HTTP 403 Error Message

[Deborah Head]

I am not a real technical language user. I keep getting error messages when trying to get to some websites (ie:aim.com, local news from RR, etc.) I have enabled the ssl and http under the advanced tab in internet explorer but now am getting the http 403 error. Can anyone please explain how to fix this in simple terms? Thanks so much in advance.

[Heinz W Genhart]

Hi Deborah

as far I know the errorcode 403 means, that access to this page is restricted to authorized users. That means you have to login somewhere, befor you have access to this page.

Regards

Geni

[David Jones_21]

"That means you have to login somewhere, before you have access to this page."

Normally, if login is required, a 401 response is returned so you can provide credentials.

403 often means the web server is restricting access based on location (IP address) of the client. I don't really see a reason for aim.com to do this, unless it is blocking certain ISPs.

Are you using a proxy server? Perhaps it is enforcing a policy against loading AIM client's by denying access to the web site.

[Karl Rohwedder]

Here is some explanation:

403 Forbidden

The server understood the request, but is refusing to fulfill it. Authorization will not help and the request should not be repeated. If the request method was not HEAD and the server wishes to make public why the request has not been fulfilled, it should describe the reason for the refusal in the entity body. This status code is commonly used when the server does not wish to reveal exactly why the request has been refused, or when no other response is applicable.

regards Kalle

[Deborah Head]

Thanks for all the info. No, I don't use a proxy server, just a wireless connection. LOL, I have no clue why aim.com would come up w/ that error but it did today. Can I ask this next question; why sometimes when i go to a pg i have the news articles, etc., but sometimes some of the pg has the can not connect thing on it but not a 403 error, and there is no login that i have found.

[Willem Grooters]

There are several reasons.

On the server side, that could mean:

* Congested server and/or network and/or datapaths
* Errors in accessing database, files, network and other resources that are badly handled (menaing: not sufficient, even not at all).

On the client side, it could be that
* your browser doesn't behave as it should
* Your connection is congested

I don't want to scare you, but I need to ask this since you appear to ask fro a windows-based machine: Have you checked your system recently on malware (Rootkits, Virus, trojans), and do you run a virus-scanner that is up-to-date? The reason is that these 'product' can cause a lot of traffic without you knowing it. It could lead your ISP and certain sites to block you - causing more or less permanent 403 pages.

[Deborah Head]

I run norton AV, spysweeper and have my rootkits,viruses, and malware checked frequently. I also have my windows firewall enabled. Are u saying that this is the problem? If so how do i fix? Little confused, but trying to understand. All programs are up to date and appear to be running fine. Thanks for you help

[Willem Grooters · Accepted solution]

Ruling out your PC as cause of trouble: Is you wireless connection protected (access key, encryption)? It's another possible source of abuse.

[Deborah Head]

Sorry it took so long to get your reply. My norton is up to date and my spysweeper is also. I run it everyday and check rootkits, etc. I use roadrunner and would like to know how to find out if they are the ones causing this problem as it is also happening on my husbands computer which is a pc and runs vista and now seems to have the same ailments. Thanks so much.

[Hoff]

You may well be using a proxy server and a firewall, whether you realize it or not. Various of these capabilities can exist in your WiFi router, and the ISP can configure these into its network.

This could be malware, or it might not.

It's also possible that there are parental controls, a routing problem, or a device hardware or software or configuration error within your WiFi device.

Borrow a Mac laptop or a Linux box or other such from somebody and see if that works; Mac and Linux boxes are not usually vulnerable to typical Windows pestilence.

In honor of the usual topic area covered in this particular ITRC forum -- the OpenVMS operating system -- you could also borrow an OpenVMS box; that's less likely that you'll be able to find one. OpenVMS is (also) not vulnerable to the usual Windows malware.

Any of these borrowed boxes can be used to troubleshoot the configuration; to determine if there's a problem with your router, your network, or elsewhere.

Alternatively and this is where you are headed, call in somebody to look at this particular configuration and this network. Something is definitely messed up here -- but you knew that.

A spot where you'll find more Microsoft users around HP is over the ITRC Microsoft forum:

http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/familyhome.do?familyId=116