Website denies responsibility for 403 forbidden error

[DaveC426913]

I've been on http://300mclub.org/ for years and years. Recently I am getting a 403 forbidden error.

They're recently had complete software changeover (i.e. pretty much since the last time I logged in). They are insisting it has nothing to do with this.

They have double checked my IP and insist that nothing on their end is blocking me. They want me to contact my ISP.

I'm trying to tell them that there is no question that it is their system actually throwing up the 403 page, and the only entity in the universe that knows why is their server logic. Somewhere in their code, my request is failing a condition, causing it to branch to an error - it's just not telling them why.

My question: is there any conceivable way that the problem is on my end - whether my IP, or my ISP or whatever?

Here is the content of their error page:403 - Forbidden Error
You are not allowed to access this address.
If the error persists, please contact the website webmaster.

If you are the webmaster of this site please log into Cpanel and check the Error Logs. You will find the exact reason for this error there.

Common reasons for this error are:

• Incorrect file/directory permissions: Below 644.
  In order files to be read by the webserver, their permissions have to be equal or above 644. You can update file permissions with a FTP client or through cPanel's File Manager.
• Restrictive Apache directives inside .htaccess file.
  There are two Apache directives which can cause this error - 'Deny from' and 'Options -Indexes'.

 

[Borg]

Two things you can try:

1. When I go there, the page changes to this - http://www.300mclub.org/home/
2. Clear your cookies for that site. It's possible that the new code doesn't like your old cookies.

 

[DaveC426913]

I cleared all my cookies.

The only thing left I can think of (that I can do anything about) is that I set up a proxy on my router a few months back, to check out Netflix US. I gave it up as too fickle, but I guess my IP may still be spoofed.

Although ... when I check whatsmyip, it identifies me at my correct location, so that can't be it.

 

[DaveC426913]

The URLS - between what I can access and what I cannot access - are different:

http://[B]www.[/B]300mclub.org/home/
http://300mclub.org/forums/index.php

 

[jedishrfu]

Tell them you're going to buy a Toyota if they don't fix the problem.

I would try another browser too especially one that hasn't been used yet.

Here's some possible reasons why you got the 403:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTTP_403

http://www.checkupdown.com/status/E403.html

The directory one sticks one in that maybe they are disallowing certain links as they changed their structure.

 

[DaveC426913]

Tell them you're going to buy a Toyota if they don't fix the problem.

Heh. Yeah. Threats aren't going to work.

Here's some possible reasons why you got the 403:

Yeah. As far as I have determined, all problems lead back to them.
I'm only posting this here to see if I'm wrong about that.

 

[jack action]

Have you tried over a VPN?

I can't see what possible thing you could do to create a HTTP status code of any kind: A HTTP status code is created by a server in response to a request. If the webmaster analyzes your request, he should be able to identify what triggered the HTTP status code. It may not be easy sometimes, but it is the server who sent the response, something triggered it. Though, it could be a proxy server. I know that I used to be with Cloudflare for my website and I got rid of it because it was blocking requests for no apparent reasons (Mostly "522 Connection Timed Out", one of their own status code).

If it was on your end, you would have a browser error like "Server not found" or something like that.

 

[DaveC426913]

but it is the server who sent the response, something triggered it.

Exactly what I'm trying to tell them.

"Hi Doorman; I'd like to come in."
"Sorry, you're not allowed."
"Why not?"
"I have no idea. It's got to be something about you."
"Well, you're the one stopping me. Why?"
"Sorry, all I know is you're not allowed in."
"How do you know??"
"I don't know how I know. But there's nothing wrong with me. It's got to be your problem. Maybe come back as someone else?"

 

[jedishrfu]

Was it this doorman?



Maybe you didn't actually login i.e. press the the login button before you clicked on the forum link.

 

[DaveC426913]

Thanks jedishrfu, for checking it out using my credentials.

Looks like it is related to my IP after all.

 

[jedishrfu]

You could try logging in at an Internet cafe or the library and or even a friends home too to try to isolate it.

Also don't forget to change your password on the site otherwise you might really become the proud owner of a virtual Toyota.

 

[jtbell]

otherwise you might really become the proud owner of a virtual Toyota.

...with a real debit from your credit card or bank account!

 

[newjerseyrunner]

What happens if you try and access it behind hidemyass.com? Try an American and Iranian proxy.

A common reason to get strange 403s is having permissions to view a symlink, but not the item it links to.

Are you certain that you are not getting stopped somewhere in the route? If you traceroute the route, do you end up on the right server? When you go to a website, you actually hop through lots of servers. If any of those have a coaches entry tha is out of date, it'll return the wrong thing.

 

[rkolter]

I have never been to any of the sites listed, and have no logon to any of the sites listed. I am able to reach all three of these sites without issue using Windows 7 and IE 11.

http://300mclub.org/ - redirects to http://www.300mclub.org/home/
http://www.300mclub.org/home/ - (going directly)
http://300mclub.org/forums/index.php

So the answer to your question is yes. The issue is most likely not at their end, and is most likely at your end.

One possible exception comes to mind - there could be an issue with your account on their forums. Test this by going to a computer you've never used before, and going to the site - it should work. Try logging into the site with your forum username and password - if it works, the issue is with your machine (or something between you and them like your router or your ISP). If it gives you a 300 forbidden error, then the issue is probably with your account on their forums.

 

[DaveC426913]

Site admins came back, asked me to try again after doing some stuff.
I'm in.

 

[jedishrfu]

Site admins came back, asked me to try again after doing some stuff.
I'm in.

Oh no!

 

[DaveC426913]

Gonna see if they'll spill what the fix turned out to be.

 

[DaveC426913]

From the club president:

There were 4 groups of IP addresses that were blocked in the htaccess file. As far as I can tell they have been blocked since way before I became President. I had a member of the board that works in IT dig into it and he found them.

 

[jedishrfu]

I think they were planning an impeachment before they could impeach you.

 

[DaveC426913]

I think they were planning an impeachment before they could impeach you.

Hah. Took me a while to get what you meant.

I'm not president; I'm just a free member.
The quoted passage was from the president to me.

I've updated the quote with an attribution.

 

[jack action]

 

[ManYou]

The 403 Forbidden error is an HTTP status code which means that accessing the page or resource you were trying to reach is absolutely forbidden for some reason

Solutions

1.Check for URL errors and make sure you're specifying an actual web page file name and extension, not just a directory.
2.Clear your browser's cache.
3. Clear your browser's cookies
4 .Contact the website directly. It's possible that the 403 Forbidden error is a mistake, everyone else is seeing it too, and the website isn't yet aware of the problem
5. Contact your ISP if you are still getting the 403 error, especially if you're pretty sure that the website in question is working for others right now.Regards,
Christian

 

[DaveC426913]

Marked as Solved. It was their fault.

See post 18.

"There were 4 groups of IP addresses that were blocked in the htaccess file."