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Troubleshooting a Blank or Infinitely Loading Sucuri Security Dashboard

22 threads Sep 11, 2025

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Many users of the 'Sucuri Security – Auditing, Malware Scanner and Security Hardening' plugin encounter a common and frustrating issue: a blank screen or an endlessly loading spinner when trying to access the plugin's dashboard or specific tabs like 'WordPress Integrity' or the malware scanner. This problem can stem from various causes, making it difficult to pinpoint a single solution.

Based on community reports and troubleshooting threads, here are the most effective methods to diagnose and resolve a blank Sucuri dashboard.

Why This Happens

A blank or loading page typically indicates a PHP error or process failure that is being suppressed. Instead of displaying an error message, the page fails to render correctly. Common culprits include server configuration conflicts, insufficient resources, plugin conflicts, or a temporary bug in the plugin's code.

How to Fix a Blank Sucuri Dashboard

1. Enable Debugging to Find Hidden Errors

The first and most crucial step is to force WordPress to reveal any hidden PHP errors or warnings.

  1. Access your website's files via FTP or your web host's file manager.
  2. Locate and edit the wp-config.php file in your WordPress root directory.
  3. Find the line that says define('WP_DEBUG', false);.
  4. Replace it with the following lines: 
    define('WP_DEBUG', true);
define('WP_DEBUG_LOG', true);
define('WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', false);
  5. Save the file and upload it back to your server.
  6. Now, try to reload the blank Sucuri dashboard page. This will not display errors on the screen but will write them to a log file called debug.log in the /wp-content/ directory.
  7. Check this log file for any recent error messages related to the Sucuri plugin. The specific error will directly guide your next steps.

2. Check Browser Console for JavaScript Errors

Some dashboard elements load asynchronously using JavaScript. A JS error can halt this process.

  1. Open your browser's Developer Tools (usually by pressing F12).
  2. Click on the "Console" tab.
  3. Refresh the Sucuri dashboard page.
  4. Look for any red error messages in the console. These errors can sometimes point to conflicts with browser extensions or other scripts. As seen in one thread, an error like Error in event handler for (unknown) was traced to a browser extension, not the plugin itself.

3. Increase PHP Memory Limit and Execution Time

The file integrity and malware scans are resource-intensive. If your server kills the process for exceeding limits, it can result in a blank page.

  • Memory Limit: Try increasing the PHP memory limit to at least 256MB. You can often do this by adding define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M'); to your wp-config.php file.
  • Max Execution Time: Increase the PHP max_execution_time to 120 or 180 seconds. This is usually done in the php.ini file or via your hosting control panel.

4. Disable Specific Scanner Modules

If the dashboard is blank but other tabs load, the issue might be with a specific scanner trying to run on the dashboard page.

  1. Go to Sucuri Security → Settings.
  2. Navigate to the "Scanner Settings" panel.
  3. Try temporarily disabling the "FS Scanner, Core integrity checks" option.
  4. Save changes and check if the dashboard loads. If it does, the file system scanner was conflicting with your server's configuration (e.g., open_basedir restrictions).

5. Check for Plugin or Theme Conflicts

As with any WordPress issue, a conflict with another plugin or your theme is a strong possibility.

  1. Temporarily deactivate all other plugins except Sucuri Security.
  2. Switch to a default WordPress theme like Twenty Twenty-One.
  3. Check if the Sucuri dashboard loads correctly. If it does, reactivate your plugins and theme one by one, testing after each, to identify the culprit.

6. Reinstall the Plugin

A simple reinstall can sometimes resolve corrupted installation files.

  1. Deactivate and delete the Sucuri Security plugin.
  2. Download a fresh copy from the WordPress Plugin Directory and install it again.
  3. Reconnect your API key and check if the issue persists.

Summary of Common Solutions from the Community

  • Server Restrictions: Errors mentioning open_basedir restriction in effect indicate a server configuration issue. The scanner is trying to access paths outside those allowed by your host. The solution often involves adjusting server settings or disabling the core integrity scanner.
  • Missing Files: Errors like failed to open stream: No such file or directory for a Sucuri file may require a complete plugin reinstall.
  • Resource Exhaustion: If scans start but then the page goes blank, it is highly likely the scan is being terminated for exceeding memory or time limits. Increasing these limits is the solution.
  • JavaScript Conflicts: As one user resolved, a general JavaScript conflict on the admin dashboard can break Sucuri's functionality.

By systematically working through these steps—starting with enabling debug logging—you can almost always identify the root cause of a blank Sucuri Security dashboard and restore your site's security monitoring functionality.

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