Objective
This article explains how to download private updates (plugins/modules), identify the version numbers available in your Securantis account and perform essential checks before updating a site. It is intended for account administrators who manage licenses and deployments on WordPress, WooCommerce and PrestaShop via the Securantis “Compte” area.
Why this matters
Private updates often contain security fixes, compatibility improvements and functional adjustments. However, a poorly prepared update can cause incompatibilities or service interruptions. This guide aims to reduce risk by providing a procedure for downloading, verifying and testing before production deployment.
Prerequisites
- A Securantis customer account with at least one active or available license depending on the intended operation.
- Access to the “Compte” dashboard and the Downloads/Private updates section.
- A recent full backup of the site (files + database) before any update.
- Test environments (staging) or a preproduction site where to apply the update before production.
- Reserved intervention contacts and access via the secure client area for any paid intervention; Securantis never requests passwords by email or chat.
Detailed steps
- Check eligibility and license status
1.1 Log in to your Securantis account and open the “Compte” section then “Licences”. 1.2 Confirm that the license associated with the destination site is active. If a Stripe subscription was suspended or cancelled, some licenses may be paused and not allow access to private downloads.
Expected result: the license status is active or available. If status is suspended/expired, the download function may be blocked.
- Locate the private update and download the file
2.1 Go to the Downloads / Private updates section of your account. 2.2 Locate the desired version: note the version number, the release date and the changelog (release notes). 2.3 Download the provided package (ZIP or archive) to your secure workstation.
Best practices: keep the changelog and version number with the downloaded package for traceability.
- Local pre-checks (before importing to the test site)
3.1 Compare the installed version and the downloaded version: identify whether the update is minor (fix), major (features) or critical (security). 3.2 Reread the release notes: look for known changes affecting PHP compatibility, CMS, third‑party modules, hooks or APIs. 3.3 Scan the downloaded archive with your antivirus/trusted tool before any handling.
Security: Securantis does not automatically remove malware; any quarantine, restoration or deletion must be a documented human decision.
- Test in preproduction / staging
4.1 Deploy the most recent backup to the test environment. 4.2 Install the downloaded update on the test site only. 4.3 Run critical journeys: home page, forms (login, registration, order if e‑commerce), payment processes, PDF/invoice generation, third‑party APIs and scheduled tasks. 4.4 Check PHP error logs, access logs and Securantis alerts (scanner, firewall) for anomalies.
Expected result: no visible errors, no regressions in critical functionality, and no abnormal increase in firewall blocks/alerts.
- User validation and rollback plan
5.1 If your tests are successful, have the update validated by a business owner if necessary. 5.2 Prepare a rollback plan: keep the backup, document the restoration procedure and schedule a maintenance window with minimal downtime.
- Production deployment
6.1 Schedule the update outside critical hours. 6.2 Perform a full backup immediately before the update. 6.3 Apply the update and perform a quick verification of critical journeys. 6.4 Monitor alerts and abnormal behavior for 24–72 hours.
Prudent settings and recommendations
- Always test a version on an environment identical to production (PHP, extensions, CMS version). An environmental difference can hide incompatibilities.
- Prefer a progressive update (plugin by plugin / module by module) rather than a massive deployment.
- Document each update: version number, date, person performing the operation, referenced backup.
- If your site uses important third‑party modules (e.g. payment or logistics), verify compatibility with their vendors for the new version.
Common errors and how to fix them
- Download denied / access blocked: check the license status and account synchronization. Payment interruptions can trigger automatic suspension of downloads.
- PHP incompatibilities or missing extension: consult the prerequisites in the release notes and adapt the environment or revert to a compatible version.
- Functionality broken after update: restore the backup and reproduce the update in staging to isolate the cause.
- WAF alert / block: some update behaviors can trigger rules. Review WAF logs, temporarily allow deployment IPs if necessary and correct the problematic request.
Advanced troubleshooting
- If the update triggers a fatal error, enable debug mode on the test environment to obtain the trace and identify the file/extension involved.
- For conflicts with third‑party plugins/modules, deactivate non‑critical extensions and reactivate them one by one to identify the culprit.
- If files are placed in quarantine by your security solution, do not perform any automatic deletion: keep the items for analysis, restore from backup if needed and contact Securantis support if you suspect a false positive or a complex infection.
Legal and operational precautions
- Never share your usernames or passwords by email or chat. Paid interventions require transmission of access via the secure client area after validation and payment.
- Keep evidence (logs, screenshots, changelogs) in case of a post‑update incident.
When to contact Securantis support
Contact support if:
- The private download is inaccessible despite an active license.
- The update triggers security alerts you cannot analyze.
- You observe suspicious behavior possibly related to a compromise after the update.
- You need a security intervention (in‑depth analysis, disinfection, restoration) — reminder: access for intervention is only provided after commercial agreement and via the secure client area.
What Securantis provides in assistance
Support can: verify license validity and status, provide available update packages, analyze logs and recommend actions. For any intervention involving site access, an estimate and the secure access procedure will be provided; no request for plain‑text passwords is made by email.
Practical summary (quick checklist)
- Check active license
- Download the update and note the changelog
- Scan the archive locally
- Test on an identical staging environment
- Validate critical journeys and logs
- Prepare restoration plan and backup
- Deploy outside critical hours and monitor
If you encounter a blocking situation or unexpected behavior, open a support ticket from your Securantis account with the collected elements (license number, installed version, target version, screenshots, log excerpts).