Apache error in loading files

[Bitwise]

Just a note to let people know about a very odd problem that affects files whose names start with the letters 'rsh' (no, really, I'm not making this up...!)

Today I found a problem displaying a graphic with a file name starting with those three letters. After wasting time, re-uploading, deleting, etc. I eventually found that some versions of Apache fail with files of this name. A graphic won't display at all. If you try to load the file path into the browser, you get this message:

Not Acceptable
An appropriate representation of the requested resource /images/icons/rshop1icon.jpg could not be found on this server.
Apache/1.3.33 Server at <url> Port 80

Fixing my problem is easy. However, there have also been reports of Apache failing when files starting with RSH form a part of a system such as the WordPress PHP scripts. You can find a bit more info here: http://www.buildtolearn.com/support-...ch-images.html

I've reported this to Hostgator support. In the meantime, if you encounter any peculiar errors, you may want to check the file names involved and let the support people know if this is the cause of the problem.

best wishes
Huw

[Bitwise]

I can confirm that Hostgator has now fixed this problem. This is one of the most peculiar errors I can remember coming across (an Apache thing, it seems, not specific to Hostgator). As I use Apache quite a bit for local development on my PC, I'm curious to find out more about this...

[Serra]

Originally Posted by Bitwise

I can confirm that Hostgator has now fixed this problem. This is one of the most peculiar errors I can remember coming across (an Apache thing, it seems, not specific to Hostgator). As I use Apache quite a bit for local development on my PC, I'm curious to find out more about this...

This is a mod_security problem, mod_security was blocking those files. HG removed the block, so they will work now. Likely there is a hack that runs files that start with rsh.

[vtrain]

thant's the reason I think we should know which are the blocks mod_security is using. Fortunaly the URL that you (Serra) have me in the other thread for the defaults of mod_security help a bit to check things...

like I said in the other thread: the problem is not using mod_security (that is a good thing) the problem is losing hours and hours to find why something does not work

Vt.

(my problem before was trying to post in a forum the word wge t - "e" and "t" without the space).

[Serra]

Originally Posted by vtrain

like I said in the other thread: the problem is not using mod_security (that is a good thing) the problem is losing hours and hours to find why something does not work

Actually, mod_security problems are easy to spot, once you know what to look for. The fix is simple, document the problem and report it to support.

Believe me, all of the problems I have fixed deailing with mod_security have been far harder to fix than it would be if I could just email support and say 'broke... fix it!'