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Issue abstract: 403 error for multiple US websites
Detailed description: I’ve been trying to access multiple websites today (I’m Europe-based), that I visit on a regular basis, including travelagewest dot com, travelweekly dot com and travelpulse dot com but keep receiving a 403 error message. I am not using a VPN and have tried disabling Smart Firewall and Safe Web to see if either is causing the issue. I have also added these sites as Safe Web exclusions but still nothing. I don’t have the same problem on my phone, though I don’t have Norton 360 installed on it.
Product & version number: Norton 360
OS details: Windows 10 Pro
What is the error message you are seeing?
403 ERROR
The request could not be satisfied.
Request blocked. We can’t connect to the server for this app or website at this time. There might be too much traffic or a configuration error. Try again later, or contact the app or website owner.
If you provide content to customers through CloudFront, you can find steps to troubleshoot and help prevent this error by reviewing the CloudFront documentation.
Generated by cloudfront (CloudFront)
If you have any supporting screenshots, please add them:
Hello @E_Iatrou
fwiw ~ I’m US based https://www.travelagewest.com/ okay…my side https://www.travelweekly.com/ okay…my side https://www.travelpulse.com/ okay…my side
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AI Mode
The 403 errors you are receiving are likely due to IP address blocking or regional restrictions implemented by the websites themselves, rather than your Norton software. The fact that you can access these sites on your phone (which presumably uses a different mobile network IP) and that the error originates from the web server itself strongly suggests this is a server-side block based on your European IP address.
Why this is happening
Geo-restrictions: Many U.S.-based websites, particularly news and publishing sites, have blocked access from European IP addresses to comply with stringent European data privacy regulations, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
IP Blacklisting: Your specific IP address (or a range of IPs used by your Internet Service Provider) may be on a blocked list, possibly due to security policies or an accidental misidentification as a source of malicious activity.
Server-Side Refusal: The 403 error means your connection is reaching the website’s server, but the server is explicitly refusing the request based on its configuration (in this case, likely your geographic location).
Steps you can take
Confirm the Cause: The most reliable way to confirm if your IP is blocked is to try accessing the sites using a different network, such as your phone’s mobile data (as you already did, confirming it works) or via a web-based proxy service.
Contact the Website Administrators: Since the issue is on the websites’ end, the most direct solution is to contact their support or technical team. You can inform them of the situation and provide them with your current public IP address (which you can find by searching “What is my IP address” on Google) to see if they can unblock it.
Use a VPN (if necessary): If contacting the websites is not feasible, using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) to connect via a U.S. server will likely resolve the issue by providing you with a U.S. IP address.
Clear Browser Cache and Cookies: Although less likely to be the primary cause given the details, corrupted browser data can sometimes cause 403 errors. Clearing your cache and cookies is a simple step worth trying. You can usually do this in your browser’s settings under “Privacy and security”.