Access Denied issues can be a real problem when you have a website or blog powered by Sucuri's CloudProxy Website Firewall. Despite being one of the most reliable and secure website firewalls, this issue can still pop up and be quite frustrating for an online business owner. Fortunately, there are a number of steps that can be taken to fix this problem quickly and get your website back up and running again. This guide will walk you through each step, giving you specific tips on how to solve Access Denied errors using Sucuri's CloudProxy Website Firewall.
Step 1: Confirm your Firewall Ruleset
The first thing you'll want to do is confirm the ruleset your firewall is using. To do this, access your Sucuri dashboard at https://dashboard.sucuri.net, then select “Firewall” from the menu. On the Firewall page, confirm that your ruleset is set to “Full Protection”. If it’s not set to Full Protection, then select “Full Protection” and then click “Save”. This should update your ruleset and hopefully solve the Access Denied issue.
Step 2: Check the Current Firewall State
Once you’ve confirmed your ruleset, the next step is to check the current state of your firewall. This is easily done by accessing the Sucuri dashboard once again and then selecting “Firewall” from the menu. This time, however, you’ll be looking at the “State” column of your firewall. If it’s set to “Disabled”, then you’ll need to enable it. To do this simply click the “Enabled” option and then click “Save”. After this, your firewall should be back up and running, hopefully solving your Access Denied issue.
Step 3: Check the Firewall Logs
The third step is to check the firewall logs. This will allow you to see what type of traffic is being blocked and why. To access the logs, you’ll need to go to your Sucuri dashboard and select “Logs” from the menu. Once in the logs, you can view all requests that were hit against your server. If you spot any unusual traffic or requests, you can block them using the firewall.
Step 4: Check for Malware
The fourth step is to check for malware. Malware can often cause Access Denied issues on websites. To check for malware, you should perform a scan on all of your website’s files and folders. A number of tools are available for this—we recommend Envira Scanner. Once the scan is complete, you’ll be able to view which files are infected or malicious and take the necessary steps to remove them.
Step 5: Check for PHP Errors
Finally, it’s important to check for any PHP errors. PHP errors can often lead to Access Denied issues. To check for PHP errors, you should view your server’s error log. A number of tools are available for this—we recommend Logaholic. Once you’ve located any PHP errors, you should take steps to address them.
FAQ
Q: Is there any way to prevent Access Denied errors from happening in the future?
A: Yes, there are a number of steps you can take to prevent Access Denied errors from happening in the future. The most important step is to ensure that your Firewall is set to “Full Protection”. Moreover, you should regularly check for malware and PHP errors, as these can lead to Access Denied issues.
Q: Is the CloudProxy Website Firewall free to use?
A: Yes, the CloudProxy Website Firewall is completely free to use.
Q: How do I access the Sucuri dashboard?
A: You can access the Sucuri dashboard at https://dashboard.sucuri.net.
Q: Should I enable the Firewall if it's set to Disabled?
A: Yes, it's best to enable the Firewall if it's set to Disabled. To do this, simply access your Sucuri dashboard and select “Firewall” from the menu. On the Firewall page, click the “Enabled” option and then click “Save”.
Q: What type of tools can I use to check for malware and PHP errors?
A: We recommend using Envira Scanner to check for malware and Logaholic to check for PHP errors. Both of these tools should provide you with the information you need to take the necessary steps to solve Access Denied issues.
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Jennifer Thomas