## How to restore the website if WP Cerber fails to load because of corrupted settings

If the website is down because WP Cerber cannot load its stored settings, the fastest recovery path is to remove the corrupted WP Cerber configuration row from the WordPress database.

The affected database key is:

`cerber_configuration`

This is the stored value behind the WP Cerber internal constant `CERBER_CONFIG`.

### Important note

The stored settings are already corrupted and cannot be loaded by the plugin. Removing this row allows WP Cerber to load again with default settings. After the website is accessible again, open WP Cerber settings, review the settings, and save them again.

### Step 1. Open the WordPress database

Open the website database using phpMyAdmin, Adminer, your hosting control panel, or another database management tool.

### Step 2. Find the WordPress table prefix

Most WordPress sites use the `wp_` table prefix, but some sites use a custom prefix.

For a regular single-site WordPress installation, the settings are stored in the options table, usually:

`wp_options`

If the site uses a custom prefix, replace `wp_` with the actual prefix.

### Step 3. Find the WP Cerber configuration row

Run this SQL query for a regular single-site WordPress installation:

```sql
SELECT option_name, LENGTH(option_value) AS value_length
FROM wp_options
WHERE option_name = 'cerber_configuration';
```

If your WordPress table prefix is not `wp_`, adjust the table name. For example, if your prefix is `abc_`, use:

```sql
SELECT option_name, LENGTH(option_value) AS value_length
FROM abc_options
WHERE option_name = 'cerber_configuration';
```

### Step 4. Remove the corrupted configuration row

For a regular single-site WordPress installation:

```sql
DELETE FROM wp_options
WHERE option_name = 'cerber_configuration';
```

If your WordPress table prefix is not `wp_`, adjust the table name.

### Step 5. For WordPress Multisite

If this is a WordPress Multisite installation, the configuration may be stored in the `sitemeta` table instead.

Check it with:

```sql
SELECT meta_key, LENGTH(meta_value) AS value_length
FROM wp_sitemeta
WHERE meta_key = 'cerber_configuration';
```

Then remove it with:

```sql
DELETE FROM wp_sitemeta
WHERE meta_key = 'cerber_configuration';
```

Again, replace `wp_` with the actual database table prefix if needed.

### Step 6. Reload the website

After the corrupted row is removed, reload the website.

WP Cerber should no longer crash during plugin load. It will load with default settings.

### Step 7. Review and save WP Cerber settings

After the website is accessible again:

1. Log in to the WordPress admin dashboard.
    
2. Open WP Cerber settings.
    
3. Review the settings.
    
4. Save the settings.
    

Saving the settings creates a fresh valid configuration row in the database.