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Error message in Internet Information Server 4.0: "HTTP Error 403, 403.4, 403.5 Forbidden: SSL Required"

Article ID: 224389

Article Last Modified on 4/28/2006

APPLIES TO

Microsoft Internet Information Server 4.0

This article was previously published under Q224389

We strongly recommend that all users upgrade to Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) version 6.0 running on Microsoft Windows Server 2003. IIS 6.0 significantly increases Web infrastructure security. For more information about IIS security-related topics, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/prodtech/IIS.mspx

SYMPTOMS

After you enable the Require Secure Channel when accessing this resource option or the Require 128-bit Encryption option from the IIS HTML Admin (HTMLA), the following error occurs when trying to access the Web site:

HTTP Error 403
403.4 Forbidden: SSL required
This error indicates that the page you are trying to access is secured with Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). In order to view it, you need to enable SSL by typing "https://" at the beginning of the address you are attempting to reach.
Please contact the Web server's administrator if the problem persists.

CAUSE

The HTML Admin (HTMLA) incorrectly allows you to enable Require Secure Channel when accessing this resource and Require 128-bit Encryption before an SSL certificate has been mapped to the Web site. The MMC does not allow you to enable either of these options until an SSL certificate has been assigned to the Web site using Key Manager.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, assign an SSL certificate to the Web site using the MMC.

WORKAROUND

If you are still unable to access the Web site without receiving the "HTTP Error 403" error, it is possible that SSL is enabled at a higher level in the metabase hierarchy. Repeat steps 4 through 9, but execute the following Cscript commands instead:

cscript adsutil.vbs set w3svc/1/AccessSSL false
cscript adsutil.vbs set w3svc/1/AccessSSL128 false
cscript adsutil.vbs set w3svc/AccessSSL false
cscript adsutil.vbs set w3svc/AccessSSL128 false

If you are still unable to access the Web site without receiving the "HTTP Error 403" error, it is possible that SSL is enabled on a different Web site instance other than the first instance. Repeat steps 4 through 9, but execute the Cscript command with the appropriate Web site instance number. For example, if SSL is enabled on the third Web site instance, the following Cscript commands will disable SSL:

cscript adsutil.vbs set w3svc/3/AccessSSL false
cscript adsutil.vbs set w3svc/3/AccessSSL128 false

If the above steps do not disable SSL, please contact Microsoft Technical Support for assistance.

MORE INFORMATION

Keywords: kbprb kbpending KB224389

Microsoft KB Archive/224389

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