403 Forbidden error

Comments

• Mivocloud Member, Provider

  May 22 edited May 22

  Hi mate
  
  

   What a 403 Error Actually Means

  • HTTP 403 Forbidden = The server understands your request, but refuses to authorize it.

  • Causes include:

  • IP blocked (temporarily or permanently)

  • File/folder permissions set incorrectly

  • Security plugin restrictions (like Wordfence, iThemes, etc.)

  • .htaccess rules

  • Host-level firewall (e.g., ModSecurity)

  
  

  Steps to Troubleshoot

  ✅ a) Disable Security Plugins Temporarily

  If you use plugins like Wordfence, iThemes Security, or All In One WP Security, disable them:

  • Via SFTP/File Manager: Rename their folder in /wp-content/plugins/

  • Then clear cache and try accessing the site again.

  These plugins often cause 403s when detecting unusual activity like rapid logins or IP changes.

  ---

  ✅ b) Check .htaccess File

  • Access your site via FTP or File Manager.

  • Download a backup of .htaccess, then replace it with a default WordPress version:

  plaintextCopyEdit# BEGIN WordPress
  <IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
  RewriteEngine On
  RewriteBase /
  RewriteRule ^index\.php$ - [L]
  RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
  RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
  RewriteRule . /index.php [L]
  </IfModule>
  # END WordPress
  

  • Save and reupload.

  • Retry the frontend/back-end access.

  ---

  ✅ c) Check Hosting Firewalls / ModSecurity Logs

  Despite what your host says, ModSecurity or similar tools may block or throttle IPs intermittently due to:

  • Login attempts

  • POST requests to admin endpoints

  • Known user agents (e.g., from ManageWP)

  Kindly insist they check ModSecurity logs or temporarily disable ModSecurity for your domain to test.

  ---

  ✅ d) Confirm File & Directory Permissions

  Ensure standard WordPress permissions:

  • Folders: 755

  • Files: 644

  Improper permissions can lead to random access denials.

  ---

  ✅ e) Test with All Plugins Disabled

  If possible, disable all plugins via SFTP by renaming the plugins folder temporarily to something like plugins_old.

  Try accessing the site again. If it works, it's a plugin conflict.

  ---

  ✅ f) Check IP Blacklist or Country Blocking

  Some hosts or security plugins automatically block IPs based on:

  • GeoIP filtering

  • Failed login attempts

  • An SSO signature mismatch (if ManageWP is involved)

  Try:

  • Using a VPN and changing your location

  • Clearing your site’s IP blacklists (check security plugin settings)

  
  
  If all that didnt help send a message to your host
  
  

  Hello,

  I have confirmed the 403 error persists even when not using ManageWP and when logging in manually across multiple browsers and IPs. It is intermittent and affects both frontend and backend access.

  Please check your ModSecurity/firewall logs to confirm if my IP or requests are being blocked intermittently. Kindly try disabling ModSecurity temporarily for the domain so we can isolate the root cause.

  I have also reviewed the .htaccess and plugin configurations, but the issue persists.

  Thank you for your assistance.

  
  

  And please dont forget to update info here so we can help ypou

  █ Anatolie C. - Sales Officer
  █ MivoCloud owns its Data Centers in Moldova and Romania.
  █ Enterprise Class Cloud Hosting Services. Reseller KVM SSD VPS.
  █ USA (Oregon), Moldova, Romania, Russia (Moscow)
• OurFreeSociety Member, Provider

  May 26

  Hi there,
  
  Thanks.
  
  It turns out it was some code from poptin that was in the code snippet plugin. sigh
  
  He was nice & investigated further.
  
  It seems to be working for the moment.
  
  Let's hope it stays that way.
  
  
  
• Mivocloud Member, Provider

  May 27

  Glad you found solution

  █ Anatolie C. - Sales Officer
  █ MivoCloud owns its Data Centers in Moldova and Romania.
  █ Enterprise Class Cloud Hosting Services. Reseller KVM SSD VPS.
  █ USA (Oregon), Moldova, Romania, Russia (Moscow)
• DariaVPS Member, Provider

  May 28 edited May 28

  A 403 error means the server sees you but won’t let you through — like being recognized at the door but still getting denied entry.

  Since it’s inconsistent and happens across browsers, logins, and even front-end pages, it's not just a simple logout issue. Your host is partially right that it's authentication-related, but that doesn't rule out their setup completely.

  Possible causes include firewall rules flagging your access, session conflicts from ManageWP or caching tools, messed up file permissions from the move, or caching layers serving outdated or incorrect data.

  Try clearing all caches, testing in incognito mode, and temporarily disabling security plugins. Logging in directly through your host’s control panel might also help isolate the issue.

  Have your host check server logs when it happens — that’s the only way to see if something on their side is interfering. It’s likely a mix of your tools and their environment, not just one or the other.

  Daria | VPS.one Support Specialist | Here to help!
• OurFreeSociety Member, Provider

  June 5

  Ok, so it happened one more time after he turned off the Poptin code, so I don't think it's that, although it only happened that one time since. 
  
  Now MORE problems with him. I now have to find another hoster & I've only been with him for around 3 months. sigh I was already thinking this a month ago, but now this seals it. 
  
  A few days ago almost all of my sites got disconnected from ManageWP.
  
  It happened last month, but it was an issue on their end which is unheard, of so I reached out to them first even though I knew it was because of him.
  
  They said they were not down & he had to whitelist the IPs. I copied their long blurb to him.
  
  What did he do instead???
  
  He removed ALL of my sites from his firewall & any security server side. 
  
  Absolutely NUTS!!!
  
  And 2 of the sites I can't get into, one seems gone even though it loads, but the login doesn't work (I haven't posted on it yet, but I thought I had an about page), & the other one I don't have  a login for & it's not sending me the p/w reset sigh 
  
  I can't believe I have to waste time now looking for another hoster & my budget is tight.
  
  Anyway, just wanted to update the thread.
  
  Other than this forum, is there any other good ones for hosting choices you recommend?
  
  I've had some problems with others banning me for no reason claiming I spam which is a lie, & several are shut down I noticed. 
  
  Thanks for all of the help you've given me. Much appreciated. 
  
  
  
• Mivocloud Member, Provider

  June 5

  Hey buddy

  
  

  Of course, this is tough, I hope that your nerves are not so badly affected. Pay attention to our services, since you did not give the exact budget and characteristics, I will just give you a link to the website and then if you have any questions, write to the Sales Department.
  
  Our site - https://mivocloud.com/

  █ Anatolie C. - Sales Officer
  █ MivoCloud owns its Data Centers in Moldova and Romania.
  █ Enterprise Class Cloud Hosting Services. Reseller KVM SSD VPS.
  █ USA (Oregon), Moldova, Romania, Russia (Moscow)