While surfing the Internet and attempting to navigate to a website it is annoying when you only see a “403 Forbidden” message. The error means that the web browser you are using can not access the resource you requested, and the server has declined you access. But what does this really mean, and why does it occur? In this article, you will not only learn about the causes and ways to fix the 403 Forbidden error, but also realize various features of this problem to solve it quickly.
First of all, I would like to describe what is a 403 Forbidden Error.
A 403 Forbidden is an HTTP status code that can be used when the server understood the request but refuses to complete it. This may be attributed to a number of causes including wrong user identification, low level privileges or even wrong server settings. In other words, the server replies with a negative acknowledgment, telling the user he has no privilege of accessing the required asset.
1. (Source of information: every HTTPS and HTTP protocol has its root cause)
Understanding why a 403 Forbidden error has occurred takes some time due to numerous factors that cause the error. Here are some common scenarios:
1. Incorrect URL: Occasionally, it may not be your request which is at fault, but the URL that you attempted to use. Read the given URL more than once, to make sure that the URL has been correctly typed.
2. File Permissions: Your server may have set file permissions in a manner that your login is not permitted to read the requested file or directory. This error occurs when the file permissions have been set wrong and returns and HTTP 403 error.
3. .htaccess file: The .htaccess file may contain such directives as limiting he access to certain files or directories of the server. A wrongly typed phrase, wrong rule set, or a wrong configuration for creating the .htaccess file may lead to a 403 Forbidden error weblink .
4. Incorrect Authentication: If a site is configured to accept passwords, 403 Forbidden error may occur when your login information is invalid, expired or not set properly.
5. Server Misconfiguration: It can be as simple as a case where the server is misconfigured to respond to all requests with a 403 Forbidden status. This is mainly realized when a server administrator has not well configured the permission or else the server software used has not been configured well.
2. Ways to Fix the 403 Forbidden Error
Now that we have an understanding of the potential causes for a 403 Forbidden error, here are some steps you can take to resolve the issue:
1. Check the URL: Check the correctness of the URL, it is sometimes the case that the URL of the webpage you are trying to view is typed incorrectly or spelled wrong. Sometimes it may contains a typo or an incorrect path where in case you are not having permission to access, it will give you 403 Forbidden error.
2. Verify File Permissions: After that, you should go to the server and inspect the permissions setting of the invoked file. If you discover that the permissions are not as they should be, you should fix them in a way that would allow your account to have the right permissions.
3. Examine the .htaccess File: In the management of Apache server, check the .htaccess file for the rules and directives that are contained in it. Check for any typos, wrong configurations, and archaic rules that may be leading to the problem. If there is any error found then correct it and save the file.
4. Recheck Authentication: If you have to enter your credentials to be able to access the resource, then check your login information. If they are wrong or have an incorrect expiry date, then correct them. Also, please make sure that your choice of the authentication method is correctly configured.
5. Server Configuration: If you believe it may be a server type problem, please contact the server admin or your web host company. They can help to sort out any problem related to the configuration if it is located in server side.
3. More Help on Troubleshooting
If none of the above solutions work, you may want to try some additional troubleshooting tips:
1. Clear Browser Cache: Attempt to remove your browsing history and cookies and then try to access the given resource. At other times, cache may become a problem and make it difficult to load the web site.
2. Disable Browser Extensions: Some browser extensions or add-ons hinder access to the resource; therefore, it is ocd to turn all the add-ons off and on to check if any of them is the problem.
3. Try a Different Browser: Try to request the resource using another browser. This can give some indication as to whether the problem is with the current browser, or with the website.
4. Contact the Website Owner: But if all the above methods fail to sort out the problem and you continue to come up with the 403 Forbidden error message, it’s best advised you approach the owner or administrator of the site. They might have more data regarding the problem and possible resolutions.
Conclusion
This, however, takes up much of our precious time, but it is beneficial in case you actually get the 403 Forbidden error. With the help of the tips and solutions offered in this article, you’ll improve your chances of finding a solution to the problem and get the desired access. A single spelling mistake of the url or obtaining the wrong permissions for a file or directory, a misconfigured webserver, etc really requires a little effort to solve a 403 forbidden error.
