Website is not accessible: 403 Forbidden AH01797: client denied by server configuration

Symptoms

• The website shows the error similar to below one in browser screen:

  CONFIG_TEXT: 403 Forbidden

• The log file /var/www/vhosts/system/example.com/logs/error_log contains errors like the following:

  CONFIG_TEXT: AH01797: client denied by server configuration: /var/www/vhosts/example.com/index.php

• In Domains > example.com > Apache & nginx Settings > Additional HTTP directives directives one or more directives like below are present:

  CONFIG_TEXT: Deny from all

  CONFIG_TEXT: <Location /example>
  Require all denied
  </Location>

• Also there could be .htaccess file containing the same directives in domain home directory. It can be confirmed by logging int server via SSH and running the command like below:

  # find /var/www/vhosts/example.com/httpdocs/ -name ".htaccess"
  /var/www/vhosts/example.com/httpdocs/example/.htaccess
  /var/www/vhosts/example.com/httpdocs/example2/.htaccess
  /var/www/vhosts/example.com/httpdocs/.htaccess

Cause

Apache directive forbids access to the website from all IP addresses or to the directory mentioned in Location.

Resolution

1. Login into Plesk;

2. Go to Domains > example.com > Apache & nginx Settings > Additional HTTP directives and add #" sign before mentioned above directives

If there is multiple .htaccess files on the server:

1. Connect to the server via SSH;

2. Review the content of all .htaccess files:

   # find /var/www/vhosts/example.com/httpdocs/ -name ".htaccess"
   /var/www/vhosts/example.com/httpdocs/example/.htaccess
   /var/www/vhosts/example.com/httpdocs/example2/.htaccess
   /var/www/vhosts/example.com/httpdocs/.htaccess

3. Add the "#" sign before the directives containing words "Deny" by opening file in text editor.