[TYPO3] You don't have permission to access /typo3/alt_doc.php on this server.

[SwagmanInternet]

Hi all,

I know this maybe a bit late but here is a solution on the same/similar 
problem i experienced in one of my clients TYPO3 websites, (not hosted with 
me).

Firstly I will write about the error I experienced... Possible problem with 
CMS accessing files via symlinks or file permission issue?

Summary of error:
------------------

The Frontend/public view of the website appears to be displaying fine and we 
are able to log in to the backend okay. We are able to select content 
elements and open them for editing them and also able to create new pages 
but when it comes to 1) saving the content we are editing or 2) saviing 
newly created pages or 3) carrying out some other backend functions, (ie 
clear cache), the page frame comes up with this error in firefox.

Error response:
---------------
            Forbidden
                You don't have permission to access /typo3/alt_doc.php on 
this server.
--------------

During testing/fault finding the following settings were made on particular 
files & folders

For testing purposes these folders set to 777

    /home/username/public_htm/typo3_src-4.1.5/

    /home/username/public_htm/typo3_src-4.1.5/typo3/

And the file being requested was also set to 777

            /home/username/public_htm/typo3_src-4.1.5/typo3/alt_doc.php

But the error still existed, and that is, not being able to save existing 
pages and content after editing them. Clear cache still didnt work either.

Okay the following is how we got it working:
---------------------------------------------

Likley the above error is caused by the mod_security module for Apache. This 
module filters the data that gets sent to the server and blocks off any 
potential attack on the server. Sometimes the filter rules are too strict 
that it hinders the operation of legitimate scripts.

Solution:
--------
You can disable mod_security just on a/the particular directory by inserting 
the following lines into a .htaccess file:

<IfModule mod_security.c>
SecFilterEngine off
</IfModule>
---------------------------------------------

Hope this may help some out there.

Regards,

Matt K
SwagmanInternet.com



Claus Bach wrote:
> Hello Jani and Christoph!
>
> I am still trying to find a solution for the same problem. I don't
> know anyting about servers, and my provider is absolutly unvilling to
> help me (I will find another one or hit him with a baseballbat ....).
>
> I have moved the complete site where I have the problem to another
> server, just to bee sure it is a serverproblem and not, as he claim, a
> TYPO3 problem. And it is working fine on the other server. He is also
> claming that there is no messages in apache error log (I have given
> him timastamp and IP).
>
> Can you please explain to my what a mod_security problem is, and how
> to find it, so I can give him the information.
>
> Hope one of you can help me - I will be very greatfull.
>
> Claus
>
> Jani Istenic skrev:
>> Christoph Koehler pravi:
>>> In article
>>> <mailman.1.1182342551.12338.typo3-english at lists.netfielders.de>
>>> JaniIsteni? <jani at zapstudio.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>>  Hi...
>>>>
>>>>  does anybody know why I keep getting this message when I try to
>>>> save a page in RTE that contains links (typo3 4.1.1):
>>>>
>>>>  You don't have permission to access /~filharmo/typo3/alt_doc.php
>>>> on this server.
>>>>
>>>>  The permissions are fine.. I checked. It must be something else.
>>>>
>>>>  I searched through the list and found only questions no answers.
>>>>
>>>>  On some german page they suggested that it has something to do
>>>> with followSymlink setting in apache.
>>>>
>>>>  Any ideas what to do?
>>>>
>>>
>>> Make sure that FollowSymlinks is allowed in your config or .htaccess
>>> file, and if the latter, that overriding is allowed as well. That
>>> might be the problem. The error log should give you more information
>>> about what's wrong.
>>> Christoph
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>> OK.. it was a mod_security conflict... I don't know the details but
>> it is ok now.
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Jani Istenic
>> www.zapstudio.net