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Pokermon
Inspiring
September 27, 2020
Answered

403 Forbidden Access after installing Update 14

  • September 27, 2020
  • 3 replies
  • 4879 views

I installed ColdFusion update 14 and all of my ColdFusion websites ( except the administrator website ) return a 403. Please help. This is a WIndows Server 2012 ColdFusion 2016 build. Re-installing is not an option. I have removed the update for now until I can find a solution.

 

HTTP Status 403 – Forbidden


Type Status Report

Description The server understood the request but refuses to authorize it.


Apache Tomcat/8.5.42

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer Charlie Arehart

    You will indeed get the same error, because the updates are indeed cumulative. Your frustration is understandable and shared. But as is explained in the technote bkbk pointed to (or elaborated in my blog posts), that update (and update 8 to cf2018, bit from March 2020) will cause this error FOR SECURITY REASONS (forced on us by Tomcat), until one also updates the wsconfig to match the security change implemented by the cf update.

     

    Is it frustrating? Yes. Is it documented in the technote? Yes. But most folks don't read the update technotes. And even then, the discussion there is rather meager. These are reasons I wrote my posts, to help folks and try to explain it all. Most important, that first post I offered tried to share the least one needed to know--but I could have made it still less verbose. My other post elaborates on the issues, for those needing more. 

     

    And this problem will affect folks using cf for years to come (until Adobe creates a new installer for cf2018 that includes the then latest updates out it the box--and if they would do that for cf2016, whose updates end in 2021).

     

    The good news is that for most, simply upgrading the connector (as outlined in those resources) will solve the "problems" introduced with those March 2020 cf updates. And if that's not enough, they outline the couple of additional config changes that may be needed, again due to Tomcat issues. 

    3 replies

    Pokermon
    PokermonAuthor
    Inspiring
    September 28, 2020

    Adobe says to "upgrade the connectors" and gives little information on how to do that. Can anyone assist in the steps needed to upgrade the connectors using the wsconfig tool?

    Pokermon
    PokermonAuthor
    Inspiring
    September 28, 2020

    I figured out how to upgrade the connectors and we are now working! Woohoo. To do this, run the wsconfig.exe found in your ColdFusion install directory. Then select the IIS web site you want to upgrade the connectors for. It takes about 20 seconds to complete the update.

     

    Thanks all for the links.

    Charlie Arehart
    Adobe Expert
    September 28, 2020

    Great to hear, and glad to help. I was writing my last note (how to upgrade the connectors) while you were sharing the good news. Thanks also for marking one of my answers as correct, though I hope readers will see and succeed in getting to the first link first. 🙂 

    /Charlie (troubleshooter, carehart. org)
    BKBK
    Adobe Expert
    September 28, 2020

    Why install Update 14 anyway? The current update level of ColdFusion 2016 is 16, and updates are cumulative.

     

    If I were you I would apply Update 16.  If you continue to get 403 or 503 errors, go to the page https://helpx.adobe.com/coldfusion/kb/coldfusion-2016-update-14.html . Scroll down to the "Troubleshooting" section and apply the suggestions there.

    Pokermon
    PokermonAuthor
    Inspiring
    September 28, 2020

    Thanks BKBK. I did not know they were cumulative. I will install update 16 and see if we are good to go and let you know. 

    Charlie Arehart
    Adobe Expert
    September 27, 2020
    BKBK
    Adobe Expert
    September 28, 2020

    Hi Charlie, funnily enough, your link is itself giving me a 503 error. 

     

    Charlie Arehart
    Adobe Expert
    September 28, 2020

    Try again. It's Adobe's site, where I'd posted that blog entry. It worked when I posted it and works now. 

     

    But if it still fails for you, it's a shorter version of a more extended post I did here:

     

    https://www.carehart.org/blog/client/index.cfm/2019/11/13/when_how_update_cf_web_connector

    /Charlie (troubleshooter, carehart. org)