SEO Command Center – 403 error

[AITpro Admin]

Email Question:

Everything works well now except for one remaing issue which I have confirmed is directly related to BPS bulletproof mode being on. This was actually the issue that led me down the road that I started with you in this email thread.

I use a product called SEO Command Center, which allows me to manage all my websites. When I add any of my sites that have BPS pro plugin installed and active to the monitoring software, the monitoring product shows the site as reporting a 403 error.  Following your troubleshooting techniques, I deactivated root Folder BulletProof Mode and ran a scan from my monitoring product. The resulting scan returns a 200 status code.

[AITpro Admin]

Confirmed Solution: SEO Command Center makes a HEAD Request to monitor websites.  The HEAD Request filter has been removed from the modified code below, which allows SEO Command Center to make a successful HEAD Request.

1. Copy this .htaccess code below to this BPS Root Custom Code text box: CUSTOM CODE REQUEST METHODS FILTERED:
2. Click the Save Root Custom Code button.
3. Go to the BPS Security Modes page and click the Root Folder BulletProof Mode Activate button.

BPS Pro 11.6+ & BPS free .53.2+
You may see this code or the 11.5+/.53.1+ code in your root htaccess file.  The code does the same exact thing and is whitelisted in the same exact way.

# REQUEST METHODS FILTERED
# If you want to allow HEAD Requests use BPS Custom Code and copy
# this entire REQUEST METHODS FILTERED section of code to this BPS Custom Code
# text box: CUSTOM CODE REQUEST METHODS FILTERED.
# See the CUSTOM CODE REQUEST METHODS FILTERED help text for additional steps.
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_METHOD} ^(TRACE|DELETE|TRACK|DEBUG) [NC]
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ - [F]
#RewriteCond %{REQUEST_METHOD} ^(HEAD) [NC]
#RewriteRule ^(.*)$ /wp-content/plugins/bulletproof-security/405.php [L]

BPS Pro 11.5+ & BPS free .53.1+

# REQUEST METHODS FILTERED
# If you want to allow HEAD Requests use BPS Custom Code and copy
# this entire REQUEST METHODS FILTERED section of code to this BPS Custom Code
# text box: CUSTOM CODE REQUEST METHODS FILTERED.
# See the CUSTOM CODE REQUEST METHODS FILTERED help text for additional steps.
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_METHOD} ^(TRACE|DELETE|TRACK|DEBUG) [NC]
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ - [F]
#RewriteCond %{REQUEST_METHOD} ^(HEAD) [NC]
#RewriteRule ^(.*)$ - [R=405,L]

BPS Pro 11.4|BPS free .53 and lower versions

# REQUEST METHODS FILTERED
# If you want to allow HEAD Requests use BPS Custom Code and 
# remove/delete HEAD| from the Request Method filter.
# Example: RewriteCond %{REQUEST_METHOD} ^(TRACE|DELETE|TRACK|DEBUG) [NC]
# The TRACE, DELETE, TRACK and DEBUG Request methods should never be removed.
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_METHOD} ^(TRACE|DELETE|TRACK|DEBUG) [NC]
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ - [F]

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