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What is 403 Forbidden

403 Forbidden is a web security and access control tool designed for website administrators, developers, and IT professionals. Its main purpose is to provide a powerful way to manage who can access specific parts of a website or web application. The tool allows users to set up detailed access rules, block unwanted traffic from specific IP addresses or regions, and protect sensitive directories from public view. It acts as a gatekeeper for your web server, ensuring that only authorized users can view certain content. The company behind the tool focuses on simplifying complex server security configurations, making them accessible through a user-friendly dashboard instead of command-line interfaces.

403 Forbidden Features

• IP Access Control: Block or allow specific IP addresses, ranges, or entire countries from accessing your website. This is useful for stopping known attackers or restricting content to a specific region.
• Directory Protection: Secure sensitive folders and files with password protection. Only users with the correct credentials can access these protected areas.
• User Role Management: Define different user roles with specific permissions. You can control which user groups can view, edit, or access different parts of your site.
• Hotlink Protection: Prevent other websites from embedding and using your images or files, which saves your bandwidth. 403 Forbidden ensures your media is only served on your own domain.
• Bot & Scraper Blocking: Automatically detect and block malicious bots and content scrapers that can steal your content or slow down your site.
• Real-time Security Alerts: Receive instant notifications via email or other integrations when suspicious activity is detected, such as multiple failed login attempts or access from a blocked IP.
• Access Logs and Reporting: View detailed logs of all access requests, including blocked and allowed traffic. This helps in monitoring security and troubleshooting access issues.

403 Forbidden Pricing Plans

403 Forbidden offers several pricing plans to fit different needs. The Starter Plan is designed for individuals and small websites, offering basic features like IP blocking and directory protection for a single site. The Professional Plan is aimed at small to medium-sized businesses and includes advanced features like bot blocking, hotlink protection, and real-time alerts for multiple websites. For large organizations with complex security needs, the Enterprise Plan provides custom solutions, dedicated support, advanced reporting, and API access.

403 Forbidden Free Plan

Yes, 403 Forbidden offers a free plan. The free plan is suitable for personal projects and small websites. It includes basic access control features, such as the ability to block up to 20 IP addresses and protect one directory. The plan has limitations on the amount of traffic it can monitor and does not include advanced features like bot blocking or real-time alerts. For users who need more features, a free trial is available for the paid plans.

How to use 403 Forbidden

Getting started with 403 Forbidden is a simple process. First, you need to sign up for an account on their website. After signing up, you connect your website by installing a small plugin or adding a code snippet to your site's header. Once connected, you can use the dashboard to manage security settings. A typical workflow involves going to the 'IP Access Control' section to add IP addresses you want to block. To protect a folder, you go to 'Directory Protection,' select the folder, and set a username and password. You can monitor all activity through the 'Access Logs' dashboard to see who is trying to access your site and if any rules have been triggered.

Pros and Cons of 403 Forbidden

Pros:

• Very powerful and granular control over website access.
• User-friendly interface simplifies complex security tasks.
• Real-time monitoring and alerts help to react quickly to threats.
• Good for preventing bandwidth theft through hotlink protection.

Cons:

• The number of features can be overwhelming for complete beginners.
• Incorrect configuration could accidentally block legitimate users or search engines.
• The free plan is quite limited in its features.

403 Forbidden integrations

403 Forbidden integrates with several popular platforms to enhance its functionality:

• Slack: Receive real-time security alerts and notifications directly in your Slack channels.
• WordPress: A dedicated plugin allows for easy integration and management from the WordPress dashboard.
• Joomla & Drupal: Offers extensions for seamless integration with these content management systems.
• Cloudflare: Works alongside Cloudflare to provide an additional layer of access control and security.
• Google Analytics: Connect to see how security rules impact your website traffic and user behavior.

403 Forbidden Alternatives

• Sucuri: A comprehensive website security platform that offers malware scanning, firewall protection, and DDoS mitigation. It is more focused on overall security than just access control.
• Wordfence: A popular security plugin for WordPress. It provides a firewall, malware scanner, and login security features, making it a great alternative for WordPress users.
• Cloudflare Access: Part of the Cloudflare suite, this tool provides secure access to internal applications without a VPN. It is more focused on enterprise-level application security rather than general website access control.
• iThemes Security: Another strong WordPress security plugin that offers features like two-factor authentication, password enforcement, and database backups.

403 Forbidden API

Yes, 403 Forbidden provides a REST API for developers. The API allows you to programmatically manage access rules, block or unblock IPs, and retrieve access logs. This is useful for automating security tasks or integrating 403 Forbidden's features into your own applications. To get an API key, you need to be subscribed to the Professional or Enterprise plan. The key can be generated from the 'API Settings' section in your account dashboard.

Here is a simple example using cURL to block an IP address:

curl -X POST https://api.403forbidden.com/v1/rules/block_ip \
-H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"ip_address": "192.168.1.100", "reason": "Suspicious activity"}'

403 Forbidden Affiliate program

403 Forbidden has an affiliate program for users who want to promote the tool. Affiliates can earn a recurring commission of 20% on all payments for customers they refer. To join, you need to sign up on their affiliate page. Once approved, you will get a unique referral link and access to a dashboard to track your clicks, referrals, and earnings. Payouts are typically made monthly through PayPal once you reach a minimum earning threshold.