Error 403 (forbidden) – what does it mean?

Error 403 (forbidden) is an HTTP code of the 4xxx group. This means the web server forbids access when you do not have proper permission to access the web resource. The 403 error may lie on the administrator’s or user’s sides.

How does a 403 code look like?

The message “Error 403 forbidden” often appears on the page. Other messages are:

• HTTP Error 403.14 – Forbidden,
• webserver forbids access,
• you do not have access to this website,
• forbidden – access prohibited,
• Error 403,
• Error 403 forbidden,
• HTTP 403,
• HTTP Error 403 – Forbidden,

Error code 403 – why can’t you access the site?

The cause of the problem is that the user wants to get to certain resources that they do not have access to – this is only possible for logged-in users or the administrator. Besides, the 403 forbidden error can occur when access permissions are misconfigured. It can also appear when:

• the IP address is blocked or banned,
• the site is not in the index,
• access to some content is blocked geographically or otherwise,
• the user wants to access a private website,
• the site directory is empty,

What to do when the web server prohibits access?

To eliminate the 403 error on your site, you must first locate the cause – why you can’t access the website. To begin with, check if you don’t have permission due to not logging into the administration panel or the site has access restrictions.

Error 403 forbidden-on-administrator-side

• Check the .htaccess server configuration file, which allows you to add changes to the Apache Web Server settings. It is located in the root folder of each website. You should temporarily exclude .htaccess to determine if the source of the problem is the access-blocking directives it contains. Before doing so, create a backup and download it to your computer. Then, generate a new file through the CMS.
• Frequently, the 403 forbidden error is related to outdated software. Install an update to eliminate the 403 error code and for security reasons.
• Check file and directory settings – ensure file and directory permissions are set correctly. On Unix systems, typically, files should have permissions of 644 and directories 755. You can change this with the command ‘chmod’.
• If your server uses a firewall (firewall), this could potentially cause the 403 error. Check your firewall settings to see if it is blocking access to resources.
• Scan the site for malware – sometimes malware, such as various types of bots, creates files on websites which create a 403 error.
• Contact your hosting company may solve the problem if none of the above still helped solve the problem.

SEO a 403 error

What can happen when Google’s robot hits a page that has a 403 error? Will Google’s robot index the page? If the page was previously indexed, it will be kicked out of the index. And if it hasn’t been seen before, it still won’t be added to the index because it can’t access it.

Another problem that the 403 forbidden error is responsible for is the inability to pass link juice (PageRank) between them. Such an error on a more important URL, such as the home page, can lower your site’s ranking in the browser. This is especially important from an SEO point of view.

What if a user wanted to access a particular page? Your site loses trust because of problems like the 403 error just now, resulting in decreased conversions and increased rejection rates. Forbidden access prevents customers from moving on and is a big problem for site owners.

Benefits of 403 error code

Despite its high impact on SEO efforts, the 403 forbidden error has no negative effect on security and access management.

• Control – the 403 error allows server administrators to control access to specific resources. It can be used to block access to important files or directories that should not be accessible to the public.
• Security – error code 403 can help secure and block access to your website and web application from unauthorized individuals.
• Resource management – the occurrence of this error allows you to manage server resources that are only available to those with access permissions.
• Legal Compliance – In some cases, a 403 error may be required to meet certain legal or regulatory requirements. For example, some sites may need to restrict access based on a user’s geographic location to comply with local regulations.