Error 403 - depending on the browser
February 21, 2024 2:50 AM   Subscribe

I have access to read Haaretz. However, recently I can't even get to the front page without getting this error 403 message. Switching on a VPN doesn't work. Changing to desktop doesn't work. Both Firefox and Chrome. HOWEVER - switching to another mobile browser (more than one kind of app) does work, as long as not Firefox. Tried emptying the cache and no change. What gives?
posted by cendawanita to Computers & Internet (9 answers total)
 
There’s definitely something odd with the site. I just went there in an older version of Safari and the site completely loaded, but then suddenly the whole page simply disappeared. It went from a fully visible front page to just a blank, white, window. Like some weird background script loaded at the last minute that determined I wasn’t allowed to see the site.
posted by Thorzdad at 3:47 AM on February 21, 2024 [1 favorite]


Try opening it in an incognito window. If that works, it’s either a browser extension you have installed or something in your session causing the problem.

If that doesn’t work, try disabling JavaScript in your browser. This may make parts of the page non-functional but you’d likely be able to read text.

I can access the site without issue
posted by sevensnowflakes at 4:23 AM on February 21, 2024 [3 favorites]


Best answer: I've seen other sites that use the Varnish cache server do this. It usually resolves itself within an hour or so.

I am currently able to browse Haaretz freely, near as I can tell (certainly never see a 403) using Firefox 119.0 on Linux with uBlock Origin, noScript and Bypass Paywalls Clean extensions installed. I don't have a subscription. If you do, you might also care to try logging out, clearing cache and cookies, then dealing with the paywall in customary IDF style.
posted by flabdablet at 4:39 AM on February 21, 2024 [4 favorites]


In case this helps, the only domains I've set as Trusted within NoScript for haaretz.com are these:

haaretz.com
cookielaw.org
google.com
gstatic.com
polyfill.io
s3.amazonaws.com
posted by flabdablet at 4:45 AM on February 21, 2024


I get the 403 using one firefox profile, and no problem using a different firefox profile on the same computer.

My guess is a bug on their side?
posted by trig at 8:04 AM on February 21, 2024


Well, you may already know this but just to state the obvious 403 is "Forbidden". More precisely: "The HTTP 403 Forbidden response status code indicates that the server understands the request but refuses to authorize it." I gather the site you were trying to access is this? https://www.haaretz.com/

I am able to access it from NJ USA via Firefox 122.0.1 64 bit. Also, Brave 1.62.165 works. Sorry, I don't touch Chrome on principle.

I suppose it could be a blacklist of some kind (if you visit too often or someone from the same IP does). It could be based on geographic location. This is all just guess work. And I am very much junior compared to flabdablet.
posted by forthright at 2:53 PM on February 21, 2024


Response by poster: Thanks everyone - in incognito it was still a problem, but I did allow extensions to run in that mode, so I did another cache delete and deactivated all my extensions. It worked! Now I'm going through one by one.
posted by cendawanita at 10:04 PM on February 21, 2024


Did you find out which extension(s) were doing you dirty?
posted by flabdablet at 9:40 PM on February 23, 2024 [1 favorite]


Response by poster: It happened again... So my method worked, so I can definitely say it was the Bypass Paywalls one.
posted by cendawanita at 5:06 PM on February 25, 2024


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