A 403 error is a HTTP status code that means “Forbidden”. The user requested access to a resource without proper authorization. You may encounter this error when trying to access protected resources like password-protected sites, files or images.
403 forbidden errors come in different forms but these are the most common:
- 403 Forbidden
- HTTP 403
- Forbidden: You don’t have permission to access [directory] on this server
- Forbidden
- Error 403
- HTTP Error 403.14 – Forbidden
- Error 403 – Forbidden
- HTTP Error 403 – Forbidden
There are many reasons that a web server may produce the 403 forbidden error, but some of the most common include:
- A missing page
- Wrong directory
- Invalid folder permissions
- Invalid file permissions
- Invalid file ownership
If a folder or a file has incorrect permissions, the web server may be unable to access it, producing this type of error.
As a final safeguard, the owner of any uploaded file should be verified to make sure that it is not an intruder. If the uploader and owner isn’t in the same permission group, 403 error can occur.
If there are discrepancies between users on the account and who has made changes or additions to files such as uploading them from their own computer for example, then this could lead to serious breaches in security which can affect both your website’s reputation and integrity.
How do you fix the 403 error?
Usually the problem is related to a lack of permissions. If you are developing an app for your company, make sure you grant it permission over what it needs.
The simplest way of fixing the problem is to ask for additional permissions over what you are already allowed. For instance, if you need more logging capabilities in your application, but do not have permission to get it, try asking for more privileges and explain how beneficial they will be.
You can also try to add some kind of “debug mode” that will allow users to access protected resources without proper authorization.
If the problem is related to files not showing up, change the permissions or ownership of those files. You can also try creating a new file vs editing an existing one for debugging purposes. This method is useful if you want to see what the real error message is rather than a generic 403 forbidden.
You can try clearing your browser’s cache to see if you are able to view the page. Before doing so, make sure that all of your caches are cleared out for any other browsers as well. Issues with a cached version of the page you’re viewing could be causing 403 Forbidden errors!
