Kalin,
Assuming that this isn't your issue (
https://kb.odin.com/en/122407) and that you're running into the known third party fail2ban repository update problem, the solution to address it for now is relatively well documented. Removing and re-installing won't get you very far unless you remove the repository that is causing the 0.9.3 version or exclude Fail2Ban from it.
For the moment the best workaround would be to uninstall fail2ban, exclude it from the offending repository (or exclude it), and then re-install it using the Plesk-sanctioned version. You're absolutely right that it's a bit arduous since you'll have to reconfigure jails/custom filters but it's at least by using the current supported working solution, it'll start working for you.
To paraphrase UFHH01 from a previous post:
- First make a backup: mkdir /etc/fail2ban.backup && cp /etc/fail2ban /etc/fail2ban.backup
- Now remove fail2ban: /usr/local/psa/admin/bin/autoinstaller --select-product-id plesk --select-release-current --reinstall-patch --remove-component fail2ban
- Then either remove the repository that is updating fail2ban or exclude it
- Finally re-install fail2ban using the Plesk-sanctioned version: /usr/local/psa/admin/bin/autoinstaller --select-product-id plesk --select-release-current --reinstall-patch --install-component fail2ban
You should see that on re-installation, fail2ban loads without the hiccups that you've been seeing and the timeout shouldn't be an issue anymore. One downside to this is that the Plesk package doesn't contain much in the way of filters and jails out of the box but that's what the backup is for.
Good luck and please share your results!