wordfence scan critical error

Where did you download a theme from? How? Any chance it went to the wrong folder? If you haven’t yet created any important content, just to be safe, I suggest you wipe everything off the public html portion of your server and delete the WP database tables, then start over with a fresh new installation, including downloading a new zipped copy of WP.

It might have taken you a while to do all of this the first time. This time it will go much faster. With a little practice, doing all of this is not a big deal at all.

This time be sure you have a stable, functioning installation using the default theme before you start trying out various themes.

found the theme here
downloaded it to my computer from here

and uploaded it through wordpress

Went into the right folder

I haven’t done anything in the cron file

found the theme here

downloaded it to my computer from here

and uploaded it through wordpress

Went into the right folder

I haven’t done anything in the cron file

Have done what you suggested and when I uploaded the script for wordfence just left the themes on that are already loaded
Downloaded wordfence, did a scan and got the same message as above.

Could it be the hosting company??

~https://www.ukbasedwriters.co.uk/?_wfsf=diff&nonce=262a17cdc9&file=wp-includes%2Fcron.php&cType=core&cKey=&cName=&cVersion=~

I’m afraid I only have a crude understanding of how wordfence works, so I’m largely guessing at this point. I don’t think your host would have any effect on wordfence in regards to core files. Perhaps with other files if a caching scheme were in place, but not core files.

What I was looking for with my previous suggestion was to establish a baseline out of the box installation, including the use of a default theme. Leaving the skeleton theme activated would thus be counter productive. I’m expecting something about this theme is causing wordfence to throw the error, a default installation where wordfence is content would confirm this beyond any doubt.

Assuming that is what happens, the next step is to confirm the cron.php file has been actually modified. If not, wordfence is likely throwing a false positive for some reason. If the file was in fact modified by the theme, I would suggest you search for another theme. The theme could very well be doing this for completely ordinary reasons and there is nothing untoward about this action. Still, I would consider any theme that modifies core files as poorly written and would stay away from it on principle.

Iit is not the theme as when I deleted everything and reloaded wordpress I used the 2014 theme that is already loaded the. Downloaded wordfence and it still comes up with the same error

Ah, I obviously misunderstood, my apologies.

In that case, I can’t imagine why wordfence would have an issue with a completely fresh, default installation. Maybe you are right, there is something about you host, though I can’t imagine what that may be. But as I said, my understanding of the inner workings of wordfence is limited, so I could easily be missing something. I’m sorry I can’t be of better help.

If you haven’t yet tried inquiring with the wordfence authors, you really should. Best of luck to you.