Blocking Referer gives "Precondition Failed"

Hangin' Around Joined: Mar 27, 2006 Posts: 27

I was getting some spam domains in my http referer list so I decided to add them into the blocker configuration under the REFERER section

admin.php?op=ABConfigReferer

Once I had added the new domains (domain.com format) I simple got the following error:

Quote:

Precondition Failed
The precondition on the request for the URL /admin.php evaluated to false.

Apache/1.3.33 Server at www.blind-summit.co.uk Port 80Precondition Failed
The precondition on the request for the URL /admin.php evaluated to false.

Apache/1.3.33 Server at www.blind-summit.co.uk Port 80Precondition Failed
The precondition on the request for the URL /admin.php evaluated to false.

Apache/1.3.33 Server at www.blind-summit.co.uk Port 80Precondition Failed
The precondition on the request for the URL /admin.php evaluated to false.

Apache/1.3.33 Server at www.blind-summit.co.uk Port 80Precondition Failed
The precondition on the request for the URL /admin.php evaluated to false.

Apache/1.3.33 Server at www.blind-summit.co.uk Port 80Precondition Failed
The precondition on the request for the URL /admin.php evaluated to false.

Apache/1.3.33 Server at www.blind-summit.co.uk Port 80Precondition Failed
The precondition on the request for the URL /admin.php evaluated to false.

Apache/1.3.33 Server at www.blind-summit.co.uk Port 80Precondition Failed
The precondition on the request for the URL /admin.php evaluated to false.

Apache/1.3.33 Server at www.blind-summit.co.uk Port 80Precondition Failed
The precondition on the request for the URL /admin.php evaluated to false.

Apache/1.3.33 Server at www.blind-summit.co.uk Port 80Precondition Failed
The precondition on the request for the URL /admin.php evaluated to false.

Apache/1.3.33 Server at www.blind-summit.co.uk Port 80Precondition Failed
The precondition on the request for the URL /admin.php evaluated to false.

Apache/1.3.33 Server at www.blind-summit.co.uk Port 80Precondition Failed
The precondition on the request for the URL /admin.php evaluated to false.

Apache/1.3.33 Server at www.blind-summit.co.uk Port 80Precondition Failed
The precondition on the request for the URL /admin.php evaluated to false.

Apache/1.3.33 Server at www.blind-summit.co.uk Port 80Precondition Failed
The precondition on the request for the URL /admin.php evaluated to false.

Apache/1.3.33 Server at www.blind-summit.co.uk Port 80

It also appears when I just click save and not actually add any new domains. I am also not seeing as many refers as I normally had from proper legit websites. I used to get hundreds of hits from other guitar sites, but over the past month - I have had about 150 in total.

What gives?

Posted: Sun Apr 09, 2006 6:27 am

Secondly - I just added the domains directly into the database. One specific domain is the netcraft.com search that allows people to see what OS your site is running along with some other details. After adding this into the DB, I ran my domain into the netcraft site and it picked everything up - this is most worrying! Does the blocker actually work?

Posted: Sun Apr 09, 2006 8:27 am

To fix the first problem of the Precondition Failed, I needed to add

SecFilterEngine Off

into the root .htaccess file, then add the blocked domains, then comment out # or remove that line.

Still didn't fix the netcraft or the fact that a lot of my http referes don't show up. I will open this in a new thread perhaps

Posted: Sun Apr 09, 2006 8:49 am

If netcraft have already paid you a visit, perhaps this is just cached data they already found?

Posted: Sun Apr 09, 2006 8:58 am

I e-mailed them and asked them to remove me from the database or their cache. Why should people want to know what operating system or php version my site runs anyway? I don't want people knowing that - the same way you don't give out personal details about yourself and family to people you don't know.

Posted: Sun Apr 09, 2006 9:01 am

If they wanted that information, it is easy enough to find anyway but as you rightly point out, there is nothing to be gained by making it too easy for them Wink

Posted: Sun Apr 09, 2006 9:08 am

Yeah, it's kinda worrying. Perhaps if you were a webmaster wondering why some code is working on some guys site or maybe wondering what is a good OS to choose based on how well a site runs. I dunno.

I would also like to know how to block a country. I know this sounds pretty harsh, but I'd rather cut out places that would have no use for my site. I also got hacked by some turkish people so I think I will ban them first. Any ideas where I can grab hold of the country IP codes?

Posted: Sun Apr 09, 2006 10:27 am

Depending on the exact version of Sentinel you are using, this is a relatively simple and painless process (I have blocked many Countries).
Got to nuke admin area and select Nuke Sentinel from the administration menu.

In the right hand column column (there are only 2) select 'Import Data'.
When the screen refreshes, select 'Import to Blocked Ranges'.

All you have to do now is select which country you want to block and click the 'Import Data' button.

Posted: Sun Apr 09, 2006 11:18 am

It looks like I am going to end up blocking one hell of a lot of places here!!

I presume this will now go and take date from some storage file on my server and import the ranges into my database. Is this likley to bump the size up a fair bit - and by how much?

Posted: Sun Apr 09, 2006 11:28 am

As the IP's will be stored in the database, yes it will increase the database size but you would be looking at some kind of trade-off whatever method you employ to block unwanted IP's unless your host can do it at server level which they would never do as it would restrict everyone else on the server.

You can check you DB size in your web host control panel if you have one and then compare it again after you have added a country or three to the blocked ranges.

Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 2:58 am

I got a reply this morning and they removed my domain. They also said that it would take a while for the IPs or something to clear from the cache but that's a result for me.

I got a second e-mail where he had clearly tried to see if it had removed me - and because I now added netcraft to the referer block list - his IP just got banned Smile

Double result

http://toolbar.netcraft.com/site_report?url=http://www.blind-summit.co.uk