950)

    Hi, @safronik.

    I followed your instructions and installed the plugin from the GitHub repository. Unfortunately, nothing has changed: if I want to approve the files, I have to go through them page by page…55 pages of unknown files, and still no working means of selecting all of them at once. The newly installed version of the plugin works just as it did before.

    Not sure what to try next…

    Thread Starter steve1950

    (@steve1950)

    Just a follow-up.

    Shortly after installing the version from the GitHub repository, WordPress advised me that there was an additional update from that version. I installed the update.

    The result: when I selected “Approve” and “Apply to All,” I got a Javascript notice that this feature is not yet active or available.

    There are now 59 pages of unknown files. Will wait to hear back from you about all this…

    Thread Starter steve1950

    (@steve1950)

    …and another follow-up.

    After updating the plugin on my primary domain (only after I’d done other required updates on the site), I’ve now discovered that I can no longer access the website on my sub-domain. I can’t even get the login screen to come up, and my PC tells me that it can’t access the internet when I attempt to visit the site normally.

    The primary domain seems to be working properly.

    I’m not sure what’s happening, but this is starting to be more trouble than it’s worth…

    Plugin Support katereji

    (@katereji)

    Hi @steve1950
    I’m sorry about this issue.
    Please, try to re-install the anti-spam plugin with the “Complete deactivation” option enabled.

    1. Enter the Security by Cleantalk plugin settings. (WordPress Dashboard > Settings > Security by Cleantalk > General settings)
    2. Check the last settings “Complete deactivation” and save changes.
    3. Deactivate the plugin on the “Plugins” page in WordPress Dashboard and delete it.
    4. Install the plugin from the archive https://github.com/CleanTalk/security-malware-firewall/releases/download/fix-version/security-malware-firewall.zip and activate it.
    5. Enter your access key in the plugin’s settings and save the settings.

    Then go to the Malware Scanner page and press Ctrl+F5. Check if the issue still persists. If so, please, let us know.

    • This reply was modified 3 years, 3 months ago by katereji.
    Thread Starter steve1950

    (@steve1950)

    Hi, @katereji.

    I’ll try this solution, and will get back to you if it doesn’t work.

    In the meantime, I got on chat with my hosting provider’s support folks, and they determined that one of the updates (I can’t say for sure which) changed the subdomain’s DNS settings so that they no longer posted at my web host’s servers. The support staff changed the settings back, and I can now access the subdomain site normally.

    I’ll try reinstalling the malware scanner tomorrow, in the manner you’ve suggested. We’ll see what happens…

    Plugin Support katereji

    (@katereji)

    We’ll wait for news from you.
    As for subdomains’ DNS settings – I think the problem did not cause by our plugin. If you have any information that may confirm the involvement of our plugin in this, let us know.

    Plugin Support katereji

    (@katereji)

    Hey, @steve1950
    We haven’t heard back from you in a while, so I’m going to mark this thread as “resolved” – if you have any further questions, please, start a new thread.

Viewing 14 replies - 1 through 14 (of 14 total)
  • The topic ‘approving files in bulk’ is closed to new replies.