Recently, a WordPress user encountered a critical site error after updating the Limit Login Attempts Reloaded (LLAR) plugin to version 2.25.18. The issue manifested as a HTTP 503 error with a minimal “Down for scheduled maintenance” message, indicating a potential problem with the plugin update.
Identifying the Problem
Upon checking the email notification from WordPress, the user found a PHP Fatal error in the server log, pointing to a failure in opening a required file within the LLAR plugin directory. The error specifically mentioned the file /data/web/•••/html/apps/••••••/wp-content/plugins/limit-login-attempts-reloaded/core/App.php.
Resolving the Critical Error with wp-cli
The user quickly opted for a solution using the WordPress Command Line Interface (wp-cli) to deactivate and reactivate the problematic plugin. Here are the steps they followed:
Deactivate LLAR Plugin:
$ ssh webhost
$ wp plugin deactivate limit-login-attempts-reloadedThe wp-cli reported success in deactivating the plugin, and the user cleared their browser cookies before attempting to log in again.
Reactivating LLAR Plugin:
$ wp plugin activate limit-login-attempts-reloaded The activation process was successful, and the user verified that both logged-in and anonymous access to the website worked fine.
Follow-Up and Speculation
While the user currently experiences no issues, they pondered whether LLAR performs cleanup routines or counter-resets during (re)-activation that might have resolved the critical error. This raises questions about the plugin’s internal mechanisms and the potential implications of its deactivation-reactivation fix.
Conclusion
In conclusion, if you encounter a critical site error after updating the Limit Login Attempts Reloaded plugin, consider using wp-cli to deactivate and reactivate the plugin as a potential solution. The user’s experience suggests that this process might trigger internal cleanup routines, resolving fatal errors. However, further investigation into the plugin’s behavior and potential improvements may be warranted.
This solution serves as a quick workaround, but users are advised to keep an eye on future updates from the plugin developer for a more permanent fix to prevent such issues.