Cloudflare is a content delivery network (CDN) that acts as a protective barrier for websites, shielding them from DDoS attacks and other malicious activities. As a result of this enhanced security, some users may occasionally find themselves temporarily blocked from accessing certain sites protected by Cloudflare's services. The blocking mechanism activates when the system identifies suspicious traffic patterns or specific keywords that could potentially harm the website being defended.

WHY HAVE I BEEN BLOCKED?

The reasons behind a block can vary widely. These include, but are not limited to: repeatedly submitting a specific word or phrase, attempting SQL injection attacks, sending malformed data, or engaging in other automated activities that may be perceived as threats. Cloudflare's security features are designed to adapt and respond to a broad spectrum of online threats, which sometimes results in false positives where legitimate users are inadvertently flagged.

WHAT CAN I DO TO RESOLVE THIS?

If you encounter a '403 Forbidden' error or find yourself unable to access a website protected by Cloudflare and believe it may be an error, follow these steps:

1. Review Your Actions: Ensure there's nothing in your recent activity that could be triggering the security measures.
2. Contact the Site Owner: Reach out to the owner of the site you are trying to access via email or contact form. Clearly explain the issue and provide details such as the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of the error page, what you were doing when the block occurred, and any other relevant information.
3. Follow Instructions: If the site owner provides instructions on how to bypass the temporary restriction, follow them closely to regain access.
4. Wait It Out: Sometimes, these restrictions are automatically lifted after a certain period of inactivity or upon resetting your connection's cache.

By understanding why you've been blocked and taking appropriate action, users can effectively navigate through Cloudflare security measures. This approach ensures that both the user and the websites they wish to access remain secure from potential threats.