ERR_EMPTY_RESPONSE when accessing password-protected page

  • Cameron

    (@camacleod)


    11 years, 3 months ago

    Anybody else having sudden page password issues? My situation:

    • server with two installs of WP401 on different subdomains
    • two pages are password protected using the WP password option, not plugins or anything complicated. Has been in place for over 18 months, worked fine 100% of the time.
    • This morning: multiple computers, multiple browsers on each, including in private browsing mode, cannot access the password-protected pages. Chrome shows this error: ERR_EMPTY_RESPONSE
    • If I remove the password protection, the pages work fine.
    • If I put the protection back, same error returns.
    • No changes to WP install, or plugins, for over a month, but the problem only appeared yesterday.

    Any ideas? Thanks in advance!

Viewing 7 replies - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)
  • Thread Starter Cameron

    (@camacleod)

    11 years, 3 months ago

    Added: hosting provider (Racknine) dashboard showed that WP3.5 installed, even though my installs have been auto-updating and both show 4.0.1.

    • Updated dashboard using option that says I manually updated it (so it wouldn’t complain that I was out of date). Did not fix problem.
    • Reinstalled 4.0.1 from within WP updates page. Did not fix problem.

      • Hosting provider support person checked files on server, agreed that nothing appeared to have changed in months except some PDFs that I personally FTPed (this is a weekly activity).

    Moderator Samuel Wood (Otto)

    (@otto42)

    WordPress.org Admin

    11 years, 3 months ago

    Can you do anything else which causes the same error? Like, writing a new post?

    Thread Starter Cameron

    (@camacleod)

    11 years, 3 months ago

    Creating a new public post works fine. When I then add a password to that post, same behaviour. (prompted for password, and when I enter ANY password and submit it gives the ERR_EMPTY_RESPONSE error.)

    Moderator Samuel Wood (Otto)

    (@otto42)

    WordPress.org Admin

    11 years, 3 months ago

    If you’re in contact with your host, ask them if they use mod_security, and if they perhaps implemented any new rules lately.

    Submitting a password to a protected page in WordPress sends an HTTP POST with the variable “post_password”. Similarly, adding a password to a post in the editor sends the same post_password variable.

    A badly written mod_security rule could be falsely blocking this because of that variable.

    Thread Starter Cameron

    (@camacleod)

    11 years, 3 months ago

    Host confirms it’s a security block issue, and is investigating further. Also it turns out I’m using a host that resells GoDaddy in case this pops up for someone else down the road.

    Will update here with details once resolved.

    bauer32301

    (@bauer32301)

    11 years, 3 months ago

    Appears to be resolved on mine now. GD must have fixed it

    Thread Starter Cameron

    (@camacleod)

    11 years, 3 months ago

    Ditto, my two sites working fine now, with no change made by me. Will update this thread if I get any details as to what GD did.

Viewing 7 replies - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)

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