Permalink dispatcher causing 403 error, site down

Hi Jeff,

The Permalinks plugin doesn't have any code in it to change file permissions. 

You said you have "been running the permalinks plugin for several years without a problem. Yesterday a problem started".

Can you ask the host what has changed recently on the server?

Hi Damon

I gave you some duff information in my previous post. Sorry a time lag between myself and my customer (I am in UK, he is in Australia) meant the info is coming across piece by piece.

Although the error message refers to the permalink-dispatcher.php it is actually the permissions on the main cmsAdmin folder that are 'automatically' changing to 750. They are reset to 755 and then change back to 750.

I have explained to my customer that this can't just happen and that something must have been changed and, as I know it wasn't me, the server is the only option. The host company (CrazyDomains) is flatly refusing to accept any responsibility, so it has fallen on me to sort it out.

Thanks

Hi Greg

The change in permissions doesn't happen immediately. I changed the settings to 755 this morning. I checked back a few hours later and it was working ok. Just checked again now and the error is back and the permissions are 750.

I changed the permissions to 755 and then clicked through every page on the website, all is ok - so I don't think it is visiting a specific php page that's triggering the change.

As well as the cmsAdmin folder there are two other directories in the public_html folder. The settings on both of these are 755, and they have not changed.

Thanks,

Jeff

Hey Jeff,

I'm wondering if the hosting service has a background task that is updating the files permissions automatically for some reason. It seems strange that the issue is only happening to the cmsAdmin folder. Do the other two directories have any PHP files in them?

Please could you send an email to support@interactivetools.com with the URL, CMS login and FTP login details for the site, so I can take a closer look at the issue? 

Cheers,

Greg

Hi Greg

The other directories do contain php files. They are another level down though (folder/folder/php). Could this make a difference?

My theory would be a background task. I have been regularly checking the website to find a pattern, I don't know the exact time that the error occurs but I have narrowed it down to between 4-6pm GMT. (The website is hosted in Australia, local time would be 3-5am). I've only done this twice, so it could just be coincidence of course. I will check again today, by the time you start work I will be able to report back if it is three days in a row.

I will also send you an email with login details as requested.

Thanks for your help with this. 

Hi Greg.

The problem has been solved. For your information this is the reply that the hosts provided.

The problem was caused by a group permission setting on the server. This is a linux permission on the server administration level wherein permission gets changed when another user accesses and makes changes. We have changed the group permission setting to avoid this from happening. Only our System Administrators could make this change, you do not have access to these commands.

The same scenario is explained on this link: http://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/12842/make-all-new-files-in-a-directory-accessible-to-a-group

I don't really understand, but I thought the explantation may be useful to you incase the problem ever comes up again, or if you have any other customers with installations on www.crazydomains.com.au servers. 

Thanks,

Jeff

Hey Jeff,

Good to hear the issue has been resolved, and thanks for the detailed feedback.

Cheers,

Greg