The message 403 (Forbidden) is the HTTP status code, which web server returns to a web browser. It’s produced by accessing web content where the web access is restricted.
In different browsers and at different sites, 403 Forbidden message may look differently:
Forbidden You do not have permission to access / directory / on this server.
The website declined to show this webpage
HTTP Error 403 - Forbidden
If you go on your site and receive the message 403 Forbidden, this means that for some reason the web access to sophisticated resource is limited and web server refused to return in response sophisticated content.
Restricting of web access to certain content in hosting account could be done by .htaccess file or by changing the file permissions / directory.
To establish the cause of the receipt of the message 403 Forbidden, you should afford hosting account via FTP client or through cPanel -> File Manager and check the following:
1. Incorrect rights of the directory / file
To work correctly one application of CooliseHost.com’s servers, directories must have rights 755, and files - have rights 644.
2. Prohibition of Web access to file or directory (.htaccess)
Web access to system files (hidden files) in hosting account is limited by default and is not supported removing of the restriction. For example, when trying to access http://mysitename.com/.htaccess will always receives a message 403 Forbidden.
In the contents of the file .htaccess, which is located in the hosting account in a site's directory or directory that you are trying to access, look for the following line:
Deny from Allor
(May be lowercase: deny from all)
Total ban for Web access in .htaccess
Deny from xxx.xx.xx.xxx
(Where xxx.xx.xx.xxx your IP address)
A ban on access by IP in .htaccess
or
Order Deny,Allow
Deny from All
Ban on access to file / directory in .htaccess
Receiving a message 403 Forbidden could be stopped by removing the ban on access to .httaccess file.
Before you make a change in content of the file and delete a line, make a backup copy of the file.
Attention! Do not remove the access restriction, unless you are sure that this will not lead to a security breach on the site. Limiting Web access to a resource site and hosting account has not happened by accident or because of a system error on the site or server. There is always a reason for the restriction more often to increase site security and protection against malicious access to content hosting account.
In case you find Deny from All together with the text: in .htaccess file:
"# Detected malicious access to the account. For security reasons and in order to stop unauthorized access, HTTP access to the site is limited ..."
Please, check incoming messages in your email address, where you are registered for SuperHosting.BG’s services. If you detect malicious access to your site by our check, you will receive an email with details of the results and instruction for actions that need to be done.
3.Ban for displaying of content in a directory (.htaccess)
403 Forbidden message will get when the contents listing of a directory in the web is prohibited.
In the directory where you are trying to load in .htaccess file, look for the line:
Options –IndexesTo have access, via the web, the contents of a directory must either remove this line or change it to:
Options + IndexesIn the directory it should not exist a file index.html, because instead of a list of directory contents will load this file.
There are other HTTP status codes, the most common type "error client" are 404 (Not Found), 403 (Forbidden), 400 (Bad Request) and a "server error" 500 (Internal Server Error). A complete list of HTTP status codes could be seen on the website of the official register of HTTP Status Codes - IANA: HTTP Status Codes.