PCA Forums

Anyone else having problems connecting? I couldn't get in for a day or two - the "down for me or everyone" utility said me. I finally tried using an IP spoof program that lands me in Ireland (I use it for watching BBC) and it let me in ok. Then I tried to post something in book reviews and got

Forbidden

You don't have permission to access /forums/newthread.php on this server.

Additionally, a 404 Not Found error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request.

I'm writing this with the IP spoof on.

cleared cache etc., and I can still only get here via Irish IP???

Exec got the forbidden message also when trying to post a joke.

I'll tell you what I told him. This happened to me twice a while back. Our webhost uses a black list to block the posting of URLs that are considered malicious. Unfortunately that seems to include links to some legit white hat web sites.

You'll get the forbidden message if you try to post a black listed link (however nothing tells you it's blacklisted - you just get that Forbidden error). If you persist in trying to repost the link, it will eventually block your IP.

I'm assuming it blocked your IP. I'll need you to give me your IP and I'll put in a trouble ticket to have it un-blocked.

thanks, FP

184.19.115.17

There are also blacklisted words - something that might be used in a SPAM posting. Unfortunately it's beyond my control. It's done at the hosting level.

I'll put in a trouble ticket on your IP.

Okay I went back through my notes the last time this happened to me, and the words that set off the blacklist filter were "Free anti-virus". I was posting an article about a free anti virus app. Apparently the web host considered that a SPAM post and blocked it. When I tried to post it again a couple of more times, it blacklisted my IP.

I'm not too happy about it - it feels like infringement of free speech when it concerns a forum post, but there's nothing I can do about it unless we move to a different host, and I suspect they're all doing it to keep their web servers from being tagged as sources of SPAM and SCAMS on blacklists.

..

FYI: After I entered a trouble ticket to clear John's IP, I sent them another ticket complaining about the text filter. Here's the joke: I could not use the phrase that got me banned several months ago, or the phrase that prevented Executioner from posting a joke yesterday (he didn't get banned, just got the "Forbidden" error). The trouble ticket system itself apparently is also run through the text filter.

I expressed my displeasure that a couple of innocuous phrases, which just also happen to be used in SPAM posts, prevent my users from freely expressing themselves.

So possibly move to a host that's not so anal?

I'm afraid they probably all do it nowadays. No one wants their servers blacklisted.

well, I seem to be back now, thx!

Yeah, they notified me that your IP was unblocked.

They also replied to my complaint:

I understand you are having such issues which can be frustrating. We are using mod_security rules which work pretty good in blocking attacks and spam on the server. While the rules are impressive, they sometime even block legitimate requests. (Sometimes text are too similar between a joke and spam post).

They've offered to customize the rules if we run into problems again.

Everyone just needs to be aware that if you get a "Forbidden" error, that's the text filter blocking your post. Repeated attempts will result in IP blacklisting.

If anyone runs into the "Forbidden" error, let me know your IP and the text of your message, and I can put in a trouble ticket.

Maybe having a *sticky* on this subject (not this thread) abut a new thread about the "Forbidden" error message. I'm glad I stopped when I did after the third attempt.

I need to go back through my notes. Last time this happened I asked if there was anyway to created a custom message instead of that "Forbidden" page. They told me what the specific error number was, and that I could make a custom page that would be displayed when that error occurred.

Should allow me to make a custom Text Filter warning page.