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Resolve Cloudflare Block Pages

Problem

You're running into a block page from Cloudflare that indicates you've been blocked. No options are given to complete a CAPTCHA or otherwise proceed.

Solution

  1. Take note of the Ray ID on the Cloudflare block page.

  2. Send the Ray ID information to the support/administration team for the website that you're encountering the problem on. They can use this information to locate the Cloudflare firewall rule that's causing the false postive block event.

    If a specific firewall rule can't be found, generally adjusting the Bot handling settings will resolve the problem:

    • Under Firewall, select Bots, then Configure Super Bot Fight Mode.

    • In the Configure Super Bot Fight Mode, change the setting on Definitely automated from "Block" to "Challenge".

      This will present all suspected definitely automated bot activity with a Cloudflare challenge/CAPTCHA page, which will both allow the website admins to protect their site, and give legitimate users a way of recourse. cloudflare-super-bot-fight-mode-configuration.png

  3. Furthermore, we strongly recommend you ask the website administrators raise a support ticket with Cloudflare, including the Ray IDs you noted, so Cloudflare can improve their automated traffic classifications system. This is the only way that a long-term solution will be achieved.

Explanation

Short version

Cloudflare has software that analyses TLS (encryption) handshakes in an attempt to determine whether inbound traffic to a website is originating with a human or a bot. Unfortunately, Cloudflare is incorrectly classifying DrawBridge-filtered traffic as a being a bot.

Detailed version

Alternate workaround