Moving / Migrating / Backing up WEB Page – 2FA (previous) settings (WHAT)

  • Resolved Panos

    (@xpanos)


    4 years, 3 months ago

    Hi
    Found some general infos, on a site migration or just backin up a site (a quite frequent operation for anyone) in your site’ link:
    https://www.wordfence.com/help/advanced/remove-or-reset/#migrate-with-wordfence

    Doesnt explain though what is happening with the 2FA authentification adgustment between the moving site’s behavior on the next server migration or just the retrieval of the site in a previous state, for any reason you migrate it.

    Can you clarify what with the 2FA settings? how can we keep it if we delete all the Wordfence tables and data?

    If we “Import/Export Options” and click “Export Wordfence Options”. Save the export token in a safe place.” claim, do we keep all the 2FA settings and when imported to the new site installation (migration) throu our AUTHY Api’ code, will work? Are the 5 Safety Codes Worfdence 2FA creates, still usable on new migrated site?

    Any enlightment on the subject is welcomed, whether on answering on the questions above, or in general on that matter.

    Thanx
    Stay safe

    • This topic was modified 4 years, 3 months ago by Panos.
Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)
  • Plugin Support wfpeter

    (@wfpeter)

    Hi @xpanos, thanks for seeking clarification on 2FA with a site backup.

    If you fully backup an entire WordPress site (in order to migrate it to an alternative server/location), ensure it includes the tables wp_wfls_2fa_secrets and wp_wfls_settings from your current installation. Once the site is restored, provided there are no changes to alter the accepted 2FA code like a server time discrepancy, any Authy codes and backup codes should still be valid.

    If you were to ever remove/reset Wordfence as you describe from the link, the two tables mentioned above are always preserved unless you check the additional Delete Login Security tables and data on deactivation option in Wordfence > Login Security > Settings.

    When exporting all Wordfence options, this will preserve most of the configuration options you have selected throughout the plugin, whereas the important 2FA data is stored in the database rather than in this export.

    Please note that after a reset you would need to optimize the firewall again and disable Learning Mode too. Also, firewall settings like allowlist entries cannot be exported so make a note of these beforehand if you have any.

    I hope this helps you out.

    Thanks,

    Peter.

    • This reply was modified 4 years, 3 months ago by wfpeter.
    Thread Starter Panos

    (@xpanos)

    Thank you @wfpeter

    So to be clear. In my frequent backups for a site on air and in case we want to retrieve the site from a previous backup with the previous 2FA Authentification to be enabled:

    Before the full site’s backup, we turning firewall to learning mode or disable the wordfence totally?

    In any case if I understand correctly the 2FA authentification doesnt go away if I disable wordfence neither if I delete the Wordfence tables and data on deactivation, under Dashboard => Wordfence => Global options => General Options ?

    If Im right, for a proper migration without to have problem of breakage of Wordfence and stil keep my 2FA auth system, Im disabling Wordfence and delete wordfence data (not the security tables, under the ‘Login Security Settings’) and when I migrate I login to my new migrated site with my 2FA token, normally, importing my previous General Wordfence settings and its done?

    • This reply was modified 4 years, 3 months ago by Panos.
    • This reply was modified 4 years, 3 months ago by Panos.
    Plugin Support wfpeter

    (@wfpeter)

    Hi @xpanos, thanks for the extra information.

    You do not need to set the firewall to Learning Mode, you would just need to disable Learning Mode if going through the plugin reset process without losing 2FA data: https://www.wordfence.com/help/advanced/remove-or-reset/

    You are correct that 2FA will be preserved when disabling the plugin unless you state for the tables I mentioned before to be deleted on deactivation.

    Provided your migration is done from a full site backup with database tables to a server with the same timezone set, it will keep 2FA in tact. If you do get locked out during this process, there are ways as a site admin that you can regain access and reset 2FA in a “worst case” scenario, but I don’t foresee this from what you describe.

    Thanks again,

    Peter.

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