503 service unavailable | Error

[kbilly]

Hello everyone!

Since few days,i'm getting 503 service unavailable error on my forum. The error could last few minutes to turn back to normal.This is happening from 3 to 5 times a day.

I checked the error logs and here are few of them:

2019-11-22 18:03:42.003161 [INFO] [10903] [141.101.69.10:45412] File not found [/home/****/public_html/503.shtml] 
2019-11-22 18:03:40.083549 [INFO] [10904] [162.158.105.34:31380] File not found [/home/****/public_html/thread-1024.html] 
2019-11-22 18:03:38.019113 [INFO] [10903] [162.158.109.125:62504:lsapi] File not found [/home/****/public_html/503.shtml] 
2019-11-22 18:03:37.985717 [INFO] [10904] [162.158.77.240:62444] File not found [/home/****/public_html/forum-70-page-87.html] 
2019-11-22 18:03:36.006641 [INFO] [10904] [162.158.77.22:38012:lsapi] File not found [/home/****/public_html/503.shtml] 
2019-11-22 18:03:32.202831 [INFO] [10903] [162.158.104.178:20740] File not found [/home/****/public_html/thread-5652-page-.html] 
2019-11-22 18:03:30.066250 [INFO] [10904] [108.162.246.78:43766] File not found [/home/****/public_html/503.shtml] 
2019-11-22 18:03:31.005988 [INFO] [10903] [162.158.76.11:46026] File not found [/home/****/public_html/503.shtml] 
2019-11-22 18:03:29.003264 [INFO] [10904] [172.69.63.42:13210] File not found [/home/****/public_html/503.shtml] 
2019-11-22 18:03:27.053584 [INFO] [10904] [108.162.228.69:24978] File not found [/home/****/public_html/503.shtml] 
2019-11-22 18:03:26.654159 [INFO] [10904] [162.158.77.22:38012] File not found [/home/****/public_html/thread-2465-page-.html] 
2019-11-22 18:03:24.026246 [INFO] [10904] [162.158.76.170:22186] File not found [/home/****/public_html/503.shtml] 
2019-11-22 18:03:21.050022 [INFO] [10903] [162.158.156.172:52010] File not found [/home/****/public_html/503.shtml] 
2019-11-22 18:03:17.005822 [INFO] [10903] [162.158.76.147:24958] File not found [/home/****/public_html/503.shtml] 
2019-11-22 18:03:16.020749 [INFO] [10904] [141.101.68.184:64890] File not found [/home/****/public_html/503.shtml] 
2019-11-22 18:03:15.013261 [INFO] [10904] [108.162.236.9:12770] File not found [/home/****/public_html/503.shtml] 
2019-11-22 18:03:15.013069 [INFO] [10904] [198.41.231.140:43472] File not found [/home/****/public_html/503.shtml] 
2019-11-22 18:03:08.079502 [INFO] [10903] [162.158.85.239:63890] File not found [/home/****/public_html/503.shtml] 
2019-11-22 18:03:04.082528 [INFO] [10904] [108.162.228.77:11616] File not found [/home/****/public_html/503.shtml] 
2019-11-22 18:03:01.011841 [INFO] [10903] [141.101.64.24:28680] File not found [/home/*****/public_html/503.shtml] 
2019-11-22 18:02:55.056014 [INFO] [10903] [108.162.236.9:40846] File not found [/home/****/public_html/503.shtml] 
2019-11-22 18:02:49.002931 [INFO] [10903] [162.158.76.37:29052] File not found [/home/*****/public_html/503.shtml] 
2019-11-22 18:02:44.059366 [INFO] [10903] [108.162.244.164:48166] File not found [/home/*****/public_html/503.shtml] 
2019-11-22 18:02:42.039093 [INFO] [10904] [162.158.108.244:36468] File not found [/home/****/public_html/503.shtml] 
2019-11-22 18:01:29.435881 [INFO] [10903] [172.69.54.244:60014] File not found [/home/******/public_html/403.shtml] 
2019-11-22 18:01:29.432952 [INFO] [10903] [141.101.104.250:54880] File not found [/home/*****/public_html/images/Dark1.8/js/dropdownmenu.js] 
2019-11-22 18:01:28.286425 [INFO] [10904] [172.68.64.73:53414] File not found [/home/*****/public_html/thread-9890-page-.html] 
2019-11-22 18:01:24.576068 [INFO] [10904] [162.158.187.156:27164] File not found [/home/*****/public_html/403.shtml] 
2019-11-22 18:01:15.065449 [INFO] [10904] [141.101.69.12:15814] File not found [/home/*****/public_html/403.shtml] 
2019-11-22 18:01:14.440459 [INFO] [10903] [141.101.69.12:15052] File not found [/home/****/public_html/403.shtml] 
2019-11-22 18:01:14.386928 [INFO] [10904] [141.101.69.4:46318] File not found [/home/****/public_html/images/Dark1.8/js/dropdownmenu.js] 
2019-11-22 18:01:11.928654 [INFO] [10904] [141.101.69.12:11840] File not found [/home/u***/public_html/403.shtml] 
2019-11-22 18:01:11.554787 [INFO] [10904] [108.162.238.228:49060] File not found [/home/*****/public_html/images/Dark1.8/js/dropdownmenu.js] 
2019-11-22 18:01:11.129296 [INFO] [10904] [141.101.69.12:11080] File not found [/home/****/public_html/403.shtml] 
2019-11-22 18:01:11.064969 [INFO] [10904] [141.101.69.4:42216] File not found [/home/****/public_html/images/Dark1.8/js/dropdownmenu.js] 
2019-11-22 18:01:06.748259 [INFO] [10904] [108.162.229.245:57800] File not found [/home/*****/public_html/jquery.min.js] 
2019-11-22 18:01:06.534931 [INFO] [10903] [141.101.69.12:61352] File not found [/home/*****/public_html/403.shtml] 
2019-11-22 18:01:05.851376 [INFO] [10904] [141.101.69.12:60530] File not found [/home/*****/public_html/403.shtml] 
2019-11-22 18:01:05.851053 [INFO] [10904] [108.162.229.245:55796] File not found [/home/****/public_html/jquery.min.js] 
2019-11-22 18:01:05.798761 [INFO] [10903] [141.101.69.4:36134] File not found [/home/****/public_html/images/Dark1.8/js/dropdownmenu.js] 
2019-11-22 18:01:03.643554 [INFO] [10903] [162.158.187.156:55736] File not found [/home/*****/public_html/403.shtml] 
2019-11-22 18:01:01.775814 [INFO] [10903] [141.101.69.12:55594] File not found [/home/****/public_html/403.shtml] 
2019-11-22 18:01:00.905445 [INFO] [10903] [141.101.69.12:54692] File not found [/home/****/public_html/403.shtml] 
2019-11-22 18:01:00.858445 [INFO] [10904] [141.101.69.4:29426] File not found [/home/******/public_html/images/Dark1.8/js/dropdownmenu.js] 
2019-11-22 18:00:57.552106 [INFO] [10904] [141.101.69.12:49822] File not found [/home/******/public_html/403.shtml] 

I contacted the hosting company and this was their response:

cross check all plugins which are outdated and needs to be updated … due to some plugins not responding on time .. the litespeed webserver shoots up 503 due to no response ..

The plugins i'm using are all updated to the latest version and i'm also using the latest version of MyBB software.

What could be the reason?

Thankyou in advance.

   

[noyle]

You should also check PHP error log for details.

BTW, it's not a security-related thread, I suppose.

[kbilly]

I just checked the error logs and here are some of them:

File not found [/home/111111/public_html/images/Dark1.8/js/dropdownmenu.js] 
File not found [/home/111111/public_html/403.shtml] 
File not found [/home/111111/public_html/403.shtml] 
File not found [/home/111111/public_html/images/Dark1.8/js/dropdownmenu.js] 
File not found [/home/111111/public_html/403.shtml] 
File not found [/home/111111/public_html/jquery.min.js]

I don't know where those files are used.

[noyle]

Err.. 503? Could it be a server problem that the sever just can't process more to serve you the request? Could you also ask your hosting provider to help you check the CPU/memory usage of your site?

BTW, all these logs you've posted till now are just about one thing: "File not found" which is when HTTP 404 is happening, not 503.

[kbilly]

I have been explaining them more than once that the problem is on their side but they won't understand it and will keep pushing the problem towards me.

You could be right regarding the resources as i'm on a shared hosting for now and it could be the reason.

[noyle]

If your forum is large or you have a large number of active users (logged in ones and guests), the server resource might be the limit. You should check if server's CPU/memory usage continues to spike. If so, it might be the time to upgrade your server.

MyBB should be less a resource eater compared to some other PHP applications (WordPress I'm saying). But if your forum is small and has seldom visitors (including bots/spiders) and it still gives you 503 frequently, it might be something wrong with your plugins.

I think this thread is not involving real security problem, so I'll have it reported for mod to move it to the General Support forum.

Oh, forgot to answer your question:

(...)
I don't know where those files are used.

Some of these items are logged when a stranger is accessing a non-existing resource (page/image/js/etc.). It's OK to have that, but if you mind, just search the Internet for that, like "why my site has so many 404 not found error logs".

File not found [/home/111111/public_html/403.shtml] or other ...503..., ...404... means that your HTTP server is set to serve a special page, whose path is exactly the path logged in your report, to a visitor if this visitor's request has return a 403/503/404/etc. HTTP code, but the actual page by that path doesn't exist.

File not found [/home/111111/public_html/images/Dark1.8/js/dropdownmenu.js], for this one, looks like your theme (maybe named Dark?) is using such file but that file is not uploaded. Otherwise, consider it as a bot visiting.

[s3_gunzel]

503 is a server error. Your web host is thinking of a 502 error where something not responding would throw a 'bad gateway' error.

That said, 404s on javascript files should not throw 5XX errors at all.

[User 4384]

Hi,

if you all don't mind, I come to give my "2 cents" in all this...

So, if you try to access one of his files:

https://crackingsoul.com/inc/plugins/css/all.min.css

You'll get a 403 error. It seems that the double extention (.min.css) creates a security issue, try to rename the file to all_min.css (old virus used this trick to infect years ago).

404 erros: you have a lot, because they are asking bout files that are in different folder. Check their paths to correct this as noyle said.

403.shtml / 503.shtml error: typical .htaccess error that when a 403 / 503 error happens, it asks for this file, and if it's not found, another error appears. Create a 403.shtml / 503.shtml file in your root folder that says whatever you want, or change if you can the line in your .htaccess file.

The /home/****/public_html/thread-5652-page-.html not found error, is a normal error when you delete a thread and anyone ask for it (even Googlebot). Nothing to take care of.

And finally the 503 erros, as you need the server's logs to know the origin of this problem, do what told you your hosting company. IP's that are having the problem are the Cloudflare's ones, so check if there's a problem with cloudflare and your server / plugin.

[kbilly]

Well, the 403 error is happening, because i have denied access to the inc folder completely, hence nobody can access it.

I will be checking the files location as suggested by you guys.

And the main thing is to upgrade to a better plan as we are having activity on our forum and it may be the cause.

Thankyou all.