Scanning forever – stuck at scanning files for URLs

Hi punkum,
I suggest checking these possible reasons for this problem, if none of them helped, then please enable “Debugging mode” from “Wordfence > Tools => Diagnostics” then run a new scan and let me know if you can see any errors in the activity log.

Thanks.

Thank you for your response.
I went back through the ‘possible reasons’ and retried them. No better success.
Debug enabled, no errors I can see, but it is still stuck at the same place after running a very long time.

1. Should I leave it running? It doesnt seem to finish even after 24hrs?
2. Do I need to change some other setting?
3. “cut & paste” from the Detailed Activity Box:-

[Mar 13 17:21:02:1489386062.140169:4:info] Calling Wordfence API v2.23:https://noc1.wordfence.com/v2.23/?v=4.7.3&s=http%3A%2F%2Fwhytoread.com&k=e4620badf4b9963350804b2857d46c894e6f45fccf873f5f6af39aafffd46fff10b6179da5b02bf68aad9d33d27819376efbc727edebbaa4cb7edb545c39e284&openssl=268439647&phpv=5.4.45&betaFeed=0&cacheType=disabled&action=password_load_results
[Mar 13 17:21:00:1489386060.956450:4:info] Calling Wordfence API v2.23:https://noc1.wordfence.com/v2.23/?v=4.7.3&s=http%3A%2F%2Fwhytoread.com&k=e4620badf4b9963350804b2857d46c894e6f45fccf873f5f6af39aafffd46fff10b6179da5b02bf68aad9d33d27819376efbc727edebbaa4cb7edb545c39e284&openssl=268439647&phpv=5.4.45&betaFeed=0&cacheType=disabled&action=password_load_jobs
[Mar 13 16:43:54:1489383834.040550:4:info] Calling Wordfence API v2.23:https://noc1.wordfence.com/v2.23/?v=4.7.3&s=http%3A%2F%2Fwhytoread.com&k=e4620badf4b9963350804b2857d46c894e6f45fccf873f5f6af39aafffd46fff10b6179da5b02bf68aad9d33d27819376efbc727edebbaa4cb7edb545c39e284&openssl=268439647&phpv=5.4.45&betaFeed=0&cacheType=disabled&action=verify_googlebot&ip=72.21.217.130
[Mar 13 16:36:01:1489383361.273161:4:info] getMaxExecutionTime() returning config value: 15
[Mar 13 16:36:01:1489383361.270123:4:info] Got value from wf config maxExecutionTime: 15
[Mar 13 16:36:01:1489383361.268309:4:info] Calling startScan(true)
[Mar 13 16:36:01:1489383361.014605:4:info] Entered fork()
[Mar 13 16:36:01:1489383361.014256:4:info] Forking during hash scan to ensure continuity.
[Mar 13 16:36:01:1489383361.013349:2:info] Scanned contents of 993 additional files at 1.55 per second
[Mar 13 16:35:44:1489383344.089047:4:info] Scan process ended after forking.
[Mar 13 16:35:42:1489383342.996372:4:info] Scanning contents: wp-content/uploads/2013/04/This-Will-Make-You-Smarter-1.0-1300×500.jpg (Size:1.99M Mem:77.2M)
[Mar 13 16:35:42:1489383342.994059:2:info] Scanned contents of 992 additional files at 1.59 per second
[Mar 13 16:35:42:1489383342.111845:4:info] Scanning contents: wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Thinking-fast-and-slow.jpg (Size:93229B Mem:77.2M)
[Mar 13 16:35:41:1489383341.643133:4:info] Scanning contents: wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Thinking-fast-and-slow-900×600.jpg (Size:49135B Mem:77.2M)
[Mar 13 16:35:41:1489383341.641232:2:info] Scanned contents of 990 additional files at 1.59 per second
[Mar 13 16:35:41:1489383341.193315:4:info] Scanning contents: wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Thinking-fast-and-slow-900×500.jpg (Size:47821B Mem:77.2M)
[Mar 13 16:35:40:1489383340.799074:4:info] Scanning contents: wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Thinking-fast-and-slow-850×500.jpg (Size:41248B Mem:77.2M)

Many thanks
Fiona

Hi Fiona,
No, you shouldn’t keep it running for that long, you can click on “Click to kill the current scan.” link in the scan page to kill the current scan process.

Although I couldn’t see any timeout error in the activity log you provided earlier, I suggest disabling “Scan images, binary, and other files as if they were executable” option from scan options and try running a new scan.

Let me know how it goes,
Thanks.

Sorry for slow replies – have a few things happening.

This has come back up as URGENT as hostgators advising CPU “abuse” and blocking my account/sites. Speaking to them, they advise it is Wordfence that is doing the ‘abuse’ using too many resources. This has happened the last two nights now. I cant see any way to stop wordfence scanning (except paying?) Last night the scan terminated after 3hours as it reached time limit for scanning.

* removed ‘debug mode’
* unticked ‘scan images, binary and other files as if they were executable’

OMG, after looking like it was going to take ages and ages.. taking a few seconds to scan a file it suddenly finished, successfully. So I guess (?) it was the ‘as executable’ bit that was taking so long?

What are the risks of having this disabled? I am pretty sure it was enabled as a default (?).

Fingers crossed it will be ok tonight for the ‘regular’ scan.
THANK YOU for your assistance,
Fiona

No, these options aren’t enabled by default and you can keep them disabled for now, enabling “debugging mode” should only be a temporary thing you do in case there is a problem running a scan, and “scan images, binary and other files as if they were executable” should help in cleaning an infection that is related to having executable PHP codes embedded in images.

Also, you should try to enable “low resource scanning” option in this case.

Thanks.