Les 8 meilleures façons d'éviter une erreur 403

Introduction

This article will help you understand the 8 best solutions to remedy a 403 Forbidden error, whether as an administrator or a simple user.

To help you read this blog, we will proceed as follows:

1. We will start by describing what a 403 error is and what its particular features are.
2. Then, we will explore the various causes.
3. Finally, we will be able to help you understand 8 simple and effective solutions to resolve them.

What is an Error 403?

Among the various HTTP error codes (also known as status codes) used when surfing the Web to determine the result of a request or to indicate an error to the client, the 403 Forbidden error is a common problem. This error occurs when access to a page or resource is denied by the server, usually for reasons of permissions or restrictions.

Such an error, often symptomatic of a problem in the site’s configuration, can be frustrating for users. If the cause of the error actually lies within the site itself, it is important to act quickly: by doing so, you can prevent it from damaging the user experience, increasing the bounce rate or automatically reducing the conversion rate of your site.

Fortunately, there are a number of tips available to users for resolving 403 errors.

What are the Characteristics of a 403 Error?

Unlike error 401, which indicates a lack of authentication, error 403 Forbidden indicates that the server has understood the request sent by the client (which may be a web browser), but refuses to process it, even though authentication has been carried out correctly. In other words, the server considers that the user does not have the necessary permissions to access the requested resource.

Failing to quickly correct a 403 Forbidden error can have negative consequences for your website. As already mentioned, it sends a frustrating message to visitors, preventing them from accessing pages of interest to them. Worse still, it can give the impression of an unreliable site, discouraging users and driving them to your competitors.

The 403 error can be generated on any type of page, including :

• a product page;
• a blog post; or
• a contact form.

When the error affects key pages on your site, it can lead to a significant drop in traffic. Users who frequently encounter this problem on your site will be less inclined to return. Your bounce rate increases and you lose customers.

What are the Possible Causes of a 403 Error?

There are several reasons why a 403 error message may appear when a visitor tries to visit a page on your website.

Permission Problems

Every file and folder on a server has permissions that define who can read, write or execute the content. Incorrectly configured permissions can prevent users from accessing desired resources and trigger a 403 error. For example, overly restrictive permissions can block access to certain files required for the site to function properly.

It is worth remembering here that file permissions can, however, be useful and prevent a user from accessing sensitive or restricted information, such as specific content or files. In this case, of course, there is no need to correct the 403 error.

Problems with the .htaccess File

On Apache servers, the .htaccess file is used to define configuration rules, such as redirects or access restrictions. Incorrect configuration or corruption of this file can lead to 403 errors. For example, an incorrect directive may prevent access to certain parts of the site.

Deleted or Missing Index File

The index file (index.html or index.php) serves as the default home page for a directory. If this file is missing, the server may deny access to the directory. This situation also occurs when directory indexing is disabled for security reasons.

IP Address-Based Restrictions

The administrator or manager of a website can configure access restrictions based on IP addresses. These measures are often put in place to protect the site against unauthorized or malicious access.

If the customer’s IP address is blacklisted, or if specific IP ranges are blocked, the customer will receive a 403 error when attempting to access the site.

Hosting Restrictions

Your web host may place additional restrictions on access to certain files or on certain types of HTTP requests.

These restrictions may be designed to limit misuse of server resources, or simply to protect hosted data.

Incompatible Plugins

In the case of sites using content management systems such as WordPress, some plugins may conflict with the server or with each other, causing 403 errors.

For example, a misconfigured security plugin may restrict access to essential parts of the site.

User Errors

When the 403 Forbidden error appears, it is possible that the cause of the problem lies not with the website or its server, but with the user himself. Incorrectly configured settings, outdated browser extensions or caches can cause this type of error for you.

How do I Resolve a 403 Error?

The paragraph “What are the possible causes of a 403 error?” showed us that there are many possibilities. So there are several ways to remedy the situation.

1-Use a Troubleshooting Tool Provided by Your Web Host

Your web host may provide you with a troubleshooting tool. With the evolution of technology, some tools made available to you by web hosts incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) to make your life easier. They provide solutions you can exploit to streamline troubleshooting. Problem resolution is then just a few clicks away via a menu available in your web hosting control panel.

Note that AI-based 403 error resolution technology is fairly recent, and still in beta version with most hosting providers who offer it. If your provider doesn’t offer an AI-assisted 403 error repair option, there are several other effective solutions.

2-Check File Permissions

File permissions are used to control who can access and perform specific actions on each of your website’s files and folders. They are defined by a three-digit number. This number is an indication of the level of permission required to read, write or execute files.

If the 403 error is due to a permissions problem, you can use the FTP/SFTP protocol to display and modify file permissions.

In the case of a WordPress site, the normal permissions are as follows:

• permissions 644 or 640 for files;
• permissions 755 or 750 for folders;
• permissions 440 or 400 for the wp-config file, depending on the WordPress Codex.

You have the option of automatically applying the correct permissions to all files in a folder when you manually adjust the permissions for the main folder. You can then try to manually apply the same permissions to the files.

In general, when the right permissions are applied to files and folders, the 403 Forbidden error is resolved. The site is restored and accessible to customers.

3-Disable the Content Delivery Network

The Content Delivery Network (CDN) is a network of multiple servers whose role is to cache and deliver content from the web server closest to the user. The importance of CDN lies in the fact that it reduces loading times and bandwidth usage.

If your website uses a CDN, it may display a 403 Forbidden error when certain problems occur, such as file permissions, IP blocking and incorrect .htaccess rules.

It is possible to temporarily bypass the CDN to determine whether it is itself the source of the error or whether it is the originating web server.

Most web hosts automatically activate an internal CDN for some of their hosting plans. Try following the steps recommended by your hosting provider to temporarily disable the CDN in order to solve your 403 error problem.

4-Check your Hotlink Protection Settings

By definition, hotlinking involves embedding an image from another website using the image’s URL, rather than downloading and hosting it. Some web hosting or CDN providers protect you against automatic linking by offering the “hotlink protection” feature in their plan. Once activated, this protection may return a 403 error when it detects an automatic link.

To avoid unnecessary 403 errors, it’s vital to configure the protection correctly. For example, if you encounter the error on a resource that should not normally be blocked, check your bandwidth theft protection settings.

5-Check for Malwares

As mentioned earlier, the 403 error problem may stem from the .htaccess file. This file is located in your site’s root directory (public_html) and contains a set of rules relating to how your site should act in specific situations. These rules include what type of person can access what type of pages or resources on the site.

If you have a WordPress site and it’s infected by malware, the malware can inject unwanted code into your .htaccess file and modify it. Once the rules have been modified, the HTTP 403 status code may appear.

Hosting providers often offer a built-in scanner that enables their customers to detect and remove malware from WordPress. If this scanner isn’t available as part of your hosting plan, it’s always possible to purchase third-party integrations. These are tools, usually automated, that scan your websites for malware that corrupts the .htaccess file.

You can also use a WordPress malware scanner plugin to identify malware. Several plugins of this type are available, in particular :

• Sucuri;
• Defender;
• SecuPress;
• Wordfence;
• Security Ninja;
• All-In-One Security;
• WP Cerber Security; and
• Bullet Proof Security.

The 403 Forbidden error may persist even after the infected file has been corrected. In this case, the best solution is to create a new .htaccess file.

6-Disable Your Site’s Plugins

The 403 Forbidden error message may simply be linked to one or more WordPress extensions you’re using. Even a bug in a single extension can create a compatibility conflict between several other extensions, resulting in the error.

The most common way to pinpoint the extension at the root of your problem is by trial and error:

Start by deactivating all your extensions.
Then reactivate them one by one until you find the one that’s causing the problem.

When you access your dashboard, you can do this from the “Extensions” area. If you don’t have access to your dashboard, connect to your site’s server via FTP/SFTP.

Once you’ve identified the extension causing the 403 error, you can contact the extension’s developer for assistance. But it’s even simpler to choose another extension with the same functionality as this one.

7-Try User-Side Solutions

When the cause of the problem isn’t related to the website or its server, but rather to the user, there are several simple solutions that allow you to solve the problem directly from your device. Here are a few of them:

• clear your browser’s cache and cookies;
• deactivate your ad blocker and try again;
• use another browser or device; or
• disable your VPN.

It’s also worth checking that the URL is correct. A simple typing error – such as “HTTP” instead of “HTTPS”, or the absence of a slash – can result in a 403 error. Make sure, therefore, that the address you enter corresponds exactly to the one you wish to visit, so that the server doesn’t perceive this as an attempt to access a restricted or private resource.

If, despite everything, the 403 error persists and you still need to consult the content in question, we recommend that you contact the web host technical support and report the problem so that it can be resolved.

8-Contact Web Host Support

In some cases, despite our best efforts to diagnose and resolve a 403 error, it may be difficult to identify the exact cause or correct it on our own. In such a situation, the intervention of the web host’s technical support team may be useful.

In fact, support teams have the tools, expertise and access they need to investigate in depth and solve complex problems. For fast, accurate assistance, it’s important to provide clear, detailed information.

In the event of a persistent 403 error, you can also call on a competent developer to investigate further. A professional is often your best ally in resolving complex problems and restoring access to your site. You’ll benefit from a fast, in-depth diagnosis, and your site will be fully functional again.

Conclusion

Interpreting many HTTP error codes often requires knowledge of the arcana of Web programming. In the case of error code 403, on the other hand, it is possible to apply a few relatively simple methods to avoid it.

That is why, in this article, we’ve explained the particularities of the 403 error, the various causes that can lead to it, and the 8 most effective solutions for dealing with it.

In future blogs, it might be interesting to learn a little more about other frequent error codes.

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